The Micro Geopolitics of Ecotourism: The Intricacies of Discursive Constructions, Power Relations and Partnership Models in Planning, Promotion and Management of (Eco)Tourism

This is an interdisciplinary book on tourism, sustainability, nature conservation and preservation, public policies, politics, power relations, partnerships and discursive constructions which presents tourism-related topics and current themes with remarkable in-depth analysis and introspectful views serving as a source to various purposes of scholars, researchers, professors, government staff, planners, policy makers, people of trade and of private sector, civil society, NGOs, and by those interested in this subject. It is a book written to be used by individuals of any discipline within the Social Sciences, such as planning and management, human geography, and sociolinguistics, etc. The book has very well-built conceptual, theoretical and methodological sections because it is based on a four-year doctoral investigation. Conceptually, the author discusses and applies Social Constructionism, Critical Realism and Theory of Collaboration to empirical data, and he discusses and adapts the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Norman Fairclough as a methodological tool. Ismar’s contributions to Academia are many and lie in the development of the Contextual Critical Discourse Analysis (CCDA) as a qualitative method; as well as his approach on sustainability as socially constructed in which he labels it as ‘liquid sustainability’. He was also the first scholar to develop the concept of ‘local environmental governance’ (LEG) and to apply it to real cases as an essential element of new ecologically oriented development models. This book is a very interesting reading with unique approaches. There are general chapters accessible to a broad audience in reason of case studies in Brazil where the author draws on empirical experiences in Amazonia region such as in Marajó Island, Tapajós-Arapiuns, Maripá, Jamaraquá, Maguari, Silves, Novo Airão, and in the northeast region of the country, specifically in Bahia state, namely Itacaré, Ilhéus, and Una municipalities. This book is also based on a four-year fieldwork in New Zealand. The author visited and collected data in Mount Maunganui, Rotorua, Waimangi, Maungatautari Ecological Island, Bay of Plenty with a focus on Kuaka Organization, Bay of Islands, Wairere Boulders in Hokianga, Kauri Park, and other green areas in Far Northland. In this book, the author examines collaboration schemes and partnership models by deconstructing them as institutional and organizational arrangements, and he seeks to underline the various impacts on local and regional development. It is a praiseworthy pioneer study and writing on nature-based tourism activities in protected areas, either being labelled as community-based or not, as well as (eco)tourism as a public or private endeavour in both countries. The author is notably knowledgeable on nature-based tourism and environmental issues and he made a great contribution to the literature with his pioneer study and writings on ecotourism in two countries which have been on a worldwide spotlight because of their nature-based tourism potentialities and activities. The book presents distinct realities and contexts of two amazing countries with magnificent, unique landscapes and nature. It enables an extensive understanding on tourism, planning, public policies, state role, institutional arrangements and structures, law, environmental legislation, local stakeholders’ views and perceptions, and nature protection strategies. It greatly maps the micro geopolitics that exists in all levels of ecotourism development: in its conceptualisation, design, planning and management. It examines issues of power in (eco)tourism development as manifested in the discursive construction and positionality of local stakeholders.