Italy is the world's most popular non-anglophone study destination for American university students. When trained in anthropological research methods students develop the skills necessary to carry out original field studies, including concerning their compatriots abroad. During this spring’s Mason GEO's 2018 Florence Experience Program, a talented group of eleven undergraduate anthropology students designed and completed fieldwork projects that focused on how American tourists' cultural norms, expectations, and understandings affect their behavior in Florence. The research satisfied part of the requirements for the course ANTH 382 "Peoples and Cultures of Italy." The projects were especially timely, as they followed the launch of the city’s #EnjoyRespectFirenze initiative that promotes tourism while protecting residents' quality of life. On the basis of their findings students made innovative recommendations regarding tourism management. An article concerning the students' research appears in the latest issue of "Florence News." It can be found on the newspaper's website and at the link below on page 10.
https://issuu.com/fn06/docs/summer_2018
July 09, 2018
