Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
Member of the Faculty of Cultural Heritage, handicrafts and Tourism of Mazandaran University
2
PhD in Archeology, Postgraduate Specialist, Bu-Ali Sina University
10.22084/csr.2025.31117.2373
Abstract
Tourism, as one of the newest forms of human activity, requires comprehensive sociological analysis, beyond economic, political, and environmental approaches, to examine both its opportunities and challenges in a balanced manner. However, a single-school sociological perspective cannot fully address the complexities of this industry at micro and macro levels, or in objective and subjective dimensions. This article aims to delineate the boundaries of the sociology of tourism and introduce key concepts from sociological schools to explore tourism issues through a "cognitive mapping" framework. In this method, concepts are expressed through concise phrases that form a cohesive whole and, when necessary, encompass opposing viewpoints. The findings reveal that integration-oriented and change-seeking sociological schools offer distinct, and often partial, perspectives on tourism. Integrationist, such as functionalism, emphasize tourism’s role in maintaining social equilibrium and highlight its benefits, while symbolic interactionism and phenomenology analyze everyday interactions, showing tourism as a process where meanings are constructed and identities redefined. In contrast, change advocates, like conflict theory, expose economic domination and neo-exploitation, arguing that tourism’s profits often flow to multinational corporations. Critical theory warns of cultural commodification and human alienation, suggesting tourism may reduce cultural authenticity to artificial spectacles and turn tourists into one-dimensional beings. Feminism, by examining gendered roles, points to the marginalized and discriminatory position of women in the industry. Together, these perspectives provide a holistic understanding of the sociological dimensions of tourism.
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