Scott Lukas
Lake Tahoe Community College, Anthropology & Sociology, Faculty Member
- Cultural Criminology, Anthropology, Architecture, Media Rhetoric, Postmodernism, Film Remakes, and 23 moreGame studies, Psychogeography, Jean Baudrillard, Sociology, Vernacular Architecture, Theme Parks, Themed Design, Cornelius Holtorf, Walt Disney Company, Popular Culture, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Culture, Film Studies, Ethnography, Consumer Behavior, Tourism Studies, Media and Cultural Studies, Cultural Sociology, Sociology of Culture, Themed Entertainment, Immersion and Experience, and Bruno Latouredit
- Scott A. Lukas has taught anthropology and sociology Lake Tahoe Community College for twenty years and in 2013 was Vi... moreScott A. Lukas has taught anthropology and sociology Lake Tahoe Community College for twenty years and in 2013 was Visiting Professor of American Studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He has been recognized with the national McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology by the American Anthropological Association (2005), the California Hayward Award for Excellence in Education (2003), the Lake Tahoe Community College Distinguished Faculty Member Award (2012), and a Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program Award (2009). In 2006, he was a nominee to the California Community College Board of Governors. He is the author/editor of A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces (forthcoming, ETC/Carnegie Mellon); The Immersive Worlds Handbook (2012); Theme Park (2008); The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nature, and Self (2007); Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade, (with John Marmysz, 2009); Recent Developments in Criminological Theory (with Stuart Henry, 2009); and Strategies in Teaching Anthropology (2010). His book Theme Park was translated into Arabic. He has provided keynote addresses for Here You Leave Today: Time and Temporality in Theme Parks Conference (University of Mainz); Western Aerosol Information Bureau Conference; Walt Disney Imagineering (Insight/Out); The Poverty to Prosperity Forum (South Lake Tahoe); Staging the Past: Themed Environments in Transcultural Perspectives (University of Freiburg); and SATE Conference sponsored by the Themed Entertainment Association. He appeared in the documentary The Nature of Existence and has provided interviews for To the Best of Our Knowledge, Atlas Obscura, The Huffington Post UK, The Daily Beast, Slate, The Independent, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Financial Times of London, and Caravan (India). His work has been discussed in The Independent, USA Today, and Slate. He is a former theme park trainer and has worked as a consultant for Walt Disney Imagineering/Pixar/ABC.edit
This book offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary introduction to theme parks and the field of theme park studies. It identifies and discusses relevant economic, social, and cultural as well as medial, historical, and geographical... more
This book offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary introduction to theme parks and the field of theme park studies. It identifies and discusses relevant economic, social, and cultural as well as medial, historical, and geographical aspects of theme parks worldwide, from the big international theme park chains to smaller, regional, family-operated parks. The book also describes the theories and methods that have been used to study theme parks in various academic disciplines and reviews the major contexts in which theme parks have been studied. By providing the necessary backgrounds, theories, and methods to analyze and understand theme parks both as a business field and as a socio-cultural phenomenon, this book will be a great resource to students, academics from all disciplines interested in theme parks, and professionals and policy-makers in the leisure and entertainment as well as the urban planning sector.
Research Interests:
Since the late 2000s, the themed space has been the subject of widespread analysis and criticism in academic communities as well as a popular source of entertainment for people around the world. Themed spaces have, at their foundation, an... more
Since the late 2000s, the themed space has been the subject of widespread analysis and criticism in academic communities as well as a popular source of entertainment for people around the world. Themed spaces have, at their foundation, an overarching narrative, symbolic complex, or story that drives the overall context of their spaces. Theming, in some very unique ways, has expanded beyond previous stereotypes and oversimplifications of culture and place to now consider new and often controversial topics, themes, and storylines. At the same time, immersion—or the idea that a space and its multiple architectural, material, performative, and technological approaches may wrap up or envelop a guest within that space—has expanded to become an overarching concern of many consumer spaces around the world. Casinos, theme parks, lifestyle stores, and museums and interpretive centers alike have looked to immersion as a means of both selling products and educating the masses. This collection in themed and immersive spaces brings together researchers, critics, and design professionals from around the world to consider the many cultural, political, historical, aesthetic, existential, and design contexts of themed and immersive spaces. The text is organized in these key areas: the Past, History, and Nostalgia; the Constructs of Culture and Nature; the Ways of Design, Architecture, Technology, and Material Form; the Aspects of Immersion, Experience, and Phenomena; the Notions of Identity, Self, and Ideology; the Deployments of Rhetoric, Performance, and Affect; the Politics of the Space; the View of the Critic; and the Place of the Future. It also includes an extensive bibliography.
