Stefanie Benjamin | University of Tennessee Knoxville (original) (raw)
Papers by Stefanie Benjamin
Journal of Travel Research, 2024
Burnt out, frustrated, and fed up with the glorification of publishing in the tourism academy, th... more Burnt out, frustrated, and fed up with the glorification of publishing in the tourism academy, the authors in this critical viewpoint touch on counter-ideologies rarely acknowledged within the academy. We discuss the toxicity of publication glorification, systemic racism of the scientific community, the eugenic roots of statistical analysis, and how they may lead to our tourism academy's downfall and eventual demise. Drawing inspiration from Saldaña's rant as a method of inquiry and provocation, our letter invites readers to confront the uncomfortable truths about our cult-ish publication norms, imperial and colonial roots of our research methods, and the academy's complicity in perpetuating inequities. We conclude with a rebellious call for radical change, a new ''social justice turn'' which includes a list of ''shit that has to change'' and the building of a coalition of ''good troublemakers'' in the tourism academy. Keywords disrupting academia, the death of tourism scholarship, publish or perish, good trouble, social justice turn, rant as inquiry
Examining the contemporary movement of Black Travel, the special issue explores the intersection ... more Examining the contemporary movement of Black Travel, the special
issue explores the intersection of racial inequities, Black belonging,
and tourism, drawing inspiration from articles published in the spe-
cial issue “Unpacking Black Tourism”. The collection critically analyzes
historical and contemporary dimensions of Black travel, challenging
traditional white-centric narratives in tourism scholarship. It high-
lights the emancipatory and community-building aspects of Black
tourism, emphasizing its role in joy, discovery, and resilience against
racialized oppression. Addressing the historical neglect of racial
inequity in tourism scholarship, this special issue responds to critical
moments spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement, extending
the political and racial reckoning into tourism scholarship and prac-
tice. The state of society is explored in the context of the ongoing
global reckoning with systemic racism, connecting legislative efforts
to suppress discussions of critical race theory with challenges in the
travel and tourism industry. Methodological frameworks are critically
analyzed, advocating for the incorporation of critical race theory
and counter-narrative storytelling in tourism studies thereby challenging Eurocentric ideologies and advocating for justice across
tourism scholarship. The state of praxis addresses challenges in
researching Black tourism and the erasure of Black voices, highlight-
ing Tourism RESET, a collaborative initiative focused on race, ethnic-
ity and social equity in tourism. Contributions to the special issue
showcase theoretical, methodological, and political explorations of
Black tourism, emphasizing intersectionality as a common theme.
The manuscript concludes with a call to action, urging academia to
challenge dominant ideologies, adopt anti-colonized pedagogies,
and embrace diverse perspectives for a more inclusive understand-
ing of tourism and our world.
This article examines the neglected hardships faced by graduate students and advocates for a para... more This article examines the neglected hardships faced by graduate students and advocates for a paradigm shift towards care and empathy. Drawing upon a feminist ethic of care theoretical framework, four scholars from tourism and hospitality programs in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom engaged in a dialogical and introspective inquiry. The authors present four vignettes reflecting on their own doctoral experiences, revealing experiences of exploitation, pain, unworthiness, and loneliness endured during their graduate studies. The authors conclude by calling for a reevaluation of academic norms, advocating for a more humane, caring, and supportive environment for future scholars.
Tourism Geographies, 2022
Black travel experiences are not monolithic. in fact, Black travelers increasingly express their ... more Black travel experiences are not monolithic. in fact, Black travelers increasingly express their dissatisfaction with tokenism and the performative nature of checking the diversity box. to keep an authentic conversation about Black lives in the travel space-the goal of this manuscript is to take a deeper look into the nexus and intersectionalities of Black travelers and how their experiences in the tourism landscape both collide and diverge from each other. as a research team, we interviewed several Black travel influencers, bloggers, and community leaders who all shared one strong message-Black travel is not a monolith. informed by intersectionality theory and Black geographies, we identified four major themes around the challenges of marginalized identities of Black travelers inclusive of being: Black and a woman; Black and queer; Black across nationalities; and Black with a disability. By bridging the gap between academia and industry, our hope is to curate a future road map for Black travel that values and empowers intersecting identities of Black travelers.
