Catherine Palmer

Tourism and the symbols of identity

Abstract This article discusses some of the issues surrounding the relationship between heritage tourism and national identity (focusing upon England). It argues that heritage tourism is a powerful force in the construction and maintenance of a national identity because it relies upon the historic symbols of the nation as a means of attracting tourists. Thus, the tourism industry, through its use of ‘our heritage’, becomes yet another means by which contemporary concepts of nation-ness are defined. Such a position has implications for the way in which sites are managed and promoted.

Tourism research methods: Integrating theory with practice

Within the tourism industry there is a growing consensus on the need for research to investigate the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. However, existing research methods texts are based solely on either the business approach or the social science approach to tourism. They often fail to provide real world examples of how to plan, implement or analyse tourism related research. This book aims to address this divide by integrating theory with practice through the inclusion of specific tourism research case studies alongside research theory. It considers a wide range of research issues, approaches and techniques with contributions from both experienced and new researchers.

Tourism and colonialism: the experience of the Bahamas.

To complement the rich and varied body of literature concerning the impact of tourism on the host community, this study concentrates on the legacy of the Caribbean experience of colonialism. With specific reference to the Bahamas (and to the capital city, Nassau) the discussion focuses on the relationship between tourism and colonialism and on the implications this has for the development of a national identity. By relying on the images of a colonial past, the tourism industry merely perpetuates the ideology of colonialism and prevents the local people from defining a national identity of their own.

Touring Churchill’s England: Rituals of Kinship and Belonging

Drawing upon the insights to be gained from material culture studies, this article examines the role of objects as identity markers, specifically those displayed at Chartwell, the former home of Sir Winston Churchill. Theoretically grounded in the psychological dynamics of nationness, it argues that both man and house personify characteristics of Englishness. The artefacts inside the house resemble a forest of symbols depicting those aspects of the nation considered worthy of reverence. Recognition of these symbols takes place within three realms: imagination, memory and emotion. Within these realms lies the potential to rekindle the national self-confidence and unity that Churchill is deemed to represent.

Culture, identity, and belonging in the “culinary underbelly”

Purpose – Drawing on social anthropology this paper aims to focus on the role of culture in identity formation through an examination of the results of research into the culture of the chef – culture manifest in what has been referred to as the “culinary underbelly”.Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth interviews were conducted with head chefs of Michelin‐starred restaurants and celebrity chefs with the aim of exploring the social and cultural processes underpinning the formation of chef identity.Findings – These illustrate what it feels like to belong on the basis of such signifying structures as language, community, and kinship. Being a chef is more than just a job, it is sacred work involving sacrifice and pain leaving a physical imprint on the individual in the form of burns, cuts and scalds. Such marks are the physical manifestation of chef culture.Research limitations/implications – The findings are not generalizable to all chefs. Further research should focus on issues of gender and ethnicity, an...