Edited by Scott A. Lukas, with contributions by Stefan Al, Michael Mario Albrecht, Stephen Brown, Filippo Carlà, Kent Drummond, Derek Foster, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice, Davin Heckman, Cornelius Holtorf, Susan Ingram, Lei Jia, Christina Kerz, Brian Lonsway, Scott A. Lukas, Steven Miles, Celia Pearce, Markus Reisenleitner, Bobby Schweizer, Tim Simpson, Jan-Erik Steinkrüger, Per Strömberg, and Jeanne van Eeden.
With analyses of spaces and places that include: Parc Astérix, Terra Mítica, Caffe Tito, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Mini Israel, Colonial Williamsburg, Europa-Park, Disney’s California Adventure, High Chaparral, Ystad, Jakriborg, Walt Disney World, zoological gardens, Jardin des Plantes, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Center Parcs, tiki bars, Don the Beachcomber, the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar, Trader Vic’s, Civil War reenactment venues, the Las Vegas Strip, main street and Main Street, U.S.A., Tivoli, Coney Island, Liseberg, South Street Seaport, La Vallée Village, Castel Romano, Barberino Designer Outlet, Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Island Hotel, DisneyQuest, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, Six Flags AstroWorld, Marceline, Missouri, Cerritos Millennium Library, Tio’s Tacos, the Museum of Jurassic Technology, Dennis Severs’ House, Juan Pollo, Robber’s Roost Ranch Antiques and Collectibles, Dismaland, World Expo 2015 (Milan), Disney’s Haunted Mansion, El laberinto del Minotauro ride, Tokyo DisneySea, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Japanese gardens, Disneyland Resort Paris, Café du Monde, Tokyo Disneyland, Historama, Knott’s Berry Farm, Tomorrowland, Parc Disneyland, Santa Monica Pier, Paradise Pier, The Simpsons Ride, Titanic Belfast, Venetian Las Vegas, Revenge of the Mummy–The Ride, Game of Thrones-themed spaces and Hunger Games-themed spaces, Macau’s themed casino resorts, Venetian Macau, Sun City, The Lost City, Body Worlds, Emoya Luxury Hotel, SeaWorld, DDR Museum, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Jewish Museum Berlin, Disney’s America, Sea Lion Park, Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, Dreamland, Heart Attack Grill, Whole Foods, Celebration (Florida), KidZania, Olive Garden, Caverne du Pont d’Arc, Lascaux II, Paris Las Vegas, Haw Par Villa, EPCOT, Los Angeles, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, world expositions, Burning Man, Christiania, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, among many other spaces.
The book is available for download at
http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
A print copy is available for $24.95:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/scott-a-lukas/a-reader-in-themed-and-immersive-spaces/paperback/product-22858441.html
or an e-book for $4.99
http://www.lulu.com/shop/scott-a-lukas/a-reader-in-themed-and-immersive-spaces/ebook/product-22858440.html
For more information, contact Scott A. Lukas at scottlukas@yahoo.com
Edited by Scott A. Lukas, with contributions by Stefan Al, Michael Mario Albrecht, Stephen Brown, Filippo Carlà, Kent Drummond, Derek Foster, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice, Davin Heckman, Cornelius Holtorf, Susan Ingram, Lei Jia, Christina Kerz, Brian Lonsway, Scott A. Lukas, Steven Miles, Celia Pearce, Markus Reisenleitner, Bobby Schweizer, Tim Simpson, Jan-Erik Steinkrüger, Per Strömberg, and Jeanne van Eeden.
