Parade of diversity: Representations of places and identities of Indonesia through tourism brochures

Abstract

The article examines the discourses of diversity within a nation by investigating the tourism brochures as the media produced by municipalities/regencies. Using empirical research, this study analyses four major inquiries to gain insights into the discourse of diversity in Indonesia from tourism products/services, geographical representations, ethnic diversity and occupational variations within the dynamic of media and society. The research project then analyse the cultural and social meanings on how the media function to showcase and develop a notion of ‘parade of diversity’ in the society. It reflects the ways of displaying places and people, which can include and exclude part of society, promenade through series of similar patterns across different municipalities/regencies in Indonesia. Critically, tourism brochures then facilitate the commercial definition of tourism spaces, geographical identity, the representation of the dominant groups and the interests of the powerful elites.