Spas: The Cultural Economy of Hospitality, Magic and the Senses

by Tom O'Dell

From 17th-century Sweden to the present time, this remarkable volume provides a historical perspective on the manner in which hospitality has developed from a private right and obligation to a commercialized product. Examining the ways religion, belief, and notions of health and wellness have been intertwined in the world of spas, this account argues for an appreciation of the role that magic, serenity, and rejuvenation play as a facilitator of economic processes and as a source of perceptions of health. Aimed at advanced students and scholars, this record will interest those in the fields of anthropology, hospitality, and sociology.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published July 27, 2010