ABSTRACT

This book on events-related research marks a watershed in the development of a "Nordic School" of festival and event research. Each of the chapters presents a new and interesting approach to the study of events, in terms of methods, perspectives or content. It is mostly rooted in management theory but also incorporating other perspectives that enhance our understanding of the phenomena. Implications for real-world applications in tourism, hospitality, and community development are also at the fore.

The scholarship is comprehensive, not focused on only tourism or economic aspects. Management theory, including stakeholder management, social networks, and institutionalization processes is being applied. Attention is being given to the multiple roles festivals and events play in society, and to evaluation of their worth and impacts. Innovative methods are being developed to examine event experiences, innovation processes, and success factors.

There is now a critical mass of scholars in the Nordic countries that share a strong interest in event studies, and they are engaged in collaborative research, making it an appealing and innovative region for other event students and researchers to visit. It can be expected that the Nordic school will take an increasingly important place in the development of event studies, which is now truly global in terms of scholarship and university degree programs.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism.

chapter 1|3 pages

Introduction

chapter 3|29 pages

Casual Observers, Connoisseurs and Experimentalists

A Conceptual Exploration of Niche Festival Visitors

chapter 4|16 pages

Festivals in the Barents Region

Exploring Festival-stakeholder Cooperation

chapter 5|20 pages

Festival Innovation

Complex and Dynamic Network Interaction

chapter 8|31 pages

Celebration of Extreme Playfulness

Ekstremsportveko at Voss

chapter 10|24 pages

The Event-Tourist Career Trajectory

A Study of High-Involvement Amateur Distance Runners

chapter 14|20 pages

Event Experiences in Time and Space

A Study of Visitors to the 2007 World Alpine Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden