Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis deals with the nature and historical development of tourism and leisure activities
that 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, which
culminated in a surge of ostensibly scientific exploration with jingoistic overtones which has
become widely known as the ‘Heroic Age’ of Antarctic exploration. These explorers’
adventures, taken up by the popular press and promoted by jingoistic governments, popularised
a particular conception of the continent to the point where people imagined going to see it for
themselves, vicariously reliving their heroes’ adventures in the form of tourism. The rise of
formal governance on the Antarctic is then traced and used to explain how this provided for
regular tourist activities to commence since the mid-1960s. The changing nature of tourism to
the region is surveyed, as well as its impact on the environment. Finally, Marion Island, South
Africa’s Sub-Antarctic Island, is discussed through the lens of tourism and leisure. Tourism
has not been permitted on the island, so it offers a useful comparison with other sub-Antarctic
islands that do allow tourists to visit. The thesis also deals with masculinity, as the Antarctic
and sub-Antarctic were male dominated environments for the majority of human interaction
with these regions. The thesis argues that the accumulation of knowledge in these areas by
scientists has (perhaps counter-intuitively) led to the creation of the tourism industry, which
would not have been able to flourish without the constant human presence secured by the
scientific bases scattered around the Antarctic. Finally, this thesis offers a form of autoethnographic
historical investigation, as an insider/outsider dichotomy (between “scientist” and
“tourist”) was explored through embedded research, where scientists and support personnel are
viewed as insiders on the one hand, and tourists are regarded as outsiders on the other. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis handel oor die aard en historiese ontwikkeling van toerisme en ontspannings
aktiwiteite wat binne die Antarktiese en sub-Antarktiese gebiede onderneem is vanaf 1895 tot
die hede. Dit behandel eerstens die kort geskiedenis van menslike betrokkenheid op die
Antarktiese vasteland, wat uitgeloop het op 'n oplewing van oënskynlik wetenskaplike
eksplorasie met nasionalistiese konnotasies wat wyd bekend geword het as die ‘Helde Era’ van
Antarktiese verkenning. Hierdie ontdekkingsreisigers se avonture, soos weerspieël in die
populêre pers en bevorder deur nasionalistiese regerings, het 'n bepaalde opvatting van die
vasteland gewild gemaak. Soveel so dat dit mense beweeg het om as toeriste die gebied te
besoek en op die wyse hul helde se avonture te herleef in die vorm van toerisme. Die opkoms
van die formele beheer van die Antarktiese vasteland word dan nagespeur en gebruik om aan
te dui hoe dit teen die middel 1960’s tot aktiewe toerisme in die gebied aanleiding gegee het.
Die veranderende aard van toerisme na die streek, sowel as die impak daarvan op die omgewing
word ondersoek. Ten slotte, word Marion Island, Suid-Afrika se Sub-Antarktiese eiland
bespreek deur die lens van toerisme en ontspanning. Toerisme word nie op die eiland toegelaat
nie, wat hom leun tot 'n nuttige vergelyking met ander sub-Antarktiese eilande wat wel toerisme
toelaat. Aangesien die meerderheid van die menslike interaksie met Antarktieka en die sub-
Antarktiese eilande deur mans gedomineer is, handel die tesis ook oor manlikheid. Die tesis
argumenteer dat die opbou van kennis in hierdie gebiede deur wetenskaplikes (miskien teenintuïtief)
gelei het tot die skepping van die toerisme-bedryf, wat nie in staat sou gewees het om
te floreer sonder die konstante menslike teenwoordigheid, wat deur die wetenskaplike basisse
versprei oor die Antarktieka verskaf is nie. Ten slotte, bied hierdie tesis 'n vorm van ń
etnografiese historiese ondersoek in die vorm van ń binnestaander / buitestaander teenstelling
(tussen "wetenskaplike" en "toeris"), waar wetenskaplikes en ondersteunings personeel as
binnestaanders, en toeriste, as buitestaanders beskou word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86454 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Hanekom, Wouter Pierre |
| Contributors | Swart, Sandra, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 119 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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