Residents' engagements in post-disaster tourism: Creating composite accounts out of social practices

Abstract

We explore the dynamic, oscillating nature of communities' temporalities in disaster recovery, using social practice theory to analyze the role of communities'-led tsunami museums in Sri Lanka. By examining the intertwined elements of meanings, materials, and competences, we uncover how daily rituals, tangible artifacts, and communities' interactions produce collective memory and resilience. Employing a qualitative methodology that includes witnessing and conversations with local residents, our research emphasizes the non-linear, complex trajectories of healing post-disaster. This research contributes to the broader discourse on disaster and communities' resilience, providing a nuanced understanding of how embodied experiences and social practices influence long-term recovery processes in tourism. These enhancements help better understand and leverage the local context in disaster tourism settings.