Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SOC5027

 
TITLE Tourism and Society

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Sociology

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit looks at those aspects of tangible cultural heritage that form the contemporary urban, coastal and rural scapes and how they are challenged and unsettled by ‘development’, particularly that which is tourism driven. Additionally, it also examines tourism as a driver for the transformation of brown belt (already disturbed) or
green belt (unspoilt) sites on land, coast and sea. The study-unit also explores land, coastal and marine use conflict in small archipelago states first, then focusing more closely on Malta and its densely populated island setting, where land, coast and sea are finite resources, and how this situation is exacerbated by tourism and its stakeholders.

Study-Unit Aims:

- To promote a critical understanding of the tourism industry, in its multiple manifestations;
- To appraise the meaning, value and relevance of culture and heritage and how these are threatened, debased or revitalised thanks to tourism;
- To foster an appreciation of the skills and insights involved in a proper analysis of land, sea or coastal use conflict (including fieldwork);
- To develop an awareness of the predicament of small island states and territories in the face of the tourism juggernaut.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Interpret the meanings of culture and heritage and their changing interpretations across different times and different publics;
- Question and analyse the specific current development challenges of small island states and the significant contribution that tourism usually plays in that development;
- Grasp the meaning of economic diversification as relevant to a small archipelagic country;
- Compare and contrast the planning challenges of a services-led versus a manufacturing-led island economy;
- Examine and evaluate the challenges facing policy makers and planners dealing with by the ‘safe bet’ of tourism expansion;
- Investigate land, coast and sea use conflicts and propose strategies for their solution;
- Develop further the competence and confidence of undertaking multidisciplinary fieldwork involving topical social issues.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Competently undertake social science fieldwork;
- Comprehend land, coast and sea use conflicts and be able to propose strategies for their solution;
- Take in the complex meanings of culture, nature and heritage and their changing interpretations across times and publics, as well as how they are impacted by tourism.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Core Texts:

- M. Debono & G. Baldacchino (Eds.), Working Life and the Transformation of Malta, 1960-2020. Msida: Malta University Press. (A great book to understand how and why Malta has changed so much in such a short period of time.)

Supporting Texts:

- Avellino, M. (2021). Capitalising on our resources: Sustainable tourism development in Malta? In M. Debono & G. Baldacchino (Eds.), Working Life and the Transformation of Malta, 1960-2020. Msida: Malta University Press.
- Baldacchino, G. (Ed.) (2015). Extreme heritage management: The practices and policies of densely populated islands. New York: Berghahn Books. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ejournals.um.edu.mt/lib/ummt/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=848740 (Includes chapter on Malta written by MEPA personnel.)
- Baldacchino, G. (2017). Il-mina / The gate. In R. Vella & B. Hutschek (Eds.) (2017). Homo Melitensis: An incomplete inventory in 19 chapters (pp. 243-246). Malta Pavilion. Venice Biennale. Mousse Publishing. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35381
- Boissevain, J. (2004). Hotels, tuna pens, and civil society: Contesting the foreshore in Malta. In J. Boissevain & T. Selwyn (Eds.), Contesting the Foreshore: Tourism, society and politics on the coast (pp. 233-260). Amsterdam University Press. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/35125/340221.pdf?sequence=1#page=234
- Boissevain, J. (1996). 'But we live here!': Perspectives on cultural tourism in Malta. In L. Briguglio et al. (Eds), Sustainable tourism in islands and small states: case studies. (pp. 220-240). London: Pinter. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/30745
- Cassia, P. S. (1999). Tradition, tourism and memory in Malta. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 247-263. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24629
- Ebejer, J. (2017). The tourist experience of historic places. Self-published. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27361
- McElroy, J. L. and Parry, C. E. (2010). The characteristics of small island tourist economies. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 10(4), 315-328. (Available from Library Holdings)
- Theuma, N. (2004). Tourism, culture and cultural tourism in Malta: The revival of Valletta. In B. Bramwell (Ed.), Coastal mass tourism: Diversification and sustainable development in Southern Europe (pp. 292-306). Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/101653
- Theuma, N., Cassar, G., Azzopardi, S. F., & Cardia, G. (2016). Sustainable tourism. Mdina: A situation analysis of a cultural destination. In V. Katsoni & A. Stratigea (Eds.), Tourism and culture in the age of innovation (pp. 91-107). Conference proceedings. Cham: Springer. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/93282
- Visanich, V. (2022). Public opinion and protest efficacy: A study on the proposed yacht marina in Marsaskala, Malta. Xjenza (on-line) 10(2),103-114, https://www.xjenza.org/ISSUES/9/04.pdf
- Vella, L. (2019). Tourism employment in Malta: Its evolution, contemporary issues and future needs. In G. Baldacchino, V. Cassar & J.G. Azzopardi (Eds.) Malta and its human resources (pp. 287-315). Malta: Malta University Press. (Available on request)

