Local People who Face Alternatives : A Case Study of Glastonbury, UK, Focusing on New Age Businesses

DOI Web Site

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • オルタナティヴと対峙する地元民 : イギリスのグラストンベリーにおけるニューエイジ産業をめぐって
  • オルタナティヴ ト タイジスル ジモトミン : イギリス ノ グラストンベリー ニ オケル ニューエイジ サンギョウ オ メグッテ

Search this article

Abstract

When strangers with different lifestyles and views of the world from those of local inhabitants arrive in a town, the local people are forced into thinking of how to cope with them. Glastonbury in the UK is well known as a "New Age" town. Such strangers have been pouring into Glastonbury since the late 1960s, and "New Age businesses" have flourished there since the 1980s. This paper investigates the ways in which local people coexist with these outsiders/strangers, exploring the relationship between locals and those involved in New Age businesses such as New Age goods shops, healing centers, organic food shops, and vegetarian cafes. Previous research on sacred places or tourism has discussed the interaction between residents and pilgrims/tourists, but the relationship between locals and people who have moved to and settled in Glastonbury has been ignored. I focus on this relationship by examining how the locals view these "alternatives," and I refer to the viewpoint of those who create touristic representations of Glastonbury and discuss the way locals accept those who have moved there. What I found was that most locals keep their distance from the New Age businesses. Some locals are uncomfortable with these businesses, but they do not force them out as the "alternatives" do not impose their ideas on them. Other locals, and especially town councilors and those who own buildings and run businesses in the town, welcome the New Age businesses because they bring economic benefits. However, they do not try to support them because these "alternatives" do not like to be supported by the locals. I also found that the role of visitors is important in the process of locals meeting and accepting people who have moved to their town. Because visitors support the New Age businesses as consumers, these businesses are able to flourish. More people then come and settle in the town, making their living in the New Age businesses. Local people then see the faces of the "alternatives"-who are now residents-through these New Age businesses, and seek to find a way to coexist with them in the same town, depending on each individual's situation.

Journal

  • Religion and Society

    Religion and Society 19 (0), 1-15, 2013

    The Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society

Related Projects

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top