My experience
by Laura-Maria Korpela, 2nd year BA International Tourism Management
I took part of the Critical Hospitality Studies Symposium conference which was held in Edinburgh Napier University and yes, this was my first academic conference ever. This opportunity was offered to me part of the project ‘Experiences of full-time students in part-time employment: identifying issues, challenges and opportunities for implementing change’. Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik who works for Lincoln International Business School has been my project supervisor for this project and I have collaborated with her as a research assistant. In the conference we presented part of our work; Hospitality work as socialisation into working life for young people. The idea to take part of the academic conference was to hear from professors, lecturers and PhD students and to find something useful from their work. And from the perspective, I can say, in only few days, I learned a lot about the industry and that is why I found this as an excellent opportunity for any student who is interested of participating the research process.
I met and heard some well know researchers such as Dr. David Bell, Professor Paul Lynch, Dr. Alison McIntosh, Dr. Alison Phipps, Dr. Cheryl Cockburn-Wootten and many others. Apart of my own subject I was intrigued by Dr. David Bells presentation about hospitality as invitation, ‘Mundane Welcome’ from Professor Paul Lynch and Michael Palkowski’s presentation about Urban street furniture and the construction of the tourist destination. I also learned about how tourism is managed in Jerusalem, where there are many issues emerging from ‘multiculturalism’ (Benjamin Carey), about immigration and how cities with high class differences might be attractive for those immigrants and refugees whose landscape and culture is similar in terms of where a person in a lower class can climb to a higher one without moving to another city or country (by Tiago Allis and Ana Spolon).
(Edinburgh Castle)
All in all, it was great to be part of the conference and expand my knowledge. It was my first time in Edinburgh and it is an absolutely beautiful city with its long and vibrant history, I definitely recommend. Also the place where the conference situated was in a beautiful area high up from the city in Edinburgh Napier University and its building was glamorous. The conference was well organized and people who participated were all welcoming and friendly, not once I felt being ignored or being treated differently by others. Agnieszka is a great tutor and I am very happy that I have worked with her and I was taken into this. The food was amazing and well served, conference provided a lunch and coffee breaks every day. There is a photograph of my coffee break with a coffee and a little chocolate cupcake. All this also included a BBQ-evening with all the conference people. The place called as Earthy and it was in the city of Edinburgh, I would have not expected that but where else would people who work for tourism and hospitality industry enjoy their conference feast than outside around a fancy campfire.
Without a question I gained a deeper understanding of tourism and hospitality area which was definitively intriguing and will be useful for my studies. I would be more than happy if I could continue doing research work which I have enjoyed doing during the whole summer and I hope I will be taken into projects in the future, to research more the area.
(Edinburgh – City Centre)
(BBQ: Earthy, with professionals)
Read more about the conference: https://chs2016.wordpress.com/