Pilgrimage and Tourism

Investigation of pilgrimage and tourist destinations (e.g. Jerusalem, Mecca, Las Vegas, Dubai) and those places' mementos from the Middle Ages to the present through a study of their material remains, primary sources and theoretical texts. Discussion of the moral and ethical issues involved in marketing authenticity from a cross-cultural and comparative perspective. Evaluation based on weekly student written assessments of the texts and the presentation of the pilgrimage site or the relic/souvenir of their choice. Sites/objects under consideration will vary annually.