Representation as work in 'America's Most Historic City'

Stephen P. Hanna, Vincent J. Del Casino, Casey Selden, Benjamin Hite

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper examines how the practices of heritage tourism reproduce identities in and of Fredericksburg, Virginia. In particular, we focus on the everyday practices of tourism workers who are essential in the representation and reproduction of this heritage space. In so doing, we want to move away from research in geography that theorizes representation and embodiment as distinct realms of experience and inquiry. Instead, we argue that representation is work and within this very material process, city workers weave memory with history as they guide visitors through 'America's Most Historic City'. Through an examination of three of Fredericksburg's tourism work environments we show how representations succeed in reproducing heritage tourism spaces precisely because representation is work.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)459-481
Number of pages23
JournalSocial and Cultural Geography
Volume5
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2004

Keywords

  • Embodiment
  • Everyday practice
  • Heritage tourism
  • Representation
  • Work

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Cultural Studies

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