“Neither saints nor sinners” – The lived experiences of critical tourism scholars
Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Tourism Management
Publication Date
8-1-2026
Abstract
By focusing on the lived experiences of a group of critical tourism scholars, this article explores how critical tourism theory is conceived and operationalised within neoliberal academia. Guided by a meta-critical reflexivity framework as a methodological foundation, qualitative interviews and an intergenerational panel were conducted with critical scholars to gauge their experiences, efforts and future developments of critical tourism scholarship. The empirical material highlights a complex scenario where resistance and complicity to power coexist and must be constantly negotiated in five dimensions of lived experiences. Against this background, we call for a shift from “safe” to “brave” spaces, where resistance should not only include reflections upon our privilege as scholars but should also lead to discomfort inside and outside academia.
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
115
Disciplines
Tourism and Travel
Keywords
Complicity, Critical theory, Critical tourism studies, Neoliberal academia, Power, Resistance
Scopus ID
Recommended Citation
Mura, Paolo and Khoo, Catheryn, "“Neither saints nor sinners” – The lived experiences of critical tourism scholars" (2026). All Works. 7848.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7848
Indexed in Scopus
yes
Open Access
no