Abstract
This paper discusses the promotion of car ecotourism and its impact on Glacier National Park. Coinciding with the creation of the park's flagship Going-to-the-Sun Road from 1921 to 1932, both the state and the private sector presented the image of the newly commodified automobile as a vehicle to explore nature with. Historically, national parks have served the interests of the middle and upper classes, by suppressing marginalized communities, primarily through forced relocation in order to clear the lands for creation of the parks. The public's conception of the “wilderness” drastically changed during the time the car was commodified, as nature itself was repainted as a place of solitude and contemplation as opposed to savagery, through promotions which emphasized the pleasure of a scenic drive. This new conception of the landscape contrasted with the preexisting idea that nature is for the “uncivilized.” In the following decades, the car's status as a means by which to connect with nature and “escape civilization” only increased, directly as a result of public roads such as Going-to-the-Sun and their marketing. This study analyzes the themes prominent in promotional materials distributed by both the automobile industry and the state, which promote the status of the car as a central way to experience the wilderness, through a case study of Glacier National Park.
Thesis Completion
2023
Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair/Advisor
Mauer, Barry
Degree
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
English
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Release Date
12-15-2023
Recommended Citation
Mohammed, Hanna Y., "Propaganda of Car Ecotourism in Glacier National Park" (2023). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 1530.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/1530