Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This master’s thesis in rural development explores how local inhabitants perceive tourism and how
it is included in their sense of community. How people use narratives and activities to make meanings
of their community is in the centre of attention. The fieldwork took place in the areas around
Sysslebäck, situated in northern Värmland. The material was collected through semi structured
interviews with inhabitants in Sysslebäck who have an interest in outdoor life. The study focuses on
two nature tourism facilities: one that is “small” and locally owned, and one that is “big” and
externally owned. Local people stress the importance of the small facility’s local ownership and its
history in the community, whereas the lack of local anchoring is described as a shortcoming for the
big facility. The history of the small facility in the community means that people have memories of
being there, which have created a certain feeling for it and the scenic nature surrounding it.
The analysis is based on the question How is a sense of community maintained over time? Ruth
Liepins’ theory is used for the understanding of how construction of community is made and it shows
that the content of community is continuously contested among people with different perceptions of
what belongs and what does not. The meanings of community are constantly negotiated, showing that
it is not static but always changing.