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Mediatisation and social sustainability – an ambivalent relationship

Cassinger, Cecilia LU and Månsson, Maria LU orcid (2021) Knowledge for Sustainable Development – Lund University Research Conference, 2021
Abstract
Mediatisation is one of the central concepts by which to understand how the intensifying media and communications environment constructs our social world. The aim of research is to examine the conditions of sustainability communication in a media economy of visibility and recognition. To this end, we focus on how the phenomenon overtourism is constructed as a social sustainability challenge in news- and social media.

This research emphasises the dialectics of media and social institutions in examining
overtourism as a challenge for sustainable development in European urban destinations. Narrative analysis of the emergence of overtourism on online news media and social media platforms was conducted during... (More)
Mediatisation is one of the central concepts by which to understand how the intensifying media and communications environment constructs our social world. The aim of research is to examine the conditions of sustainability communication in a media economy of visibility and recognition. To this end, we focus on how the phenomenon overtourism is constructed as a social sustainability challenge in news- and social media.

This research emphasises the dialectics of media and social institutions in examining
overtourism as a challenge for sustainable development in European urban destinations. Narrative analysis of the emergence of overtourism on online news media and social media platforms was conducted during 2017-2019.

Findings underscore the ambivalent relationship between mediatization and sustainability. Media narratives construct overtourism as an unsustainable situation for urban destinations, whilst at the same time promoting the attractiveness of these places. Overtourism brings prosperity as well as urban decay and cultural despair to cities. We contend that the ambivalence surrounding the sustainability challenge of overtourism in the media is an obstacle to discussions of concrete measures. At the same time, ambivalence may lead to a greater reflexivity concerning social sustainability, which may be harnessed as a resource for change. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
mediatisation, urban tourism, social sustainability, overtourism
conference name
Knowledge for Sustainable Development – Lund University Research Conference, 2021<br/>
conference location
Lund, Sweden
conference dates
2021-05-04 - 2021-05-04
project
Rethinking urban tourism development: Dealing with sustainability in the age of over-tourism
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8e942ecd-7801-4925-a332-f12f1033b59c
date added to LUP
2021-05-03 13:38:42
date last changed
2021-05-07 08:48:10
@misc{8e942ecd-7801-4925-a332-f12f1033b59c,
  abstract     = {{Mediatisation is one of the central concepts by which to understand how the intensifying media and communications environment constructs our social world. The aim of research is to examine the conditions of sustainability communication in a media economy of visibility and recognition. To this end, we focus on how the phenomenon overtourism is constructed as a social sustainability challenge in news- and social media.<br/><br/>This research emphasises the dialectics of media and social institutions in examining<br/>overtourism as a challenge for sustainable development in European urban destinations. Narrative analysis of the emergence of overtourism on online news media and social media platforms was conducted during 2017-2019.<br/><br/>Findings underscore the ambivalent relationship between mediatization and sustainability. Media narratives construct overtourism as an unsustainable situation for urban destinations, whilst at the same time promoting the attractiveness of these places. Overtourism brings prosperity as well as urban decay and cultural despair to cities. We contend that the ambivalence surrounding the sustainability challenge of overtourism in the media is an obstacle to discussions of concrete measures. At the same time, ambivalence may lead to a greater reflexivity concerning social sustainability, which may be harnessed as a resource for change.}},
  author       = {{Cassinger, Cecilia and Månsson, Maria}},
  keywords     = {{mediatisation; urban tourism; social sustainability; overtourism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Mediatisation and social sustainability – an ambivalent relationship}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}