Tourism and Democracy

Description

Invited as the keynote speaker at the "Tourism and Democracy Seminar, (over) 50 years of travels," organized by the Estoril School of Hospitality and Tourism (ESHTE) for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the April 25 Revolution (also known as the Carnation Revolution), which took place on April 25, 1974, and toppled the dictatorial regime of the Estado Novo, in place since 1933.

The event aims to reflect on what has changed in tourism in Portugal since then, without taking any political positions. The title of my speech will be: "Ode to Uncertainty: Tourism as a Transformative Force for Authentic Democracy in the Context of Post-Truth and Propaganda in Contemporary Western Democracy"

Here is the summary: "In this tumultuous era of post-truth and propaganda, Western democracy faces unprecedented challenges. Political correctness, for example, suggests to us a series of comfortable certainties that, upon closer examination, are anything but certain. Is this hypocritical form of freedom and democracy what our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents fought for in a not-so-distant past? Democracy, the idea of freedom, as well as ethics, justice, and human rights, are concepts that we urgently need to bring back to the center of our debates. In this context, what is the role of tourism as a transformative agent in the pursuit of authentic and fair democracy? The aim of this intervention is to highlight and discuss the potential of tourism in the contemporary context, offering an innovative reflection on how tourism can contribute to redefining - through its unique ability to promote inclusion, intercultural understanding, civic participation, and the healthy uncertainty of "knowing not to know" - the fundamental principles of Western democracy in contemporary times."

Period	16 Apr 2024
Held at	Estoril School of Hospitality and Tourism (ESHTE), Portugal
Degree of Recognition	International