Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
There are also substantial methodological, theoretical and spatial problems in conducting
geographical research. Problems have arisen because of the multiplicity of potential
frameworks for analysis as well as relatively weak theorisation in some quarters. As
Ioannides (1996:221) notes, 'Although tourism geography has long been an established
specialization, the weak theoretical grounding associated with this research area relegates
it to the discipline's periphery'.
The lack of a clearly articulated or agreed-upon methodological or philosophical
approach to geography per se, let alone the geography of tourism and recreation, may
create an intellectual and perceptual minefield for the researcher, particularly as the value
position of the author will have an enormous bearing on the results of any research.
Burton (1982:323-4), for example, argued that leisure and tourism research is plagued by
problems of 'lack of intellectual co-ordination and insufficient cross-fertilization of ideas
among researchers; an inadequacy of research methodologies and techniques; and a lack
of any generally agreed concepts and codes in the field'. However, in contrast, Hall
(1994:7) argued that 'In fact, the debate which marks such concepts should probably be
seen as a sign of health and youthful vigour in an emerging area of serious academic
study and should be welcomed and encouraged rather than be regarded as a source of
embarrassment'.
Another factor which may have influenced the standing of the geography of tourism
and recreation is the extent to which the subdiscipline is being promoted to the discipline
as a whole. For example, in the American context, Mitchell (1997) argued:
There is no one individual superstar in the US who has popularized the
subject matter through publications and/or personality. From my
perspective a lot of good geographic research has been published and the
research frontier has been advanced, however, little of this research has
appeared in the geographic literature; rather it tends to be found in
specialty or multi-disciplinary journals…. Lots of publications are
produced but they do not engender the kind of interest or reputation that
leads to widespread recognition.
In the British context, the publication of
Critical Issues in Tourism
by Shaw and
Williams (1994) as part of the Institute of British Geography Studies in Geography Series
helped raise the profile of the area. Nevertheless, the situation remains that the key
academic audience of the majority of research and publications by tourism and recreation
geographers are people within tourism and recreation departments rather than geography.
However, there are some signs that this situation may be changing. First, there is the
publication of the journal
Tourism Geographies
in 1999 (edited by Alan Lew and
published by Routledge) which seeks to promote the subdiscipline both within its
immediate audience and beyond. To some extent the emergence of this specialised
journal may be regarded as a sign of maturity of the field akin to other specialist
geography journals (e.g.
Applied Geography, Journal of Transport Geography
). Second,
there are activities of the IGU Study Group on the Geography of Tourism, Leisure and
Global Change and its forerunner, the Study Group on the Geography of Sustainable
Tourism which has co-hosted a number of conferences and special sessions with other
IGU Commissions, such as Sustainable Rural Systems, and with national associations,
