Philosophy of the Tourist

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Tourism, often viewed as a product of modern globalism, has been dismissed by contemporary thinkers. This philosophical study reevaluates the tourist as a unique subject position that allows for a reimagining of globalized culture, especially in a time of resistance to liberal ideals and the embrace of the 'Other.' Hiroki Azuma, known for works like Otaku: Japan's Database Animals, questions why the tourist has largely been overlooked in philosophical discourse. He explores this exclusion through the writings of Rousseau, Voltaire, Kant, and later thinkers like Schmitt, Kojève, Arendt, and Hardt and Negri. Azuma argues that the tourist's significance has been obscured by misleading dichotomies and a simplistic view of history. In the growing divide between global infrastructure and local identities, his rethinking of the tourist offers a fresh perspective, bridging the gap between local roots and the potential for collective action within a complex, interconnected world. By examining themes such as tourism's relationship with fan fiction, contingency, cyberspace's strangeness, and dark tourism, Azuma’s philosophical essay illuminates a familiar yet profound way of engaging with our surroundings. Translated by John D. Person.