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Theorizing urban spectacles

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  • Kevin Fox Gotham

Abstract

In this paper Kevin Fox Gotham critically explores a number of urban festivals in the US city of New Orleans, namely Mardi Gras, the Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the Essence Festival (previous articles in City have looked at similar topics—see for example Tony Harcup (Vol. 4, No. 2) in relation to Leeds, and Kim Dovey and Leonie Sandercock (Vol. 6, No. 1) in relation to Melbourne. Gotham’s central concern is to develop a critical theory of urban spectacles, using the ideas of Guy Debord and Henri Lefebvre, to highlight the conflicts and struggles over meanings of local celebrations, highlight the irrationalities and contradictions of converting cities into tourist spectacles, and wider concerns about the relationship between tourism and local culture. Rather than seeing this spectacularisation of local cultures as simply negative or positive, Gotham discusses how tourism is a conflictual and contradictory process that simultaneously disempowers localities and creates new pressures for local autonomy and resistance. Detailed ethnographic material is used to show how local festivals have become 'battlefields of contention’, with different groups and interests attempting to produce them for their own ends. In the face of globalised forms of cultural production and consumption that limit creativity, we hear voices from local actors who use urban spectacles to sow seeds of dissent, create breeding grounds for reflexive action and launch radical critiques of inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Fox Gotham, 2005. "Theorizing urban spectacles," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 225-246, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:cityxx:v:9:y:2005:i:2:p:225-246
    DOI: 10.1080/13604810500197020
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Suitner Johannes, 2014. "Cultures of Image Construction Approaching Planning Cultures as a Factor in Urban Image Production," European Spatial Research and Policy, Sciendo, vol. 21(1), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Lau, Chammy & Li, Yiping, 2019. "Analyzing the effects of an urban food festival: A place theory approach," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 43-55.
    3. de Carvalho João Malho Ferreira Ribeiro & Gustavo Nuno & Afonso Victor, 2022. "A case study for a transformational festival creation in Lourinhã, Portugal," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 46-60, December.
    4. Jacob C Miller & Vincent Del Casino Jr, 2020. "Spectacle, tourism and the performance of everyday geopolitics," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 38(7-8), pages 1412-1428, November.
    5. David McGillivray & Matt Frew, 2015. "From Fan Parks to Live Sites: Mega events and the territorialisation of urban space," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(14), pages 2649-2663, November.
    6. Aydın Ünal & Baran Sinan Bayar, 2020. "A Research On The Local Community'S Assessments On The Festivals Organized In Their Own Destinations," Cactus - The tourism journal for research, education, culture and soul, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 2(2), pages 35-45.
    7. Aydın Unal & Baran Sinan Bayar, 2020. "A Research On The Local Community'S Assessments On The Festivals Organized In Their Own Destinations," Cactus - The tourism journal for research, education, culture and soul, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 2(1), pages 35-45.
    8. Sally Weller, 2013. "Consuming the City: Public Fashion Festivals and the Participatory Economies of Urban Spaces in Melbourne, Australia," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(14), pages 2853-2868, November.
    9. Martin Young & Francis Markham, 2017. "Coercive commodities and the political economy of involuntary consumption: The case of the gambling industries," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(12), pages 2762-2779, December.
    10. Evinc Dogan & Ibrahim Sirkeci, 2013. "Vol 2013, No 1303 (2013): The impact of a mega-event on city branding: The European Capital of Culture 2010 and the image of Istanbul," Border Crossing, Transnational Press London, UK, vol. 3(3), pages 29-50, July-Dece.
    11. Evinc Dogan & Ibrahim Sirkeci, 2013. "Vol 2013, No 1303 (2013): The impact of a mega-event on city branding: The European Capital of Culture 2010 and the image of Istanbul," Border Crossing, Transnational Press London, UK, vol. 2013(1303), pages 29-50, December.

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