A Political Ecology of Coastal Tourism: Cheap Labour and Nature Appropriation in Rimini and Durrës
A Political Ecology of Coastal Tourism: Cheap Labour and Nature Appropriation in Rimini and Durrës
Wednesday, 9 July 2025: 00:15
Location: SJES010 (Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences (JES))
Oral Presentation
The proposed research investigates the model of mass coastal tourism, a historically significant sector in global tourism that has often been overlooked in debates on sustainability within tourism studies. By adopting the analytical lens of political ecology, the study applies Jason W. Moore’s world-ecology perspective to offer a socio-ecological analysis of this industry. Moore’s theory highlights the critical role of ecological surplus, which refers to the relationship between the levels of capitalized labour and the appropriation of cheap resources. This framework emphasizes how capitalist accumulation relies on the continuous appropriation of labour and nature at minimal or no cost and underlines that the "cheap" labour and nature must be continually defined and redefined through both symbolic operations and simultaneously violent processes.
The choice of case studies is partially motivated by the paradigmatic nature of the case of Rimini, which has served as a model and as a laboratory for the development of the coastal tourism industry in the Mediterranean area. Following Butler’s tourism area life cycle, Rimini has now reached a mature stage of development. To avoid the risk of over-reliance on a single case study, the research also focuses on a context that shares similar morphological and tourism characteristics but has developed under different temporal and socio-political conditions. The Albanian coast, has only recently opened up to international tourism, offering a contrasting yet complementary case. In particular, Durrës represents an important example due to its tourism model, which, like Rimini, is based on the convenience and accessibility of services.
Empirical data is drawn from a multi-case study analysis of Rimini, Italy, and Durrës, Albania, with attention to two central "cheap" elements: labour and natural resources. The study employs qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and secondary source analysis.
The choice of case studies is partially motivated by the paradigmatic nature of the case of Rimini, which has served as a model and as a laboratory for the development of the coastal tourism industry in the Mediterranean area. Following Butler’s tourism area life cycle, Rimini has now reached a mature stage of development. To avoid the risk of over-reliance on a single case study, the research also focuses on a context that shares similar morphological and tourism characteristics but has developed under different temporal and socio-political conditions. The Albanian coast, has only recently opened up to international tourism, offering a contrasting yet complementary case. In particular, Durrës represents an important example due to its tourism model, which, like Rimini, is based on the convenience and accessibility of services.
Empirical data is drawn from a multi-case study analysis of Rimini, Italy, and Durrës, Albania, with attention to two central "cheap" elements: labour and natural resources. The study employs qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and secondary source analysis.