A New Approach Based on Edgar Morin's Complexity Theory
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Paper DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v12i3.1457 Authenticity in Tourist Experiences: a new approach based on Edgar Morin’s Complexity Theory* Autenticidade em Experiências de Turismo: proposição de um novo olhar baseado na Teoria da Complexidade de Edgar Morin Autenticidad en Experiencias de Turismo: propuesta de una nueva mirada basada en la Teoría de la Complejidad de Edgar Morin Mariana Bueno de Andrade Matos1 Maria de Lourdes de Azevedo Barbosa2 Abstract: This essay aims to provide an alternative lens for interpreting the construct ‘authenticity’ in the context of tourist experiences. The literature review presents the main authors of the field and its different known types of authenticity, among them the objective, constructive, and existential authenticity. The analysis and reflection of these different perspectives provide the basis for proposing the adoption of an alternative epistemological ground to the interpretation of authenticity in tourist experiences, which may lead to a better understanding of this phenomenon. Thus, it is proposed that Edgar Morin's Complexity Theory may offer a complementary view to the understanding of authenticity in the context of tourism, insofar as it may allow an alternative to the tradi- tional fragmented way of thinking, and reflections from a more holistic view of the phenomenon. This discussion resulted in propositions, which are discussed at the end of this paper. Keywords: Authenticity. Tourism. Complexity Thinking Theory. Edgar Morin. Resumo: Este ensaio tem o objetivo de fornecer uma lente alternativa para interpretação do construto autenti- cidade no contexto das experiências turísticas. A revisão de literatura realizada apresenta os principais autores que tratam do tema e suas diferentes perspectivas a respeito de autenticidade, dentre estas a autenticidade 1 Federal University of Paraíba (DTH/UFPB), Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil. 2 Federal University of Pernambuco (DHT/UFPE), Recife, PB, Brasil. * This study was developed during the first author's doctorate, under the supervision of the second author, and was funded by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Paper received in: 15/05/2018. Paper accepted in: 08/08/2018. Rev. Bras. Pesq. Tur. São Paulo, 12(3), pp. 154-171, set./dez. 2018. 154 Matos, M. B. A. ; Barbosa, M. L. A. Authenticity in Tourism Experiences: a new approach based on Edgar Morin’s Complexity Theory Morin objetiva, a construtivista e a existencial. A análise e reflexão dessas diferentes perspectivas oferecem as bases para a proposição da adoção de um solo epistemológico alternativo à interpretação da autenticidade nas expe- riências turísticas, que pode levar a uma melhor compreensão desse fenômeno. Assim, propõe-se que o Pensa- mento Complexo de Edgar Morin pode oferecer uma forma complementar para o entendimento da autentici- dade no contexto do turismo, na medida em que pode permite ao pesquisador uma alternativa frente ao pen- samento fragmentado tradicional que está atrelado a essa temática, e possibilitar reflexões a partir de uma visão mais holística do fenômeno. Essa discussão resultou em proposições, que são discutidas ao final deste trabalho. Palavras-chave: Autenticidade. Turismo. Pensamento Complexo. Edgar Morin. Resumen: Este ensayo tiene el objetivo de proporcionar una lente alternativa para la interpretación del cons- tructo autenticidad en el contexto de las experiencias turísticas. La revisión de literatura realizada presenta los principales autores que tratan del tema y sus diferentes perspectivas respecto de autenticidad, entre ellas la autenticidad objetiva, la constructivista y la existencial. El análisis y reflexión de estas diferentes perspectivas ofrecen las bases para la proposición de la adopción de un suelo epistemológico alternativo a la interpretación de la autenticidad en las experiencias turísticas, que puede llevar a una mejor comprensión de ese fenómeno. Así, se propone que el Pensamiento Complejo de Edgar Morin puede ofrecer una forma complementaria para el entendimiento de la autenticidad en el contexto del turismo, en la medida en que puede permitir al investi- gador una alternativa frente al pensamiento fragmentado tradicional que está vinculado a esa temática, y que permite reflexiones a partir de una visión más holística del fenómeno. Esta discusión resultó en proposiciones, que se discuten al final de este trabajo. Palabras clave: Autenticidad. Turismo. Teoría de la Complejidad. Edgar Morin. 1 INTRODUCTION standard of living of the population would be the main reasons for people to create very The studies of authenticity origi- high expectations of tourist experiences, nate from the period when debates about which could only be achieved through what what is real and what is not real in the con- he called 'pseudo-events', which would be text of tourism activities came to the fore due experiences, products, and events manufac- to the process of globalization in the early tured to surprise tourists, distancing them 1960s. The pioneer author was Boorstin from reality and, therefore, the authenticity (2011), in his book The Image, published in of the tourist product. 