Values underlying the management of ship-borne tourism in the Antarctic Treaty area

Abstract

The study presented in this paper analyses the political discourse on ship-borne tourism in the Antarctic Treaty area, with particular emphasis on the 2009 Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts, to examine and identify values underlying and shaping this discourse. We define values as internalised codes that affect behaviour and include judgements on what is good and desirable. Values, themselves, are not directly observable. Their presence and nature, however, may be noted via their effects on behaviour. To explore these values, a method drawn from different theoretical models across disciplines was developed. This method was used as a basis for a political discourse analysis to be able to structure the discourse on Antarctic ship-borne tourism in a way that underlying values become apparent. The research found indicators of several values that are driving the discourse on Antarctic ship-borne tourism. Drawing on Schwartz’s set of basic human values, the values we identified as driving Antarctic tourism discourse are universalism, security, power and conformity. These same values are also at the core of existing conflicts in the discourse.