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Radiolab

Friday, July 16, 2004
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  • Times Square
    Times Square

    Native vs. Tourist

    Tourism is the world’s fastest growing industry. Radio Lab examines the dueling identities of “Native” and “Tourist.” We’ll travel to Times Square and a Native New Yorker's party, plus look at the category of people stranded in between, the immigrant.

The Native’s View of the Tourist: "In A Small Place”"- Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid was born in 1949 on the island of Antigua- an island which did not achieve independence until 1981. Under British rule, the colonists attempted to turn Antigua "into England" and the natives "into English" without regard for their native culture or homeland. In this excerpt taken from her book- In A Small Place- Kincaid explores the concept of the tourist, or outsider, from the native's perspective.

Producer: Brent Clough, The Night Air

» ABC's Night Air
» Jamaica Kincaid

New York Tourism at the Turn of the Century

Author and critic Luc Sante was born in Belgium, but emigrated to New Jersey when he was five. In his book, Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York, he describes the allure of the seedier side of 19 century Manhattan, from prostitutes to con-artists to the legions of suckered sailors left in their wake.

Guest: Luc Sante Luc Sante is the author of Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York

The "Stans" - Part 1

What happens when you take a busload of tour-book travelers on the road in the most war-torn regions of the world? Stan Trek - named because all six countries on the tour's itinerary end in "Stan" - Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan - and finally, Afghanistan.

As the Savvy Traveller’s Ben Adair found out, some hypotheses are better left untested.

Producer: Ben Adair, The Savvy Traveler

» Listen to the entire piece here
» Savvy Traveler

Flipper Goes Underground

Marcus
Marcus Lindeen, (to the left) and urban explorer Steve Duncan (right) in New York.
Swedish radio producer, Marcus Lindeen follows a the urban-exploring collective Jinx, hopping fences and digging around abandoned buildings. Is this growing trend of budget adventure travel, or a Do-It-Yourself horror film in the making?

Producer: Marcus Lindeen, Flipper

» Jinx Magazine
» Marcus Lindeen, Flipper

Reservations at the Hotel Astor

Hotel Astor A hundred years ago, in the spot where MTV offices are now, stood the Hotel Astor. It was the biggest building of its time. Inside, wealthy guests lounged in an Epcot-like series of ethnic “themed” rooms, from the Italian Orange Garden to the Hall of the American Indian. Anthropologist Brian Horne takes us on tour, offering a glimpse of country trying to make sense of itself.

And I Walked

Not a tourist, and certainly not a native, the immigrant, particularly those who try to cross the boarder illegally, put much more than their cultural identities at risk. In the last year, more than 151 people have died crossing the desert between Mexico and Arizona. Arizona public radio production team Ann Hepperman and Kara Oehler created this piece about figurative and literal thirst, commissioned by Chicago Public Radio’s Third Coast Audio Festival.

Producers: Ann Hepperman and Kara Oehler
Executive Producers: Julie Shapiro and Johanna Zorn

Credits

This week’s program was produced by Ellen Horne and Jad Abumrad, with help from Miyuki Jokiranta, Brenna Farrell, Jennie Schneier, and Trent Wolbe. Thanks this week to Marcus Lindeen, Ann Hepperman, Kara Oehler, Luc Sante, Brian Horne, Ben Adair, Andy Lanset and Karla Sitha Hope Murthy.