The Children's University Tasmania: the transformative power of tourism

This case considers children and families who live in marginalized com­munities in Tasmania. They may not have the resources or ability to enjoy tourism sites that are freely available, such as going to museums or visiting parks (which are among the "trickle down" effects of government redistribu­tion of tourism income toward infrastructure, services and welfare). They may not benefit directly from the growth in tourism unless family members work in the industry. This section of the community has largely been ignored in tourism policy discussions even though policy-makers and the industry often make claims that tourism will benefit society at large. In what ways can the local tourism industry work with children and their families to build up social capital and "cultural capital" in a Bourdieusien sense so that these children will have a better foundation to succeed? Bourdieu identified three forms or "guises" of capital: economic, social and cultural. Depending on the field in which it functions social capital and cultural capital can be converted into economic capital. However, as Bourdieu and Passeron (1977) articulate in their theory of social reproduction, the different types of "capital" children and their families possess may pose a barrier to social mobility. Children experiencing the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage may not exhibit the embodied sense of cultural capital that tends to supplement or enhance achievement in the education system.