Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos
This paper discusses the rise in volcano tourism in the last few decades, focusing on its impact in recent eruptive crises in Iceland. The paper uses evidence from ethnographic research and surveys to argue that two divergent economic narratives come into conflict around volcanoes: the problematisat...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:31414e60cba74b399d0655e08179ffa2 2023-05-15T16:47:50+02:00 Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos Amy Donovan 2018-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/article/31414e60cba74b399d0655e08179ffa2 EN eng Wiley https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/toc/2054-4049 2054-4049 doi:10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/article/31414e60cba74b399d0655e08179ffa2 Geo: Geography and Environment, Vol 5, Iss 2, Pp n/a-n/a (2018) Ethnography geologic politics Iceland Sublime volcanic risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geography (General) G1-922 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 2022-12-31T02:55:07Z This paper discusses the rise in volcano tourism in the last few decades, focusing on its impact in recent eruptive crises in Iceland. The paper uses evidence from ethnographic research and surveys to argue that two divergent economic narratives come into conflict around volcanoes: the problematisation of the earth as potentially risky, and the elevation of those risky behaviours as something worth commodifying. Icelandic civil protection (Almannavarnir) have increasingly become concerned about the behaviour of tourists around active volcanoes, particularly during eruptions. However, this is also a considerable opportunity for tour groups. During the 2014–2015 eruptions at Holuhraun, there was concern about high levels of gas that were being emitted, and so tourists were banned from the site. This led to clandestine efforts to get in by helicopter after dark. The felt need for these experiences can be traced back at least to the Enlightenment period, and denotes an example of affective commodification, as the sublime encounter between humans and raw energy of the earth is rendered valuable in monetary terms – and yet transcends commodification in a simple sense. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Holuhraun ENVELOPE(-16.831,-16.831,64.852,64.852) Geo: Geography and Environment 5 2 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ethnography geologic politics Iceland Sublime volcanic risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geography (General) G1-922 |
spellingShingle |
Ethnography geologic politics Iceland Sublime volcanic risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geography (General) G1-922 Amy Donovan Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
topic_facet |
Ethnography geologic politics Iceland Sublime volcanic risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geography (General) G1-922 |
description |
This paper discusses the rise in volcano tourism in the last few decades, focusing on its impact in recent eruptive crises in Iceland. The paper uses evidence from ethnographic research and surveys to argue that two divergent economic narratives come into conflict around volcanoes: the problematisation of the earth as potentially risky, and the elevation of those risky behaviours as something worth commodifying. Icelandic civil protection (Almannavarnir) have increasingly become concerned about the behaviour of tourists around active volcanoes, particularly during eruptions. However, this is also a considerable opportunity for tour groups. During the 2014–2015 eruptions at Holuhraun, there was concern about high levels of gas that were being emitted, and so tourists were banned from the site. This led to clandestine efforts to get in by helicopter after dark. The felt need for these experiences can be traced back at least to the Enlightenment period, and denotes an example of affective commodification, as the sublime encounter between humans and raw energy of the earth is rendered valuable in monetary terms – and yet transcends commodification in a simple sense. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Amy Donovan |
author_facet |
Amy Donovan |
author_sort |
Amy Donovan |
title |
Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
title_short |
Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
title_full |
Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
title_fullStr |
Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sublime encounters: Commodifying the experience of the geos |
title_sort |
sublime encounters: commodifying the experience of the geos |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/article/31414e60cba74b399d0655e08179ffa2 |
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ENVELOPE(-16.831,-16.831,64.852,64.852) |
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Holuhraun |
geographic_facet |
Holuhraun |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
Geo: Geography and Environment, Vol 5, Iss 2, Pp n/a-n/a (2018) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/toc/2054-4049 2054-4049 doi:10.1002/geo2.67 https://doaj.org/article/31414e60cba74b399d0655e08179ffa2 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.67 |
container_title |
Geo: Geography and Environment |
container_volume |
5 |
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2 |
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1766037937834688512 |