With analyses of spaces and places that include: Parc Astérix, Terra Mítica, Caffe Tito, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Mini Israel, Colonial Williamsburg, Europa-Park, Disney’s California Adventure, High Chaparral, Ystad, Jakriborg, Walt Disney World, zoological gardens, Jardin des Plantes, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Center Parcs, tiki bars, Don the Beachcomber, the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar, Trader Vic’s, Civil War reenactment venues, the Las Vegas Strip, main street and Main Street, U.S.A., Tivoli, Coney Island, Liseberg, South Street Seaport, La Vallée Village, Castel Romano, Barberino Designer Outlet, Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Island Hotel, DisneyQuest, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, Six Flags AstroWorld, Marceline, Missouri, Cerritos Millennium Library, Tio’s Tacos, the Museum of Jurassic Technology, Dennis Severs’ House, Juan Pollo, Robber’s Roost Ranch Antiques and Collectibles, Dismaland, World Expo 2015 (Milan), Disney’s Haunted Mansion, El laberinto del Minotauro ride, Tokyo DisneySea, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Japanese gardens, Disneyland Resort Paris, Café du Monde, Tokyo Disneyland, Historama, Knott’s Berry Farm, Tomorrowland, Parc Disneyland, Santa Monica Pier, Paradise Pier, The Simpsons Ride, Titanic Belfast, Venetian Las Vegas, Revenge of the Mummy–The Ride, Game of Thrones-themed spaces and Hunger Games-themed spaces, Macau’s themed casino resorts, Venetian Macau, Sun City, The Lost City, Body Worlds, Emoya Luxury Hotel, SeaWorld, DDR Museum, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Jewish Museum Berlin, Disney’s America, Sea Lion Park, Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, Dreamland, Heart Attack Grill, Whole Foods, Celebration (Florida), KidZania, Olive Garden, Caverne du Pont d’Arc, Lascaux II, Paris Las Vegas, Haw Par Villa, EPCOT, Los Angeles, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, world expositions, Burning Man, Christiania, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, among many other spaces.
The book is available for download at
http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
A print copy is available for $24.95:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/scott-a-lukas/a-reader-in-themed-and-immersive-spaces/paperback/product-22858441.html
or an e-book for $4.99
http://www.lulu.com/shop/scott-a-lukas/a-reader-in-themed-and-immersive-spaces/ebook/product-22858440.html
For more information, contact Scott A. Lukas at scottlukas@yahoo.com
Research Interests:
Since the late 2000s, the themed space has been the subject of widespread analysis and criticism in academic communities as well as a popular source of entertainment for people around the world. Themed spaces have, at their foundation, an... more
Since the late 2000s, the themed space has been the subject of widespread analysis and criticism in academic communities as well as a popular source of entertainment for people around the world. Themed spaces have, at their foundation, an overarching narrative, symbolic complex, or story that drives the overall context of their spaces. Theming, in some very unique ways, has expanded beyond previous stereotypes and oversimplifications of culture and place to now consider new and often controversial topics, themes, and storylines. At the same time, immersion—or the idea that a space and its multiple architectural, material, performative, and technological approaches may wrap up or envelop a guest within that space—has expanded to become an overarching concern of many consumer spaces around the world. Casinos, theme parks, lifestyle stores, and museums and interpretive centers alike have looked to immersion as a means of both selling products and educating the masses. This collection in themed and immersive spaces brings together researchers, critics, and design professionals from around the world to consider the many cultural, political, historical, aesthetic, existential, and design contexts of themed and immersive spaces. The text is organized in these key areas: the Past, History, and Nostalgia; the Constructs of Culture and Nature; the Ways of Design, Architecture, Technology, and Material Form; the Aspects of Immersion, Experience, and Phenomena; the Notions of Identity, Self, and Ideology; the Deployments of Rhetoric, Performance, and Affect; the Politics of the Space; the View of the Critic; and the Place of the Future. It also includes an extensive bibliography.
