Romancing the Wild

Cultural Dimensions of Ecotourism

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Environment, Ecology, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Anthropology
Cover of the book Romancing the Wild by Robert Fletcher, Duke University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Robert Fletcher ISBN: 9780822376897
Publisher: Duke University Press Publication: February 24, 2014
Imprint: Duke University Press Books Language: English
Author: Robert Fletcher
ISBN: 9780822376897
Publisher: Duke University Press
Publication: February 24, 2014
Imprint: Duke University Press Books
Language: English

The worldwide development of ecotourism—including adventures such as mountain climbing and whitewater rafting, as well as more pedestrian pursuits such as birdwatching—has been extensively studied, but until now little attention has been paid to why vacationers choose to take part in what are often physically and emotionally strenuous endeavors. Drawing on ethnographic research and his own experiences working as an ecotour guide throughout the United States and Latin America, Robert Fletcher argues that participation in rigorous outdoor activities resonates with the particular cultural values of the white, upper-middle-class Westerners who are the majority of ecotourists. Navigating 13,000-foot mountain peaks or treacherous river rapids demands deferral of gratification, perseverance through suffering, and a willingness to assume risks in pursuit of continuous progress. In this way, characteristics originally cultivated for professional success have been transferred to the leisure realm at a moment when traditional avenues for achievement in the public sphere seem largely exhausted. At the same time, ecotourism provides a temporary escape from the ostensible ills of modern society by offering a transcendent "wilderness" experience that contrasts with the indoor, sedentary, mental labor characteristically performed by white-collar workers.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The worldwide development of ecotourism—including adventures such as mountain climbing and whitewater rafting, as well as more pedestrian pursuits such as birdwatching—has been extensively studied, but until now little attention has been paid to why vacationers choose to take part in what are often physically and emotionally strenuous endeavors. Drawing on ethnographic research and his own experiences working as an ecotour guide throughout the United States and Latin America, Robert Fletcher argues that participation in rigorous outdoor activities resonates with the particular cultural values of the white, upper-middle-class Westerners who are the majority of ecotourists. Navigating 13,000-foot mountain peaks or treacherous river rapids demands deferral of gratification, perseverance through suffering, and a willingness to assume risks in pursuit of continuous progress. In this way, characteristics originally cultivated for professional success have been transferred to the leisure realm at a moment when traditional avenues for achievement in the public sphere seem largely exhausted. At the same time, ecotourism provides a temporary escape from the ostensible ills of modern society by offering a transcendent "wilderness" experience that contrasts with the indoor, sedentary, mental labor characteristically performed by white-collar workers.

More books from Duke University Press

Cover of the book Listening to Images by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Women's Studies on Its Own by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Pleasure Consuming Medicine by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Financial Missionaries to the World by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Competition in the Health Care Sector by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book The Apartment Complex by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Religion and State Formation in Postrevolutionary Mexico by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book An Aqueous Territory by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Working Out in Japan by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book The Time of Liberty by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Entanglements, or Transmedial Thinking about Capture by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Pin-Up Grrrls by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Stitches on Time by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book The Magic of Concepts by Robert Fletcher
Cover of the book Prophets of the Hood by Robert Fletcher
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy