Understanding cultural tourism through the themes of history and identity in postmodern novels: the white castle

Şengel, Ü., Coşkun, Z., & Uz, S. (2025). Understanding cultural tourism through the themes of history and identity in postmodern novels: the white castle. CACTUS - Journal of Tourism Business, Management and Economics, 32 (1). doi.org/10.24818/CTS/7/2025/2.04

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Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Cultural tourism emerges from various sources rooted in social life. Novels that explore social elements such as history, identity, and culture serve as important written sources of information, stimulating tourists’ interest in destinations. Although concepts like history and identity are abstract, they can become significant attractions when highlighted by authors’ descriptive abilities within the narrative, influencing readers and arousing their curiosity. In this context, the study aims to identify the roles of novels in cultural tourism by examining the themes of history and identity in postmodern novels. The study used the autoethnographic method and analysed Orhan Pamuk’s “The White Castle,” which compares East and West through cultural values such as history and identity, as it was considered suitable for the study’s purpose. The results indicate that the novel presents cultural differences through elements such as identity, history, religion, city, language, art, and gastronomy. The novel vividly conveys these cultural differences through the interplay of plot and description.

Keywords

postmodern novel, cultural tourism, history, identity

JEL Classification

Z1, Z32

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