Research Interests:
This text provides a wide array of associated learning outcomes and student activities. In addition, it is a valuable single-source compendium of strategies and teaching “tricks of the trade” from a group of seasoned teaching... more
This text provides a wide array of associated learning outcomes and student activities. In addition, it is a valuable single-source compendium of strategies and teaching “tricks of the trade” from a group of seasoned teaching anthropologists–-working in a variety of teaching settings-–who share their pedagogical techniques, knowledge, and observations.
Focused on the applied, “how to do it” side of teaching, this text is designed to fill the gap between students who are taking an anthropology class for the first time, and instructors who know their subject matter in depth. It helps professors who are not sure how to present anthropological subject matter and processes to their students in a way that will capture and relay their own excitement with the subject.
Focused on the applied, “how to do it” side of teaching, this text is designed to fill the gap between students who are taking an anthropology class for the first time, and instructors who know their subject matter in depth. It helps professors who are not sure how to present anthropological subject matter and processes to their students in a way that will capture and relay their own excitement with the subject.
Scott Lukas, famed industry expert on designing themed spaces, brings you a book that focuses on the imaginative world of themed, immersive and consumer spaces. Whether or not you are involved in designing a theme park, cultural museum,... more
Scott Lukas, famed industry expert on designing themed spaces, brings you a book that focuses on the imaginative world of themed, immersive and consumer spaces. Whether or not you are involved in designing a theme park, cultural museum, shop, or other entertainment space, you will benefit from the insider tips, experiences, and techniques highlighted in this practical guide. Make your themed spaces come to life and become true, immersive worlds. The book features informative sidebars addressing possible design issues and current trends; case studies and interviews with real-world designers, and further reading suggestions. The book also includes a companion website, as well as exercises that accompany each chapter, lavish photos, illustrations, and tables.
"This volume contains recent and cutting-edge articles from leading criminological theorists. The book is organized into ten sections, each representing the latest in the multi-disciplinary orientations representing a cross-section of... more
"This volume contains recent and cutting-edge articles from leading criminological theorists. The book is organized into ten sections, each representing the latest in the multi-disciplinary orientations representing a cross-section of contemporary criminological theory. These sections include: 1: Classical and Rational Choice; 2: Biological and Biosocial; 3: Psychological; 4: Social Learning and Neutralization; 5: Social Control; 6: Social Ecology, Sub-cultural and Cultural; 7: Anomie and Strain; 8: Conflict and Radical; 9: Feminist and Gender; 10: Critical Criminologies: Anarchist, Postmodernist, Peacemaking.
The articles were selected based on their contributions to advancing the field, including ways in which the authors of each chapter understand the current theoretical tendencies of their respective approaches and how they envision the future of their theories. Because of this, the articles focus on theory rather than empirical research. Of particular note is the tendency toward integration of different perspectives, as described by editors, Henry and Lukas, in their original introduction to this volume.
Contents: Introduction; Part I Classical and Rational Choice Theories: Rational choice, deterrence, and theoretical integration, David A. Ward, Mark C. Stafford and Louis N. Gray; A crying shame: the over-rationalized conception of man in the rational choice perspective, Willem de Haan and Jaco Vos. Part II Biological and Biosocial Theories: A theory explaining biological correlates of criminality, Lee Ellis; Behavior genetics and anomie/strain theory, Anthony Walsh. Part III Psychological Theories: An alternative psychology of criminal behavior, Julie Horney; A sociocognitive analysis of substance abuse: an agentic perspective, Albert Bandura. Part IV Social Learning and Neutralization Theories: Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities, Albert Bandura; When being good is bad: an expansion of neutralization theory, Volkan Topalli. Part V Social Control Theories: In defense of self-control, Travis Hirschi and Michael R. Gottfredson; Refining control balance theory, Charles R. Tittle. Part VI Social Ecology, Subcultural and Cultural Theories: Transcending tradition: new directions in community research, Chicago style, Robert J. Sampson; New directions in social disorganization theory, Charis E. Kubrin and Ronald Weitzer. Part VII Anomie and Strain Theories: Anomie, social change and crime, Jon Gunnar Bernburg; Building on the foundation of general strain theory: specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency, Robert Agnew. Part VIII Conflict and Radical Theories: Revisionist history, visionary criminology, and needs-based justice, Gregg Barak; The state of the criminology of crimes of the state, Dawn L. Rothe and David O. Friedrichs. Part IX Feminist and Gender Theories: Patriarchy, crime, and justice: feminist criminology in an era of backlash, Meda Chesney-Lind; Feminist state theory: applications to jurisprudence, criminology, and the welfare state, Lynne A Haney. Part X Critical Criminologies: Anarchist, Postmodernist, Peacemaking: Constitutive criminology: origins, core concepts, and evaluation, Stuart Henry and Dragan Milovanovic; Against the law: anarchist criminology, Jeff Ferrell; Restorative justice: what is it and does it work?, Carrie Menkel-Meadow. Part XI Conclusion: Interdisciplinary integration: building criminology by stealing from our friends, D. Wayne Osgood; Name Index."
