Authenticity and identity - Theme-parking the Amanas

Many scholars see the tourist as engaged in a search for authenticity, a ma naged effect which tourist sites strive to produce in convincing forms and formats. This intellectual concern is reflected in the current debate over heritage, in which questions are raised as to exactly how far historic site s can and should try to achieve historical authenticity Much of this discou rse, however, seems strangely detached from social structures relating to p ower, social class and ethnicity. Using the case example of the Amana Colon ies in southeastern Iowa, the author examines who stands to benefit from ef forts to achieve authentic representations of this community's pietist and communal past. Examining the social interactions and social structures rela ting to both historic conservation and tourism in Amana, the author conclud es that only heritage professionals appear to have a short-term interest in approximating historical reality through accurate historic representations . In the long-term perspective, however, it is argued that both residents a nd tourists might be seen as having interests that run counter to their app arent short-term interests in the economic and entertainment exploitation o f this historic resource.