Islands of enclavisation: Eco‐cultural island tourism and the relational geographies of near‐shore islands

Abstract

Eco-cultural island tourism is a global phenomenon. Accordingly, island studies has engaged with it through a variety of approaches, including relational geography perspectives. However, prevalent relational island studies theories tend to be based on remote, peripheralised archipelagos or urban island power centres and may thus be inappropriate for certain kinds of small, near-shore islands. This paper uses a case study of Qi'ao, Zhuhai, China to argue that such islands may function as enclaves within mainland societies rather than enclaves for mainland societies, rooted in a number of interrelated geographical imaginaries. These imaginaries consolidate Qi'ao's present identity as an urban enclave against industrialisation and the collective intuition of historical discontinuity. It is also argued that, despite its many utilitarian benefits, the model of enclavising small, nearshore islands for tourism begs an ethical question: for whom do these islands serve as enclaves? In response, I call for a new theorisation of small, near-shore island relationality that considers some islands' roles within, rather than simply external to, mainland societies. K E Y W O R D Seco-cultural island tourism, enclaves, enclavisation, Qi'ao, relational geography, Zhuhai | INTRODUCTIONEco-cultural island tourism is a global phenomenon with which the field of island studies has engaged through a variety of approaches, including relational geography perspectives. A key topic of inquiry has been the use of such islands as enclaves relative to the mainland. This paper subjects the tourist experience of the island of Qi'ao (Zhuhai, China) to critical geographical analysis in order to reflect upon this type of island tourism and theories of small, near-shore island relationality more generally.Following clarifications of theoretical framework and methodology, I trace the historical course of the mainland's island imaginaries as they affect Qi'ao in order to discuss how the island has reached its present status as a tourist enclave. I then analyse the relationship between island enclavisation and modernity, questioning the positionality of the island enclave. Finally, I offer conclusions regarding both island tourism and the necessity of theorising island relationalities that are appropriate to small, near-shore islands. I argue that Qi'ao's present urban identity is constructed around the model of an enclave against industrialisation and the collective intuition of historical discontinuity. This raises the question for whom do small, near-shore islands serve as enclaves when they are enclavised for tourism?

Island Imaginaries: Introduction to a Special Section

“…In the reviewed literature, 2 imagination and materiality of islands is either separated into two reflective strands of research, or these properties are analyzed in tandem. Overall, 'island imaginaries' is either a generic and unspecified phrase, or it depicts a repository for mainland and/or colonizers' geographical imaginaries that are mapped onto islands to foster a (touristic) paradise, peripheral shelter, trading post, or ideal test site for technologies (Grove, 1996;Sheller, 2007, p. 27;Hong, 2020;Skjølsvold et al, 2020). As anthropologist Burkhard Schnepel (2018) states, island imaginaries display a Western framing in five forms: as isolated, virgin 'no-man's land,' diverse and créole, liminal, and geographically finite (pp.…”

Islands of connectivity: Archipelago relationality and transport infrastructure in Venice Lagoon

“…Nevertheless, isolation, inaccessibility and/or disconnectedness are often discussed in the literature as characteristics of islandness (Fernandes & Pinho, ). Much comparative island studies research simply takes for granted that only oceanic or otherwise unbridged islands will be considered, and near‐shore islands remain under‐theorised (Hong, ). While there is nothing wrong with examining particular categories of islands, the result is often that these particular categories are implicitly taken to represent islands in general, thereby reinforcing clichés of island isolation, peripherality and disadvantage, limiting the scope of potential policy options and ultimately restricting our ability to understand what makes island places (more broadly understood) special when compared with mainland places.…”

CSR as a strategy for public-private relationships in protected island territories: Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

“…Generally speaking, islands of a markedly tourist nature are increasingly resorting to sustainability strategies (Hong, 2019;Petridis et al, 2017;Weaver, 2017), but, sometimes, the search for the status of an ecological island can increase costs without increasing income, and its development is not adapted to the reality of the island (Baldacchino & Kelman, 2014;Grydehøj & Kelman, 2017;Xie et al, 2019). According to Grydehøj and Kelman (2017), island communities should pursue locally contextualized development, potentially focused on adapting to climate change, instead of focusing on being an ecological island oriented towards brand positioning and ecotourism.…”