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2023/2024

Sociology and Psychology of Tourism

Code: 101226 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500894 Tourism OT 4 2

Contact

Name:
Albert Vancells Farraró
Email:
albert.vancells@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

To check the language/s of instruction, you must click on "Methodolody" section of the course guide.

Teachers

Jose Antonio Mansilla Lopez

Prerequisites

The subject is developed under analysis of diverse sources of social and human sciences, reason why the continuous reading of academic articles, books, studies, magazines and news is requested like previous prerequisite.


Objectives and Contextualisation

  • Argue critically and reflectively about the characteristics that define the tourism phenomenon on a global and local scale.
  • Detect the social-cultural elements involved in tourism.
  • To know and apply knowledge from the social and human sciences in the analysis of tourism.
  • Observe, analyze and adopt a holistic view on the interpretive models of tourism.
  • Understand the characteristics and motivations of individuals as consumers and producers of tourism.

Competences

  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Define and apply objectives, strategies and commercial policies in tourism businesses and entities.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Manage the concepts, instruments and functions related to the planning and commercialisation of tourist destinations, resources and spaces.
  • Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply communication and marketing strategies in public and private tourism organisations and in the public entities that promote tourism.
  2. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  3. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  4. Identify the instruments related to the commercialisation and promotion of products, businesses and regions.
  5. Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  6. Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  7. Work in a team.

Content

PART ONE: Tourism as a social and human science

Topic 1: Sociology in the field of leisure and tourism

Topic 2: Disciplines that contribute knowledge to tourism

Topic 3: Notions of social research applied to tourism

 

SECOND PART: Sociology of tourism

Topic 4: Historical development of the sociology of tourism

Topic 5: The tourist system: images, cultures, economics, environment, technology

Topic 6: The construction of a mass tourist destination. A sociological perspective

 

THIRD PART: Social psychology of tourism

Topic 7: Human motivation, social behavior and tourist consumption

Topic 8: The experience of authenticity. Representations, fiction, imagination and simulations

 

FOURTH PART: The tourism of tomorrow

Topic 9: Tourism under COVID-19. An ethnographic approach

Topic 10: Imagining the future of tourism. Reflections from sociology and psychology

 


Methodology

Language: English

 

From the methodological point of view, the course will work on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Criterion of the theoretical study of the subject that is concretized in expositions to the face-to-face classes.

2. Criterion of cases and practical activities inside and outside the classroom, in terms of solving problems, understanding situations based on articles and textbooks, specific expositions about a news item.

3. Criterion for the realization of group work previously covered within the scope of the course and which will be followed by tutoring and subsequently exposed.

4. Criterion of the tutorials, face-to-face and online, as a complementary factor and of consultation and help to the student in the theoretical questions and practices proposed.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Debates and solution of practical cases 15 0.6 3, 7
Master classes 30 1.2 2, 5, 6
Type: Supervised      
Personal tutor session 5 0.2 3, 4
Type: Autonomous      
Preparation of individual and group work 50 2 1, 4, 7
Public presentations 5 0.2 2, 4, 5, 7
Study 43 1.72 1, 3, 6

Assessment

The evaluation system used is continuous and consists of four sections:

- First section: 40% intended for the assessment of a theoretical subject exam.
- Second section: 40% intended for the evaluation of the compulsory work done in a group, and which corresponds to the hours spent by the student inside and outside of classes.
- Third section: 10% of the evaluation intended for the evaluation of the debates, practical cases carried out in the classroom (directed face-to-face activities).
- Fourth section: 10% corresponding to attendance and participation.

Important note:
- To pass the subject, the resulting grade (average of all sections) must be at least a 5. Each section must be rated at least 3 to make an average.
- Partial or total plagiarism will result in the non-accreditation of the entire subject.

Unique assessment
In case the student does not pass the continuous assessment or decides to follow the single assessment, this will be a final exam of the entire syllabus.
Students who in this single assessment are between 3.5 and 4.9 will have the right to re-assessment
Remember that the dates of the single assessment and the re-assessment will be published on the centre's website.


Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and participation 10% 0 0 3, 5, 6
Final Exam 40% 2 0.08 2, 3, 5, 6
Individual/Group work project 40% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 7
Practical cases 10% 0 0 4, 6

Bibliography

 1. Basic bibliography:

  • Augé, M. (2010). El viaje imposible. Gedisa.
  • Cañada, E., Murray, I. (2019). Turistificación global: perspectivas críticas en turismo. Icaria.
  • Didier, U, J. (2002). El idiota que viaja. Francia. Ed. Petite Bibliothèque Payot.
  • Graburn, N., Jafari, J. (1991). Introduction: Tourism social science,Annals of Tourism Research, 18(1), pp. 1-11.
  • MacCannell, D. (1999) The tourist. A new theory of leisure class. U.S. University of California.
  • Boissevain, J. (1996). Coping with Tourists. European Reactions to Mass Tourism. Berghahn.
  • Myers, D (2005). Social Psychology. London. McGraw-Hill.
  • Santana, A. (1997). Antropología y turismo. ¿Nuevas hordas, bviejas culturas?. Ariel.
  • Smith, V. (1995). Hosts and Guests. The anthropology of Tourism. University of Pennsylvania.
  • Urry John & Larsen, J. (2011). The tourist gaze 3.0. London. Sage
  • Yanes, S. (2021). La cuestión turística. Trece entrevista para repensar el turismo. Alba Sud & Pasos.

 2. Complementary bibliography:

  • Aitchison, C. (2001). Theorizing other discourses of tourism, gender and culture. Can the subaltern speak (in tourism). Tourist Studies, 1, 133-147.
  • Cohen, E. (1984). The Sociology of Tourism: Approaches, Issues, and Findings. Annual Review of Sociology, 10, pp. 373-392
  • Higgins-Desbiolles, F. & Whyte, K. P. (2013). No high hopes for hopeful tourism: A critical comment. Annals of TourismResearch, 40, pp. 428-433.
  • Jurdao, F. (1992). Los mitos del turismo. Endymon.
  • Nogués Pedregal, A. M. (2009). Genealogía de la difícil relación entre antropología social y turismo. Pasos. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 7(1), pp. 43-56.
  • Nuñez, T. (1965). Tourism, Tradition, and Acculturation: Weekendismo in a Mexican Village. Ethnology, 2 (3), pp. 347-352
  • Murray, I (2015). Capitalismo y Turismo en España. Del ‘milagro económico a la gran crisis’. Islas Baleares. AlbaSud.
  • Wang, N. (1999). Rethinking authenticity in tourism experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 26(2), 349-370. 
  • Edensor, T. (1998). Tourists at the Taj. Routledge.

Software

There isn't