The articles were selected based on their contributions to advancing the field, including ways in which the authors of each chapter understand the current theoretical tendencies of their respective approaches and how they envision the future of their theories. Because of this, the articles focus on theory rather than empirical research. Of particular note is the tendency toward integration of different perspectives, as described by editors, Henry and Lukas, in their original introduction to this volume.
Contents: Introduction; Part I Classical and Rational Choice Theories: Rational choice, deterrence, and theoretical integration, David A. Ward, Mark C. Stafford and Louis N. Gray; A crying shame: the over-rationalized conception of man in the rational choice perspective, Willem de Haan and Jaco Vos. Part II Biological and Biosocial Theories: A theory explaining biological correlates of criminality, Lee Ellis; Behavior genetics and anomie/strain theory, Anthony Walsh. Part III Psychological Theories: An alternative psychology of criminal behavior, Julie Horney; A sociocognitive analysis of substance abuse: an agentic perspective, Albert Bandura. Part IV Social Learning and Neutralization Theories: Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities, Albert Bandura; When being good is bad: an expansion of neutralization theory, Volkan Topalli. Part V Social Control Theories: In defense of self-control, Travis Hirschi and Michael R. Gottfredson; Refining control balance theory, Charles R. Tittle. Part VI Social Ecology, Subcultural and Cultural Theories: Transcending tradition: new directions in community research, Chicago style, Robert J. Sampson; New directions in social disorganization theory, Charis E. Kubrin and Ronald Weitzer. Part VII Anomie and Strain Theories: Anomie, social change and crime, Jon Gunnar Bernburg; Building on the foundation of general strain theory: specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency, Robert Agnew. Part VIII Conflict and Radical Theories: Revisionist history, visionary criminology, and needs-based justice, Gregg Barak; The state of the criminology of crimes of the state, Dawn L. Rothe and David O. Friedrichs. Part IX Feminist and Gender Theories: Patriarchy, crime, and justice: feminist criminology in an era of backlash, Meda Chesney-Lind; Feminist state theory: applications to jurisprudence, criminology, and the welfare state, Lynne A Haney. Part X Critical Criminologies: Anarchist, Postmodernist, Peacemaking: Constitutive criminology: origins, core concepts, and evaluation, Stuart Henry and Dragan Milovanovic; Against the law: anarchist criminology, Jeff Ferrell; Restorative justice: what is it and does it work?, Carrie Menkel-Meadow. Part XI Conclusion: Interdisciplinary integration: building criminology by stealing from our friends, D. Wayne Osgood; Name Index."
This collection was inspired by the observation that film remakes offer us the opportunity to revisit important issues, stories, themes, and topics in a manner that is especially relevant and meaningful to contemporary audiences. Like... more
This collection was inspired by the observation that film remakes offer us the opportunity to revisit important issues, stories, themes, and topics in a manner that is especially relevant and meaningful to contemporary audiences. Like mythic stories that are told again and again in differing ways, film remakes present us with updated perspectives on timeless ideas. While some remakes succeed and others fail aesthetically, they always say something about the culture in which—and for which—they are produced.
