Wildlife-Based Recreation as Economic Windfall: A Rhetorical Analysis of Public Discourse on Birding

Abstract

Symbolic convergence theory posits that groups of like-minded people use linguistic symbols to construct a shared reality and form rhetorical visions (ways of viewing and communicating about an issue). To see how rhetorical visions might help shape public tourism policy, the authors used fantasy theme analysis to examine 206 Kansas newspaper articles dealing with birding, an increasingly popular form of wildlife-based recreation. The authors found a primary, shared rhetorical vision of birders as a potential economic engine for communities, with statistics playing a critical rhetorical function in support of tourism development. Within the vision, there were 3 primary action themes (i.e., visiting nature, doing business, and conserving) carried out or supported by 6 major character themes (or groups) in 3 primary settings (i.e., nature, developed nature centers, and birding hotspots or destinations). Action and character themes were closely related and money played an important unifying role among all 3 categories of themes. Overlap in character roles may be crucial in spreading the rhetorical vision.

Notes

¹For purposes of flow and brevity in this article, birdwatching is an umbrella term encompassing both the activities of birdwatching and birding. The umbrella term birdwatcher likewise encompasses the birders group of individuals, who distinguish themselves from birdwatchers and to whom the distinctions are quite important, indicating a greater commitment to the activity, among other characteristics. Although two of the authors consider themselves birders, the umbrella terms are used here because the study examines birding and birdwatching as a single activity and its participants as a single group despite these distinctions.