Have slums suddenly become cool? Tourists across the globe seem to think so, as they increasingly hunt down favelas, ghettos, and barrios for memorable vacation experiences. A moral outrage to some critics, the rise of slum tourism nevertheless is a fascinating phenomenon that demands more detailed, nonjudgmental research than it has received up to this point.
In the provocative Slumming It, Fabian Frenzel is the first scholar to explore the intriguing motivations and consequences of this novel form of tourism with a truly accessible, open-minded approach. He examines the strange allure that slums have for wealthier visitors, and he investigates the changes this curious attraction has led to on both a small and large scale: from gentrification and urban policy reform to the organization of international development and poverty alleviation efforts. Using case studies throughout the global south-including Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok, and cities in South Africa, Kenya, and India-Frenzel provides a comprehensive study of slum tourism and a controversial take on the potentially positive impact it may have on these struggling communities in the future.
Industry Reviews
A provoking read, exceptional in its efforts to understand slum tourism as a global industry and a symbolic practice of valorisation. * Africa at LSE *
One of the most interesting books on the "new tourisms" ... It deserves to be widely read and discussed and is worthy of a place on the shelves of anyone interested in the slum, in tourism and society, or in "the social question". * Anthropological Forum *
Highly recommended. A stirring text on an emerging yet controversial niche form of tourism. * Choice *
Slumming It resists reductive treatment of slum tourism as universally positive or negative. What it does raise the possibility of is "how tourism may contribute to a politics of solidarity". * Environment and Urbanization *
The definitive book on the topic. * Forbes *
Successfully weaves together economics, human geography and cultural studies in order to create a well-balanced analysis. * Impaktr *
A well-argued case for building political projects out of what we have in common, rather than being immobilised by cultural difference. * VICE *
Based on years of embedded fieldwork, Frenzel's book cuts through the powerful mythology surrounding the so-called slums, townships, and favelas as tourist attractions to construct a revelatory narrative of the relationship between poverty and tourism, exploitation and political activism. * Bianca Freire-Medeiros, author of Touring Poverty *
A bold and carefully crafted analysis of slums and slum tourism. Theoretically grounded in the concepts of tourist valorization and local value regimes, it offers a nuanced and state of the art understanding of the nexus of tourism, slums and poverty. * Christian M. Rogerson, University of Johannesburg *
Rich empirical evidence, expertly interrogated by notions of place valorisation, make this a fascinating piece of cutting-edge research on a fast emerging field of study. It makes a significant contribution to the available literature and is key reading for professionals and scholars alike. * Eveline Durr, LMU Munich *
This provocative and beautifully written study of slum tourism will transform your assumptions about the politics of slumming it. Drawing on rich ethnographic data, Frenzel carefully considers the activist potential of tourism to enact a relational politics of solidarity and care. * Imogen Tyler, author of Revolting Subjects *
The reality of the slum is much fought over in commentary. Frenzel cuts through the confusion to evaluate the valorisation of poverty in tourism. With examples ranging across India, Brazil, Europe and South Africa, Frenzel offers an analysis, both comparative and detailed, that is a theoretically-informed advance on current scholarship. * John Hutnyk, author of The Rumour of Calcutta *
Frenzel has written a very inspiring book, that is full of ideas and also deeply political. He opens up many new perspectives on slum tourism, and highlights its local and global dimensions. * Manfred Rolfes, University of Potsdam *