In this article, we argue for tourism scholars to amplify the stories and lived experiences of tr... more In this article, we argue for tourism scholars to amplify the stories and
lived experiences of traditionally silenced groups through the adaption
of critical race theory (CRT) toward a framework of Critical Race
Tourism. Critical Race Tourism includes a specific focus on counter-storytelling,
endarkened storywork, and regular engagement of interest convergence.
We believe Critical Race Tourism can contribute to racial
reconciliation and healing, particularly during a time of a global pandemic,
that exacerbates systems of marginalization and oppression.
Using a Critical Race Tourism framework is about realizing the potential
of thick, rich data of everyday lived experiences from marginalized communities
in order to enrich the theoretical, empiricism, and scholarly
insights offered by academic writing. We begin by defining CRT and
describe the employment of and application within tourism studies. We
introduce the framework of endarkened storywork, which responds to
the sustainability and justice challenges resulting from past, current, and
future inequities for BIPOC communities. We close with implications for
tourism contexts and research.
Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speec... more Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speech and behaviors in order to respond to their environment. This study, informed by self-efficacy theory, explores how improvisation workshops potentially help individuals feel confident about their work and improv(e) their collaborative learning environments. Faculty and graduate students participated in an improvisational workshop at an academic conference. Based on attendees’ survey responses and follow-up phone interviews, the improvisation workshop provided tools to help participants become confident teachers, communicators, and leaders. Thus, learning improvisational techniques can foster a paradigm shift in designing and experiencing higher education.
Global Tourism and COVID-19
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education
International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration
Current Issues in Tourism
Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education
Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education
Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speec... more Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speech and behaviors in order to respond to their environment. This study, informed by self- efficacy theory, explores how improvisation workshops potentially help individuals feel confident about their work and improv(e) their collaborative learning environments. Faculty and graduate students participated in an improvisational workshop at an academic conference. Based on attendees’ survey responses and follow-up phone interviews, the improvisation workshop provided tools to help participants become confident teachers, communicators, and leaders. Thus, learning improvisational techniques can foster a paradigm shift in designing and experiencing higher education.
Annals of Leisure Research , 2021
This study explores lived experiences of southeastern American women craft brew professionals wit... more This study explores lived experiences of southeastern American women craft brew professionals with regards to anger and emotional labour within the craft beer industry. Informed by feminist epistemology, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the emotional labour of female craft beer professionals resulting in a dynamic and innovative arts-based analysis. Participants discussed their love of the industry and provided insights into unforeseen issues of motherhood, safety, and sexual violence. The motivations behind the leisure pursuits of brewing were complex, which lead to actively engaging in both outward anger and coping strategies resulting in three overarching stanzas, (1) anger as a catalyst, (2) the bridge, and (3) coping mechanisms. Highlighting and giving a platform for women in the craft beer industry to share their narratives, this study creates a dialogue around the complexities and struggles women endure by shedding light on the emotional labour experiences and their ongoing struggles.
