Tourism and the Anthropocene

Abstract

The Anthropocene is a proposed term for a new phase in the history of both humanity and the Earth – a geological epoch in which their respective forces intertwine on a planetary scale. As a concept, the Anthropocene has recently gained momentum also in the humanities and the social sciences, but not yet in Tourism Studies. The aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of the Anthropocene to Tourism Studies and to explore and outline scientific, political, and ethical challenges. In the context of the Anthropocene, tourism becomes a geophysical force censoriously interrelated with the capacity of the Earth to sustain the human species.

Key Words:

• Anthropocene
• tourism theory
• ethics
• environmental change
• Iceland