Contributors explore the ways in which the fears of death, loss of self, and bodily violence have been expressed and then reinterpreted in such films and remakes as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead, and Dawn of the Dead. Films such as Rollerball, The Ring, The Grudge, The Great Yokai Wars, and Insomnia are discussed as well because of their ability to give voice to collective anxieties concerning cultural change, nihilism, and globalization. While opening on a note that emphasizes the compulsion of filmmakers to revisit issues concerning fear and anxiety, this collection ends by using films like Solaris, King Kong, Star Trek, Doom, and Van Helsing to suggest that repeated confrontation with these issues allows the opportunity for creative and positive transformation.
Contributors explore the ways in which the fears of death, loss of self, and bodily violence have been expressed and then reinterpreted in such films and remakes as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead, and Dawn of the Dead. Films such as Rollerball, The Ring, The Grudge, The Great Yokai Wars, and Insomnia are discussed as well because of their ability to give voice to collective anxieties concerning cultural change, nihilism, and globalization. While opening on a note that emphasizes the compulsion of filmmakers to revisit issues concerning fear and anxiety, this collection ends by using films like Solaris, King Kong, Star Trek, Doom, and Van Helsing to suggest that repeated confrontation with these issues allows the opportunity for creative and positive transformation.
The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self is the first edited collection focused on the significance of the theme space. The first section of the text discusses the ways in which theming acts as a form of authenticity. Included... more
The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self is the first edited collection focused on the significance of the theme space. The first section of the text discusses the ways in which theming acts as a form of authenticity. Included are articles on the theme park Dollywood, the historic Coney Island, the uses of theming in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the Las Vegas Strip. Section two considers theming as a reflection of nation, and its authors focus on Chinese theme parks and shopping malls, the Lost City theme park in South Africa, and the Ain Diab resort district in Casablanca. The third section of the book illustrates how theming often targets the person--whether famous or everyday. The authors look at spaces ranging from the Liverpool John Lennon Airport, love hotels in Japan, and the Houston, Texas theme park AstroWorld. The final section emphasizes theming as a projection of the mind and psychology. The authors focus on behind-the-scenes tourism at Universal Studios and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, the use of theming in unexpected spaces like Florida themed clinics, theming in virtual reality spaces of video games, and the social controversies related to theming in various parts of the world. The book includes a comprehensive bibliography on theming and a list of key terms. The Themed Space is of great interest to students of all levels and scholars of anthropology, urban studies and sociology.
Theme parks are a uniquely interactive and enduring form of entertainment that have influenced architecture, technology and culture in surprising ways for more than a century, as Scott Lukas now reveals in his compelling book. Theme... more
Theme parks are a uniquely interactive and enduring form of entertainment that have influenced architecture, technology and culture in surprising ways for more than a century, as Scott Lukas now reveals in his compelling book.
Theme Park takes the primitive amusements of pleasure gardens as its starting point and launches from there into a rich, in-depth investigation of the evolution of the theme park over the twentieth century. Lukas examines theme parks in countries around the world – including the United States, UK, Europe, Japan, China, South Africa and Australia – and how themed fairs and parks developed through diverse means and in a variety of settings. The book examines world-famous and lesser-known parks, including the early parks of Coney Island, a series of World Fairs and their luxurious exhibition halls, Six Flags parks and virtual theme parks today, and, of course, Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Lukas analyses the theme park as a living entity that unexpectedly shapes people, their relationships and the world around them. Ultimately, Theme Park reveals, the wider influence of theme parks can be found in the shopping malls, branded stores and casinos that employ the techniques of amusement parks to dominate our current entertainment world.
Packed with captivating illustrations, Theme Park takes us on a historical roller-coaster ride that both reanimates the places that shaped our childhoods and anticipates the future of escapism and fantasy fun.
Theme Park takes the primitive amusements of pleasure gardens as its starting point and launches from there into a rich, in-depth investigation of the evolution of the theme park over the twentieth century. Lukas examines theme parks in countries around the world – including the United States, UK, Europe, Japan, China, South Africa and Australia – and how themed fairs and parks developed through diverse means and in a variety of settings. The book examines world-famous and lesser-known parks, including the early parks of Coney Island, a series of World Fairs and their luxurious exhibition halls, Six Flags parks and virtual theme parks today, and, of course, Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Lukas analyses the theme park as a living entity that unexpectedly shapes people, their relationships and the world around them. Ultimately, Theme Park reveals, the wider influence of theme parks can be found in the shopping malls, branded stores and casinos that employ the techniques of amusement parks to dominate our current entertainment world.
