Course Description
The common experience of travel, particularly that associated with tourism, pilgrimages, and migration. Analysis of travel motifs, including cultural tours; nature/wilderness tours; local social worlds; the lure of cities; and encounters with roadside attractions and amusement parks.
Athena Title
ON THE ROAD
Prerequisite
SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1101H or SOCI 2600 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The object of this course is to examine the increasingly common experience of travel and tourism. We are all travellers and, increasingly, tourists as well. From daily commutes to extended vacations to remote parts of the world, the concept of leaving home involves a set of experiences that is central to life in the world today. In this course, we will analyze various types of trips, various means of travel, and, most especially, the various attractions that await the tourist's gaze. We will inquire into the nature of an attraction, and related issues of the authenticity of various attractions, the staging of touristic events, and the value of travel experiences as cultural capital. Students will be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the course content in written work that is appropriate for an academic context.
Topical Outline
1. The Sociology of Travel and Tourism 2. Travels a. Migrants, Refugees, and Sojourners b. Honeymoons and Vacations c. The Pilgrimage d. Reunions, Homecomings, and Holidays e. On the Road for a Living: Entertainers, Athletes, and Salespeople f. Rites of Passage: Road Trips g. Class trips and Study Abroad h. Shipping out to war 3. Transportation a. Cars, trains, and planes b. Cruising and Crossing c. Other Forms: Bikes, Canoes, and Sailboats 4. Things to Do and Places to See a. Museums, Cathedrals, Monuments, and Architectural Wonders b. The Natural World: Scenic Vistas, Unspoiled Terrain, and Inaccessible Extremities c. Among the People: Everyday life in other places d. Cities: Shopping, Restaurants, Entertainment, and Excitement e. Honky-Tonks, Red Light Districts, Bohemias, and Resorts f. Roadside Attractions and Amusement Parks: From Coney Island to Disney World