“Managed evils” of hedonistic tourism in the Maldives: Islamic social representations and their mediation of local social exchange

Aishath Shakeela and David Weaver

Annals of Tourism Research, 2018, vol. 71, issue C, 13-24

Abstract: This paper explores resident attitudes toward tourism development in the Maldives. Findings from 50 semi-structured interviews and 200 household surveys collected in two island communities provide insights into the reconciliation of deeply held Islamic social representations with proximate hedonistic tourism. In the less tourism-affiliated island, religious affinity and social exchange were central as to how residents viewed tourism as an ‘evil’ from which their community should be insulated. In the more tourism-affiliated case, social exchange and social representations influenced how tourism is rationalised as a ‘managed evil’.

Keywords: Islam; Maldives; Residents; Social exchange theory; Social representations theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:anture:v:71:y:2018:i:c:p:13-24

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2018.04.003

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