Lecture Themes:

- The origins and characteristics of tourism in the 21st century: “I travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something” (Eurythmics)
- The inexorable march of tourism development, and strategies for its containment.
- Characteristics of ‘small island tourist economies’ – and why Malta is NOT one such example.
- Changing interpretations of heritage and nature
- Small archipelagos and their territorial sea as a contested space.
- Small archipelagos and their coastal fringe as a contested space.
- Case Study: Mdina
- Case Study: Valletta (A UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Grand Harbour
- Case Study: Marsaxlokk Bay (including Malta Freeport and Power Station)
- Case Study: Marsaskala Bay (and the Yacht Marina Saga, 2021-22)
- Case Study: Mgarr (quasi-) Harbour, Gozo

- Baldacchino, G. (Ed.) (2015). Extreme heritage management: The practices and policies of densely populated islands. New York: Berghahn Books. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ejournals.um.edu.mt/lib/ummt/detail.action? pq-origsite=primo&docID=848740 (Includes chapter on Malta written by MEPA personnel.)
- Baldacchino, G. (2017). Il-mina / The gate. In R. Vella & B. Hutschek (Eds.) (2017). Homo Melitensis: An incomplete inventory in 19 chapters (pp. 243-246). Malta Pavilion. Venice Biennale. Mousse Publishing. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/35381
- Boissevain, J. (2004). Hotels, tuna pens, and civil society: Contesting the foreshore in Malta. In J. Boissevain & T. Selwyn (Eds.), Contesting the Foreshore: Tourism, society and politics on the coast (pp. 233-260). Amsterdam University Press. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/35125/340221.pdf? sequence=1#page=234
- Boissevain, J. (1996). 'But we live here!': Perspectives on cultural tourism in Malta. In L. Briguglio et al. (Eds), Sustainable tourism in islands and small states: case studies. (pp. 220-240). London: Pinter. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/30745
- Cassia, P. S. (1999). Tradition, tourism and memory in Malta. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 247-263. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24629
- Ebejer, J. (2017). The tourist experience of historic places. Self-published. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27361
- McElroy, J. L. and Parry, C. E. (2010). The characteristics of small island tourist economies. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 10(4), 315-328. (Available from Library Holdings)
- Theuma, N. (2004). Tourism, culture and cultural tourism in Malta: The revival of Valletta. In B. Bramwell (Ed.), Coastal mass tourism: Diversification and sustainable development in Southern Europe (pp. 292-306). Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/101653
- Theuma, N., Cassar, G., Azzopardi, S. F., & Cardia, G. (2016). Sustainable tourism. Mdina: A situation analysis of a cultural destination. In V. Katsoni & A. Stratigea (Eds.), Tourism and culture in the age of innovation (pp. 91-107). Conference proceedings. Cham: Springer. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/93282
- Visanich, V. (2022). Public opinion and protest efficacy: A study on the proposed yacht marina in Marsaskala, Malta. Xjenza (on-line), forthcoming.
- Vella, L. (2019). Tourism employment in Malta: Its evolution, contemporary issues and future needs. In G. Baldacchino, V. Cassar & J.G. Azzopardi (Eds.) Malta and its human resources (pp. 287-315). Malta: Malta University Press. (Available on request)

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualifications: same for MA in SIA

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Fieldwork

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation (10 Minutes) SEM2 Yes 25%
Fieldwork SEM2 Yes 25%
Case Study (Take Home) SEM2 Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Karl Agius
Marie Avellino
Godfrey Baldacchino

 

 
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