The hidden power of memory-work for hospitality and tourism researchers

The purpose of this article is to explain the value of memory-work for researchers wishing to critically explore issues concerning hospitality and tourism employment. The memory-work research method, based on feminist theorising, centres on the group analysis of individual written memories, invoked by a cue phrase about a specific topic of common interest. In the article, the author illustrates how memory-work was used to explore aspects of gender in hospitality work. The group analysis by academics who had worked in the hospitality industry for many years uncovered rich and complex understandings of power relations in the sector. The conclusions have implications for researchers who wish to adopt a critical approach to understanding gendered hospitality and tourism organisations.