1962. In his work the word 'authenticity' is Another stream of thought about au- not mentioned, but the discussion of the sub- thenticity is initiated by the sociologist Mac- ject runs throughout his entire book, and he Cannell (1973) in the early 1970s. The author is considered the first author to discuss the corroborates Boorstin’s (1962) views in re- subject (MacCannell, 1973; Cohen, 1979; gards to the inauthentic and superficial social Urry, 1990; Chambers, 2000). Boorstin life of the time, but the main difference in (1962), analyzed the experiences of tourism their views is that MacCannell (1973) argues in the United States and made, in his seminal that tourists always travel to seek authentic study, a critique of the superficial and extrav- and true experiences, not just to repeat pat- agant lifestyle. For the author, people were terns and stay in their comfort zones. Tour- continuously searching for events that dis- ism would be a new form of religion, and tanced them from the reality of daily life. In tourists would be pilgrims seeking to know addition, the control of nature and the rising the world and its authentic cultures. Thus, he Rev. Bras. Pesq. Tur. São Paulo, 12(3), pp. 154-171, set./dez. 2018. 155 Matos, M. B. A. ; Barbosa, M. L. A. Authenticity in Tourism Experiences: a new approach based on Edgar Morin’s Complexity Theory Morin proposed, based on Goffman's (1956) con- what is meant to be an innovative reflection cepts of front stage and back stage, that that may help in the debate about authentic- there are two kinds of authenticity: the real ity in tourist experiences, proposing as the and the staged. The real authenticity is the objective the analysis of authenticity based existing one, and the staged is the one that is on the Theory of Complexity of the French 'decorated' to be perceived by the tourist as philosopher Edgar Morin (2010), who argues the real one, which characterizes the place by that in order to better understand the mod- the perspective of a temporary visitor. ern world, one must abandon simplifying Just as at the beginning, when paradigms and thought and adhere to a more Boorstin (1962) and McCannell (1973) did not holistic form of worldview, that is able to un- find a consensus on authenticity in tourist ex- derstand the complexity of phenomena as periences, discordance and doubts persisted they occur. throughout the studies on the subject. Ning Wang (1999), a sociologist at 2 THE ORIGIN OF CONCEPTS OF AUTHEN- Zhongshan University, China, who studies TICITY IN TOURIST EXPERIENCES mainly sociology of tourism, proposed an or- ganization and standards for the concepts of Authenticity in tourist experiences is, authenticity existing in studies in sociology of according to Cohen (1979b), one of the main tourism. subjects to be discussed when studying tour- In the search for new knowledge and ism sociology. However, it is possible to find explanations for authenticity, authors pro- scholars of anthropology (Bruner, 1994; Rob- pose that only some of the known authentic- inson, 1997; Santana, 2009), geography (Del- ity types are valid or seek to combine them ignières, 2015; Waitt, 2000; Rickly-Boyd, together (Reisinger; Steiner, 2006; Kim; 2013), and architecture (Jokilehto, 2006; Jamal, 2007; Belhassen; Caton; Stewart, Stovel, 2007) who also study the phenome- 2008; Lau, 2010; Chhabra, 2010). However, non. In regards to authenticity as an inde- this combination can be questioned due to pendent construct from tourism, it is further epistemological inconsistencies with the par- studied by administrators who advocate for adigms on which the concepts are supported, authenticity as a tool for leadership (Gilmore, as pointed out by Steiner and Reisinger 2007), linguists (Macdonald; Badler, Dasli, (2006). For instance, one can cite that objec- 2006; Pietik; Kelly-Holmes, 2011), historians tive authenticity is based on positivism while (Richman, 2008), food and chemical engi- existential authenticity is based on existen- neers. tialism. In this way, the combination of au- The definitions for the term, as can be thenticity becomes unscientific if it is based expected, vary according to the approach on the classical paradigms of knowledge. taken and scientific area in which authentic- Given the lack of consensus on the ity is being studied. Taylor (2001) states that theoretical bases that support the studies of there are as many definitions of authenticity authenticity, this essay seeks to contribute to as people who write on the subject. In gen- the discussion of the theme and propose eral, the meaning of authenticity is "the cha- Rev. Bras. Pesq. Tur. São Paulo, 12(3), pp. 154-171, set./dez. 2018. 156 Matos, M. B. A. ; Barbosa, M. L. A. Authenticity in Tourism Experiences: a new approach based on Edgar Morin’s Complexity Theory Morin racter of what is genuine, true" (Houaiss, rists and the locality through objective and 2004, p. 77).