Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE TTC5008

 
TITLE Religious Heritage and Niche Tourism

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Tourism Management

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will help students to understand the ongoing cultural, sociological and anthropological interactions among Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Euro-Mediterranean context. The study-unit will explore themes relating to both coexistence and conflict among the three faiths by examining key political, economic, social and cultural developments through time. From the cultural tourism perspective, the students look into the potential of a niche tourism which countries can develop based on their strong and rich religious traditions. Students will be able to draw on case-studies from the Maltese islands, the Mediterranean region generally and also from other parts of the globe.

Study-unit Aims:

The aim of this unit is to familiarize students with cultural, sociological and anthropological aspects of the three main monotheistic religions in the Mediterranean region and the influence these have had and still have on people. In the process students will develop a better understanding of how the interactions among these religious communities can help us to better understand the cultural heritage of Malta and the Mediterranean region generally, as also in the wider context. This understanding will then form the basis on which one can build a niche touristic product.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

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

• Gain an in-depth knowledge of different themes related to the interaction of Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities through time in Europe and the Mediterranean region;
• Be familiar with some of the debates concerning the study of conflict and coexistence among members of these three faiths in the same time period;
• Be able to structure touristic products drawing on religious culture.

2. Skills:

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

• Be familiar with written and non-written sources related to the coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews in the European and Mediterranean regions;
• Link aspects of Maltese and Mediterranean heritage to the presence of, and interactions among, Jewish, Christian and Islamic communities and their influence on society at large;
• Utilise trends and elements towards the setting up of a strong niche tourism product.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Abulafia, David (2011) The Great Sea. Oxford University Press.
- Baker, Coleman A. (2012).‘Social Identity Theory and Biblical Interpretation.’ Biblical Theology Bulletin, 42 (3).
- Butler, Richard Suntikul, Wantanee (eds.) (2018). Tourism and Religion: Issues and Implications. Bristol: Blue Ridge Summit / Channel View Publications.
- Elukin, J. (2007) Living Together, Living Apart: Rethinking Jewish-Christian Relations in the Middle Ages.
- Munro, Dane (2017). ‘Historical Perspectives of Shifting Motives for Faith-Based Travel’. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 5(2), 17-25.
- Munro, Dane (2019). ‘Managing Catholic Churches and Sacred Sites for Protestant Visitors to Malta’. In R. Dowson, M. J. Yaqub & R. Raj (eds.), Spiritual and Religious Tourism: Motivations and Management, pp. 144-152. Wallingford: CABI.
- Munro, Dane (2019). ‘A Pauline Progress: Protestant Post-Pilgrimage Reflections’. In I. McIntosh, N. Farra Haddad & D. Munro (eds.), Peace Journeys: A New Direction in Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research (pp. 243-256). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
- Munro, Dane. (2021). ‘Modern full-sensory experiences and pilgrimage fulfilment in Malta’s ancient temples’. In D. Liutikas (ed.), Pilgrims: Values and Identities, pp. 150-163. Wallingford: CABI.
- Olsen, Daniel H. and Timothy Dallen J. (eds) (2022). The Routledge Handbook of Religious and Spiritual Tourism. Abingdon and New York: Routledge.
- Pagden, Anthony (2008). Worlds at War: The 2500 years struggle between East and West. London: Random House
- Picard, David and Di Giovine, Michael A )(eds) (2014). Tourism and the Power of Otherness: Seductions of Difference. Bristol, Tonawanda and North York: Multilingual Matters/Channel View Publications.
- Raj. R, and Morpeth, N.D. (2007) Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Festivals. Management: An International Perspective. Wallingford: CABI
- Reader, Ian (2014). Pilgrimage in the marketplace. Abingdon and New York: Routledge.
- Riley-Smith, Jonathan (2011). The Crusades, Christianity and Islam. Columbia University Press
- Ron, Amos. S and Timothy, Dallen J. (eds.) (2019). Contemporary Christian Travel. Bristol and Blue Ridge Summit: Channel View Publications.
- Stanley-Price, Nicholas, Killick, Robert and Sotovel, Herbert (eds) (2005) Conservation of Living Religious Heritage - The proceedings of the 2003 ICCROM Forum on ‘Living Religious Heritage: conserving the sacred’. Challenges such as the conservation of objects and places of heritage value which need to be reconciled with their function as part of a living religion. ICCROM series: Conservation Studies Number 3.
- UNESCO, Kyiv Statement on the Protection of Religious Properties within the Framework of the World Heritage Convention (Kyiv, 5 November 2010)

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit