Royal Anthropological Institute / Development Studies Association Tourism Research Seminars: Theme - Mass Tourism

SEMINAR SERIES AT THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

Magaluf, Mamading and Moral Panic

Dr Hazel Andrews, Liverpool John Moores University

Monday 9 November at 5.30 pm

At the start of July 2014 The Sunday Mirror newspaper published a story under the headline: 'Magaluf exposed: Sleazy party capital where girls are bullied into sex acts with strangers'. The report was based on a video filmed at one of the resorts nightclubs. The footage, allegedly filmed by one of the club's reps and sent to a friend who then put it on Facebook purports to show a young woman (aged 18) engaged in 'mamading' which refers to the practice of encouraging women (who are usually inebriated) to perform lewd acts for the reward of free alcohol. In the particular instance being referred to the woman in question is being cajoled into fellatio with, it is claimed, a total of 24 men. The Mirror's report states 'the girl's underwear is around her ankles as one man appears to have sex with her from behind and she has oral sex with another reveller standing in front of her.'  Following these revelations other stories about apparently lewd behaviour by British tourists in Magaluf are highlighted across the British press, including for example ‘New Magaluf video emerges of Brit pair ‘having full sex’ in night club’ (Closeronline); ‘New Magaluf nightclub sex shame as girls are stripped on stage at 'paint parties'’ (Daily Record); and ‘Magaluf video: Shameless Brit girl has full-on sex in nightclub’ (Daily Star). In short a form of ‘Moral Panic’ ensued which in which British youth – but notably particularly women – holidaying abroad were demonised for their behaviour. During the late 1990s I conducted field research in Magaluf during which time I learnt of similar behaviour in the resort. This paper then asks questions around ‘why panic now?’ and explores the relationship between the sensationalising of such holiday practices and the growth of social media and digital mediums of communication.

Dr Hazel Andrews is Reader in Tourism, Culture & Society at Liverpool John Moores University. As a social anthropologist Hazel is interested in issues of identity, selfhood and the body principally in relation to tourism and travel.  Hazel’s PhD thesis was the first full length ethnographic study of British charter tourists which involved periods of participant observation in the resorts of Palmanova and Magaluf on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Hazel has drawn on this fieldwork to publish journal articles and book chapters. She is the author/editor of 6 books including the monograph ‘The British on Holiday’ published by Channel View in 2011. More recently she edited a collection on the subject of Tourism & Violence (Ashgate, 2014) in which her own chapter included work based both on Mallorca and Menorca. Hazel regularly reviews articles for the numerous tourism journals, is a founding editor of the Journal Tourism Consumption and Practice, has organised international conferences and symposia and is chair of the Royal Anthropological Institute’s Tourism Committee.

This event is free, but tickets must be booked. To book tickets please go to http://hazelandrews.eventbrite.co.uk