Integrating Indigenous values with capitalism through tourism: Alaskan experiences and outstanding issues

Radical theories from political economy assert that capitalism is founded on the creation and appropriation of surplus value through exploiting human labor and nature. Such exploitative social and social-ecological relations are generally understood as contradictory to Indigenous worldviews, which tend to emphasize community well-being and environmental reciprocity over maximizing private accumulation. Enter tourism, tantalizing in its promise as a silver bullet for Indigenous sustainable development. When done right, tourism can generate capitalist economic activity without drastically damaging cultural and ecological systems. This study examines spaces of confluence and divergence in Barrow, Alaska, between current tourism and the values of its Indigenous people, the Inupiat. It considers the scenario of increased tourism in the future and identifies local visions for expanding tourism in a culturally appropriate manner. Key ideas for future development include increasing regulation of cruise ship tourists and enhancing capacity to host high-end tourists. The study reveals conflicting views about using subsistence hunting, fishing and whaling activities as tourism attractions, and concludes that the ability of leaders in Barrow to support Indigenous values through tourism highlights an opportunity and need for a research agenda focused on exploring the relationship between capitalism and its alternatives within tourism destinations.