Royal Anthropological Institute / Development Studies Association Tourism Research Seminars

SEMINAR SERIES AT THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

(Re)Presenting the daughters of Bourguiba: Tunisian women and tourism

Heather Jeffrey, University of Bedfordshire

Tuesday 11 October 2016 at 5.30 pm

Before the Jasmine revolution and terrorist attacks of 2015 Tunisia was cited as one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world, and revered for its continued focus on women’s rights. These two points have driven my research on Tunisian women and tourism in Tunisia, interviewing 15 Tunisian women one week after the Bardo museum terrorist attack and carrying out data collection of both printed publicity materials and on-line content. This talk aims to unravel the discursive touristic construction of Tunisian femininities, by situating knowledge at each point of Stuart Hall’s circle of representation. Interestingly, similar discourses can be located at each point, but discourses on Tunisian femininities are far from unitary. Competing discourses are performed and work to constitute and include the ‘daughters of Bourguiba’ whilst simultaneously excluding those who do not fit this modern ideal.

Heather Jeffrey is a lecturer in tourism studies and management at the University of Bedfordshire and a PhD candidate at Middlesex University. Her research interests lie in critical tourism studies with a special focus on gender and sexuality, and she has most recently been involved in the INCASI H2020 project http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/200034_en.html centred on researching social inequalities. Heather is also actively involved in the Geographies of Leisure and Tourism Research Group and Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group at the Royal Geographical Society.

This event is free, but tickets must be booked. To book tickets please go to http://heatherjeffrey.eventbrite.co.uk