Packed with captivating illustrations, Theme Park takes us on a historical roller-coaster ride that both reanimates the places that shaped our childhoods and anticipates the future of escapism and fantasy fun.
An American Theme Park: Working and Riding Out Fear in the Late Twentieth Century. In Late Editions 6, Paranoia within Reason: A Casebook on Conspiracy as Explanation. George E. Marcus, ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.
Research Interests:
Teaching Cultural Anthropology through Mass and Popular Culture: Seven Pedagogical Methods for the Classroom. In Strategies in Teaching Anthropology, 2nd Edition. Patricia Rice and David McCurdy, eds. Prentice-Hall, 2002.
Research Interests:
Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed: Power, Reflexivity, Critical Thinking in the Anthropology Classroom. In Strategies in Teaching Anthropology, 3rdEdition. Patricia Rice and David McCurdy, eds. Prentice-Hall, 2004.
Research Interests:
Teaching Taxonomy in Physical/Biological Anthropology Classes. In Strategies in Teaching Anthropology, 4th Edition. Patricia Rice and David McCurdy, eds. Prentice-Hall, 2006.
Time and Temporality in the Worlds of Theme Parks. In “Here You Leave Today”: Time and Temporality in Theme Parks, edited by Filippo Carlà, Florian Freitag, Sabrina Mittermeier, and Ariane Schwarz. Hanover: Wehrhahn, 2016.
Research Interests:
Lake View. In Tahoe Blues: Short Lit on Life at the Lake. Bona Fide Books, 2012.
Introduction: Fear, Cultural Anxiety, Transformation and the Film Remake. In Fear, Cultural Anxiety and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films Remade. Scott A. Lukas and John Marmysz, eds. Lexington Books, 2008.
Research Interests:
Heritage as Remaking: Locating Heritage in the Contemporary World
Scott A. Lukas
The Oxford Handbook of Public Heritage Theory and Practice Edited by Angela M. Labrador and Neil Asher Silberman
Scott A. Lukas
The Oxford Handbook of Public Heritage Theory and Practice Edited by Angela M. Labrador and Neil Asher Silberman
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Heritage Studies, Heritage Tourism, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Heritage Conservation, and 12 moreCultures and heritage tourism, Intangible cultural heritage, Digital Heritage, Cultural Heritage Management, World Cultural Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture), Architectural Heritage, Heritage Management, Heritage, Museum and Heritage Studies, UNESCO world heritage, and Architectural Heritage Conservation
Why Immersion Matters. CLADBook, 2017.
Research Interests:
From Themed Space to Lifespace. In Staging the Past: Themed Environments in Transcultural Perspectives. Judith Schlehe, Carolyn Oesterle, Michiko Uike-Bormann, Wolfgang Hochbruck, eds. Bielefeld: Transcript, 2010.
Research Interests:
The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self. In The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self. Scott A. Lukas, ed. Lexington Books, 2007.
Research Interests:
Horror Video Game Remakes and the Question of Medium: Remaking Doom, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil. In Fear, Cultural Anxiety and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films Remade. Scott A. Lukas and John Marmysz, eds.... more
Horror Video Game Remakes and the Question of Medium: Remaking Doom, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil. In Fear, Cultural Anxiety and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films Remade. Scott A. Lukas and John Marmysz, eds. Lexington Books, 2008.
Research Interests:
Theming as a Sensory Phenomenon: Discovering the Senses on the Las Vegas Strip. In The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self. Scott A. Lukas, ed. Lexington Books, 2007.
Research Interests:
A Politics of Reverence and Irreverence: Social Discourse on Theming Controversies. In The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self. Scott A. Lukas, ed. Lexington Books, 2007.
