Professor Tom Baum from Human Resource Management and Emeritus Professor Richard Butler have edited the first book to link their academic interests in tourism with their off-duty passion for cricket. Their book, “Tourism and Cricket: Travels to the Boundary” is published by Channel View and includes chapters on a wide range of themes including the Barmy Army, visits to cricket-related 'shrines' such as Lords and the political context of cricket-induced travel between India and Pakistan.
Professor Baum notes that the book contains “the ultimate in academic self-indulgence” in the form of two autoethnographical chapters by the editors, depicting Professor Butler's visit to a one-day international (ODI) between New Zealand and England in Auckland and Professor Baum’s experiences at a test match between India and England in Nagpur.
James Higham, University of Otago, New Zealand, said of the book: “This excellent book presents the reader with a fascinating collection of essays which have been expertly integrated by the craft of Baum and Butler's editorship. They deliver a volume that pushes the boundaries in exploring the diverse manifestations of tourism arising from unique cultural creations of the sport of cricket. This is a must-read for those with interests in the intersections of sport, history, culture, identity and tourism.”
For more information, Professor Butler writes about the unique nature of cricket tourism.