Emerging Scholar Profile: Dr. Rosa Codina

Abstract

Dr Rosa Codina is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Events at Oxford Brookes University, UK where she conducts research into the socio-political aspects of tourism and events, with a particular focus on developing nations.

Rosa was awarded a PhD in Tourism from Oxford Brookes University in 2018. Her PhD dissertation entitled “The role of tourism in local power relations: A case study of Pisac, Peru” examined the impacts of tourism development on the social relations and power dynamics of the Andean rural town of Pisac, Peru. The thesis presented a critical analysis of the interactions between the social actors involved in tourism in Pisac and used ethnographic-based methods as a basis to understand the extent to which tourism may influence local power relations at a community level.

The research revealed a complex interplay of power relations concerning Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors, both male and female. Tourism was found to simultaneously enhance and restrict opportunities for actors to hold and exercise power. Empowerment, as a state of being, was not displayed as a single point or stage to be reached, but rather as a continuum or process. Findings indicated that tourism naturally served to influence the pattern of fluctuations in power across actors in the town and surrounding area. Importantly, it highlighted how examining local actors’ interactions can illuminate more nuanced processes, relations and mechanisms which are of critical relevance to host societies and destinations. To understand and interpret these shifts and exchanges of power, the research suggested that future studies should account for locality, temporality and cultural factors; only when these three elements are considered alongside one another can a representative picture of power relations emerge.

Rosa’s main research interests mainly focus on the anthropology of tourism and socio-political dynamics of host communities. In particular, Rosa’s future research agenda is expected to develop new understandings of the socio-cultural and political implications of tourism for host communities in developing countries and Latin America. Other research interests include gender issues in tourism, women entrepreneurship, Indigenous tourism, as well as the role of tourism and festivals in developing and sustaining local identities.

At Oxford Brookes University Rosa leads undergraduate modules on Cultural Events and Tourism Management. At the postgraduate level, Rosa leads modules examining the links between the social world and events, as well as the political aspects of tourism and events. She also supervises undergraduate and Masters students conducting research on events and tourism related topics. Her other activities include being a visiting tutor for undergraduate and postgraduate students in work placements in the UK and abroad. She also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Vacation Marketing.

Rosa is originally from Peru but was brought up in different countries across Europe and Latin America, resulting in a keen interest in travel and tourism from an early age. Rosa continued to travel extensively as an adult and as a result of her experience, decided to pursue tourism studies, earning a BA (hons) in International tourism management from Bournemouth University in 2009. During the last year of her BA, Rosa conducted primary research in the Indigenous island of Taquile (Peru) where she lived with Indigenous community members participating in tourism. This experience was fundamental in developing her research interests for the anthropology of tourism and Indigenous communities. She went on to earn an MSc in Tourism development from the University of Surrey in 2010 where she was named best postgraduate student on a tourism programme by the Association for Tourism in Higher Education. Her interest in research eventually led to her earning a PhD scholarship from Oxford Brookes University in 2011 where she later obtained a post as a senior lecturer.

Rosa continues to enjoy travelling and is also an avid fan of theatre, music concerts, photography and watching pet videos on Youtube.