Journal of Travel Research, 2024
Burnt out, frustrated, and fed up with the glorification of publishing in the tourism academy, th... more Burnt out, frustrated, and fed up with the glorification of publishing in the tourism academy, the authors in this critical viewpoint touch on counter-ideologies rarely acknowledged within the academy. We discuss the toxicity of publication glorification, systemic racism of the scientific community, the eugenic roots of statistical analysis, and how they may lead to our tourism academy's downfall and eventual demise. Drawing inspiration from Saldaña's rant as a method of inquiry and provocation, our letter invites readers to confront the uncomfortable truths about our cult-ish publication norms, imperial and colonial roots of our research methods, and the academy's complicity in perpetuating inequities. We conclude with a rebellious call for radical change, a new ''social justice turn'' which includes a list of ''shit that has to change'' and the building of a coalition of ''good troublemakers'' in the tourism academy. Keywords disrupting academia, the death of tourism scholarship, publish or perish, good trouble, social justice turn, rant as inquiry
Examining the contemporary movement of Black Travel, the special issue explores the intersection ... more Examining the contemporary movement of Black Travel, the special
issue explores the intersection of racial inequities, Black belonging,
and tourism, drawing inspiration from articles published in the spe-
cial issue “Unpacking Black Tourism”. The collection critically analyzes
historical and contemporary dimensions of Black travel, challenging
traditional white-centric narratives in tourism scholarship. It high-
lights the emancipatory and community-building aspects of Black
tourism, emphasizing its role in joy, discovery, and resilience against
racialized oppression. Addressing the historical neglect of racial
inequity in tourism scholarship, this special issue responds to critical
moments spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement, extending
the political and racial reckoning into tourism scholarship and prac-
tice. The state of society is explored in the context of the ongoing
global reckoning with systemic racism, connecting legislative efforts
to suppress discussions of critical race theory with challenges in the
travel and tourism industry. Methodological frameworks are critically
analyzed, advocating for the incorporation of critical race theory
and counter-narrative storytelling in tourism studies thereby challenging Eurocentric ideologies and advocating for justice across
tourism scholarship. The state of praxis addresses challenges in
researching Black tourism and the erasure of Black voices, highlight-
ing Tourism RESET, a collaborative initiative focused on race, ethnic-
ity and social equity in tourism. Contributions to the special issue
showcase theoretical, methodological, and political explorations of
Black tourism, emphasizing intersectionality as a common theme.
The manuscript concludes with a call to action, urging academia to
challenge dominant ideologies, adopt anti-colonized pedagogies,
and embrace diverse perspectives for a more inclusive understand-
ing of tourism and our world.
This article examines the neglected hardships faced by graduate students and advocates for a para... more This article examines the neglected hardships faced by graduate students and advocates for a paradigm shift towards care and empathy. Drawing upon a feminist ethic of care theoretical framework, four scholars from tourism and hospitality programs in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom engaged in a dialogical and introspective inquiry. The authors present four vignettes reflecting on their own doctoral experiences, revealing experiences of exploitation, pain, unworthiness, and loneliness endured during their graduate studies. The authors conclude by calling for a reevaluation of academic norms, advocating for a more humane, caring, and supportive environment for future scholars.
Tourism Geographies, 2022
Black travel experiences are not monolithic. in fact, Black travelers increasingly express their ... more Black travel experiences are not monolithic. in fact, Black travelers increasingly express their dissatisfaction with tokenism and the performative nature of checking the diversity box. to keep an authentic conversation about Black lives in the travel space-the goal of this manuscript is to take a deeper look into the nexus and intersectionalities of Black travelers and how their experiences in the tourism landscape both collide and diverge from each other. as a research team, we interviewed several Black travel influencers, bloggers, and community leaders who all shared one strong message-Black travel is not a monolith. informed by intersectionality theory and Black geographies, we identified four major themes around the challenges of marginalized identities of Black travelers inclusive of being: Black and a woman; Black and queer; Black across nationalities; and Black with a disability. By bridging the gap between academia and industry, our hope is to curate a future road map for Black travel that values and empowers intersecting identities of Black travelers.
In this article, we argue for tourism scholars to amplify the stories and lived experiences of tr... more In this article, we argue for tourism scholars to amplify the stories and
lived experiences of traditionally silenced groups through the adaption
of critical race theory (CRT) toward a framework of Critical Race
Tourism. Critical Race Tourism includes a specific focus on counter-storytelling,
endarkened storywork, and regular engagement of interest convergence.
We believe Critical Race Tourism can contribute to racial
reconciliation and healing, particularly during a time of a global pandemic,
that exacerbates systems of marginalization and oppression.
Using a Critical Race Tourism framework is about realizing the potential
of thick, rich data of everyday lived experiences from marginalized communities
in order to enrich the theoretical, empiricism, and scholarly
insights offered by academic writing. We begin by defining CRT and
describe the employment of and application within tourism studies. We
introduce the framework of endarkened storywork, which responds to
the sustainability and justice challenges resulting from past, current, and
future inequities for BIPOC communities. We close with implications for
tourism contexts and research.
Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speec... more Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speech and behaviors in order to respond to their environment. This study, informed by self-efficacy theory, explores how improvisation workshops potentially help individuals feel confident about their work and improv(e) their collaborative learning environments. Faculty and graduate students participated in an improvisational workshop at an academic conference. Based on attendees’ survey responses and follow-up phone interviews, the improvisation workshop provided tools to help participants become confident teachers, communicators, and leaders. Thus, learning improvisational techniques can foster a paradigm shift in designing and experiencing higher education.
Global Tourism and COVID-19
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education
International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration
Current Issues in Tourism
Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education
Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education
Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speec... more Improvisational theater games can foster a space where academics become more aware of their speech and behaviors in order to respond to their environment. This study, informed by self- efficacy theory, explores how improvisation workshops potentially help individuals feel confident about their work and improv(e) their collaborative learning environments. Faculty and graduate students participated in an improvisational workshop at an academic conference. Based on attendees’ survey responses and follow-up phone interviews, the improvisation workshop provided tools to help participants become confident teachers, communicators, and leaders. Thus, learning improvisational techniques can foster a paradigm shift in designing and experiencing higher education.
Annals of Leisure Research , 2021
This study explores lived experiences of southeastern American women craft brew professionals wit... more This study explores lived experiences of southeastern American women craft brew professionals with regards to anger and emotional labour within the craft beer industry. Informed by feminist epistemology, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the emotional labour of female craft beer professionals resulting in a dynamic and innovative arts-based analysis. Participants discussed their love of the industry and provided insights into unforeseen issues of motherhood, safety, and sexual violence. The motivations behind the leisure pursuits of brewing were complex, which lead to actively engaging in both outward anger and coping strategies resulting in three overarching stanzas, (1) anger as a catalyst, (2) the bridge, and (3) coping mechanisms. Highlighting and giving a platform for women in the craft beer industry to share their narratives, this study creates a dialogue around the complexities and struggles women endure by shedding light on the emotional labour experiences and their ongoing struggles.
Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom: Transnational Tourist Experiences, 2019
In this chapter, I use a visual auto-ethnography methodology and a storytelling approach and data... more In this chapter, I use a visual auto-ethnography methodology and a storytelling approach and data from social media platforms, field notes and journals to share my experiences, motivations, and travel behaviors as a female film-fanatic tourist. Goodall (2000) advocated for a more feminine communication style in academia and emphasized rapport-building through listening and observing (e.g., by engaging in personal reflection about meanings) rather than problem solving. Accordingly, I embarked on a media pilgrimage (Norris, 2013) to examine the intimacy of traveling as a solo female film-induced tourist and the intersectionality of contents tourism by mimicking imaginary hedonistic characters and exploring landscapes associated with the American television show Breaking Bad during the summer of 2016.
In the southeastern United States, operators of plantation museums have traditionally engaged in ... more In the southeastern United States, operators of plantation museums have traditionally engaged in a selective and romanticised remembrance of the antebellum past that has regrettably silenced and marginalised the historical experiences and struggles of enslaved African people. More recently, some plantation managers have sought to engage in the ‘memory-work’ using artistic practices to reconstruct and interpret slavery heritage for visitors. Our study explores museum theatre as a form of memory-work and suggests that theatrical performances of the memories of enslavement are an increasingly important but not yet fully understood strategy for recovering, embodying, and representing a different and hopefully more just narrative about enslaved Africans. We visit three plantation museums where managers hosted a theatrical performance of enslaved oral histories and explore the motivations and experiences of managers and the director of the slave performance. Realising the power and efficacy of theatrical performance as memory-work practice requires understanding how the management of the interpretation process can be difficult. We delve into the emotion-laden challenges confronting slavery-related museum theatre development at the North Carolina plantations and discuss the creative response formulated at the sites to help visitors work through unexpected feelings and understandings about the past.