Work

Reframing tourism labour: Alterity and the global south

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Extant literature recognises that knowledge and conceptualisations of tourism labour vis-a-vis the Global South are deficient and inappropriately theoretically framed by hegemonic and incommensurate Western ontologies and epistemes. This article aims to generate a decolonial, authentic and indigenous theoretical basis to liberate tourism labour knowledge of the Global South from this epistemic subordination through a contemporary review and reflection. We thus appropriate, problematise and extend Levinas' theory of alterity to reframe the colonial and neoliberal literature on the Global South's tourism workforce by championing ‘ We ’ as the convergence and co-existence of the ‘Self’ and the ‘Other’ through thematic, epistemic, methodological, and representational alterities. • Critically reviews 144 studies on Global South tourism labour • Global South tourism labour research adheres to Western ontology and episteme. • Extends Levinas' theory of alterity with the convergence of the Self and Other • Implores thematic, epistemic, methodological, and representational inclusion

Source: Annals of Tourism Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2025.103950

Authors: Kyrie Eleison (Kyle) Muñoz, Richard N.S. Robinson, Greg Marston

Institutions: The University of Queensland, Northumbria University

Language: English

Topic: Decolonial Thought and Epistemologies

Subfield: Anthropology

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,060