Abstract

Critical approaches to tourism knowledge production and representation alongside critical approaches to tourism as a lived experience outside academic circles (its impacts on places, peoples and economies) are not new in tourism. However, propelled by a ‘critical turn’ and by an overall critique of positivist research, debates concerning the meanings and implications of ‘the critical’ in tourism have gained momentum and more visibility in the last fifteen years. As an attempt to organise and critically assess the growing body of knowledge on criticality, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of critical studies published in tourism journals, books and book chapters in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian) in the last 43 years (1977–2020). Four main aspects of criticality in tourism were assessed, namely the main critical approaches mobilized, the areas/topics of interest, authorship and the emancipatory outcomes pursued. The review shows that a) the word ‘critical’ in tourism is mobilised within a multiplicity of different and not clearly defined approaches, beliefs and terminologies alongside diverse understandings of criticality; b) a significant nexus exists between criticality and sustainability; c) Western universities plays a dominant role in propelling critical scholarship; and d) limited explanations are provided on how participatory and emancipatory practices are sought and achieved. Based on the outcomes of our review, critical research in tourism should not stop debating the meanings associated to the term ‘critical’, challenge traditional capitalist discourses of sustainability with alternative theories (such as regenerative tourism), consider postcolonial/decolonial perspectives, and provide more details on how emancipation and participation are supposed to be achieved.

摘要

旅游知识生产和表现的批判性方法以及将旅游作为学术界以外的生活体验（其对地方、人民和经济的影响）的批判性方法在旅游业中并不新鲜。然而，在“批判性转向”和对实证主义研究的全面批判的推动下，关于旅游中“批判性”的含义和含义的辩论在过去十五年中获得了动力和更多的知名度。为了组织和批判性地评估不断增长的关键性知识体系，我们对过去 43 年以四种语言（英语、西班牙语、葡萄牙语和意大利语）在旅游期刊、书籍和书籍章节中发表的批判性研究进行了文献计量分析(1977–2020)。评估了旅游业关键性的四个主要方面，即调动的主要批判方法、感兴趣的领域/主题、作者身份和追求的解放成果。审查表明：a) 旅游业中的“关键”一词在多种不同且定义不明确的方法、信念和术语以及对关键性的不同理解中被调动；b) 关键性和可持续性之间存在重要联系；c) 西方大学在推动批判性学术研究方面发挥着主导作用；d) 对如何寻求和实现参与和解放实践提供了有限的解释。根据我们的审查结果，旅游业的批判性研究不应停止辩论与“批判性”一词相关的含义，