Title of Paper

A Proposed Examination of the Emotional Labor of Tour Guides Who Interpret the History of Enslavement

Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Roslynn Powell is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at NC State. Her research focuses on understanding the emotional labor of docents related to interpreting enslavement at historic sites.

Whitney Knollenberg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on tourism leadership and the influence of policy, planning, and partnerships in sustainable tourism development.

Abstract (150 Words)

There has been a recent societal shift to investigate the enslaved’s lives more holistically, particularly in tourism spaces (Alderman, Butler, & Hanna, 2016). And while it is crucial to present the narratives of enslaved people with empathy, humanity, and individuality, it is also emotionally laborious work. Interpreters and docents in historic sites frequented by tourists have to compete with visitor misinformation about slavery, engage with the difficult topic of enslavement multiple times a day, and deal with their own racial baggage and that of the visitors (Tyson & Dungey, 2014). This proposed research will investigate the emotional costs of interpreting enslavement and identify ways curators and managers can provide training and support for docents. Collecting oral histories of docents who interpret enslavement will allow for an in-depth and nuanced understanding of docents’ work experiences, interpreting the traumatic topic of slavery and its impacts on them as a whole person.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

A Proposed Examination of the Emotional Labor of Tour Guides Who Interpret the History of Enslavement

There has been a recent societal shift to investigate the enslaved’s lives more holistically, particularly in tourism spaces (Alderman, Butler, & Hanna, 2016). And while it is crucial to present the narratives of enslaved people with empathy, humanity, and individuality, it is also emotionally laborious work. Interpreters and docents in historic sites frequented by tourists have to compete with visitor misinformation about slavery, engage with the difficult topic of enslavement multiple times a day, and deal with their own racial baggage and that of the visitors (Tyson & Dungey, 2014). This proposed research will investigate the emotional costs of interpreting enslavement and identify ways curators and managers can provide training and support for docents. Collecting oral histories of docents who interpret enslavement will allow for an in-depth and nuanced understanding of docents’ work experiences, interpreting the traumatic topic of slavery and its impacts on them as a whole person.