A history of tourism, leisure and adventure in the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic, c.1895 to present

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This thesis deals with the nature and historical development of tourism and leisure activitiesthat have been conducted within the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions from 1895 to present.First, it traces the brief history of human involvement with the Antarctic continent, whichculminated in a surge of ostensibly scientific exploration with jingoistic overtones which hasbecome widely known as the 'Heroic Age' of Antarctic exploration. These explorers'adventures, taken up by the popular press and promoted by jingoistic governments, populariseda particular conception of the continent to the point where people imagined going to see it forthemselves, vicariously reliving their heroes' adventures in the form of tourism. The rise offormal governance on the Antarctic is then traced and used to explain how this provided forregular tourist activities to commence since the mid-1960s. The changing nature of tourism tothe region is surveyed, as well as its impact on the environment. Finally, Marion Island, SouthAfrica's Sub-Antarctic Island, is discussed through the lens of tourism and leisure. Tourismhas not been permitted on the island, so it offers a useful comparison with other sub-Antarcticislands that do allow tourists to visit. The thesis also deals with masculinity, as the Antarcticand sub-Antarctic were male dominated environments for the majority of human interactionwith these regions. The thesis argues that the accumulation of knowledge in these areas byscientists has (perhaps counter-intuitively) led to the creation of the tourism industry, whichwould not have been able to flourish without the constant human presence secured by thescientific bases scattered around the Antarctic. Finally, this thesis offers a form of autoethnographichistorical investigation, as an insider/outsider dichotomy (between 'scientist and'tourist) was explored through embedded research, where scientists and support personnel areviewed as insiders on the one hand, and tourists are regarded as outsiders on the other.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University