Critical Approaches to Tourism, Heritage and Culture

ABSTRACT This paper elucidates upon ways in which my critical perspectives on tourism, heritage and culture have been shaped and underpinned by David’s academic contributions and mentorship. His own challenges on existing norms and values throughout his academic career have unmistakably influenced me to approach tourism and heritage as an area of critical enquiry in both research and teaching. Contrary to existing literature, I have repositioned the role of tourism in creating a safe area for political conflicts and tension, while challenging the power-laden rendering and top-down interpretations of the past in varying tourism contexts. In my research practice I have tried to respond to his call for more conceptually informed and methodologically grounded studies on tourism and heritage by way of developing a concrete conceptual framework with a multidisciplinary focus and employing a longer-term ethnography in studying various heritage sites and places.