Research Interests:
Research Dialogue: The Place of the Future, with Filippo Carlà, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016. Full text available at:... more
Research Dialogue: The Place of the Future, with Filippo Carlà, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Research Dialogue: The Ways of Design, Architecture, Technology, and Material Form, with Filippo Carlà, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016. Full text... more
Research Dialogue: The Ways of Design, Architecture, Technology, and Material Form, with Filippo Carlà, Florian Freitag, Gordon Grice. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Judgments Passed: The Place of the Themed Space in the Contemporary World of Remaking. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016. Full text available at:... more
Judgments Passed: The Place of the Themed Space in the Contemporary World of Remaking. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Research in Themed and Immersive Spaces: At the Threshold of Identity. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016. Full text available at:... more
Research in Themed and Immersive Spaces: At the Threshold of Identity. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Questioning “Immersion” in Contemporary Themed and Immersive Spaces. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016. Full text available at:... more
Questioning “Immersion” in Contemporary Themed and Immersive Spaces. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Introduction: The Meanings of Themed and Immersive Spaces. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
The Cultures of Tiki. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Theming and Immersion in the Space of the Future. In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Scott A. Lukas, “Dark Theming Reconsidered,” in A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces, edited by Scott A. Lukas, Pp. 225-235, Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon: ETC Press, 2016.
Research Interests:
From Meet Me at the Fair: A World's Fair Reader. ETC Press.
Research Interests:
It was a very cold day in December when I took the train to Chicago. I was traveling to the Chicago Public Library, hoping to find a popular text on the Hummer that had since eluded me. While on the train, I thought about how happy I was... more
It was a very cold day in December when I took the train to Chicago. I was traveling to the Chicago Public Library, hoping to find a popular text on the Hummer that had since eluded me. While on the train, I thought about how happy I was not having to drive my car that day and also about how my car determines much of my being. I used the time to jot down a few notes in my journal:" On the surface, my academic background suggests that I should address the Hummer as the cultural bane of our world.
The Right Angle Journal, Winter 2019
Research Interests:
Attractions Management 20 (Quarter 4, 2015): 50-54.
Research Interests:
The Architecture of Entertainment II, OAA Perspectives, Fall 2016
Research Interests:
Cultural Thresholds at World Expo 2015 (Milan), OAA Perspectives, Winter 2015
Research Interests:
Thresholds and Themed And Immersive Spaces, OAA Perspectives, Winter 2015
Research Interests:
A Tour of Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum, Attractions Management 4 (2016).
Research Interests:
The Theming of Everyday Life: Mapping the Self, Life Politics, and Cultural Hegemony on the Las Vegas Strip,
Scott A. Lukas
, CCHA Journal, Volume 27, American Cities and Public Spaces, Fall 2006-2007
Research Interests:
Keeping It Real, Scott A. Lukas, Attractions Management, Vol. 22, 2017
Research Interests:
with Joel Beckerman and Gordon Grice
Attractions Management, 22 (4), 2017
Attractions Management, 22 (4), 2017
Research Interests:
Styrofoam
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 876-877.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 876-877.
Research Interests:
No Impact Man
Scott A. Lukas
Intended for publication—but not published—in Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012.
Scott A. Lukas
Intended for publication—but not published—in Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012.
Research Interests:
For Love and Religion: Review of Two Works in Sensory Branding. The Senses & Society, Vol. 3 (3).
Research Interests:
Garbage in Modern Thought
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 300-303
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 300-303
Research Interests:
Overconsumption
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 640-643.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 640-643.
Research Interests:
Culture, Values, and Garbage
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 164-168.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 164-168.
Research Interests:
Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 291-292.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 291-292.
Research Interests:
Garbage Dreams
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 299-300.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 299-300.
Research Interests:
Crime and Garbage
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 160-163.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 160-163.
Research Interests:
Junk Mail
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 450-451.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 450-451.
Research Interests:
Trashed
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 937-938.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 937-938.
Research Interests:
Malls
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 495-498.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 495-498.
Research Interests: Consumer Behavior, Consumer Culture Theory, Consumer Research, Consumer Goods, Shopping, and 6 moreEvolution of Shopping Malls, Evolution of shopping malls: recent trends and the question of regeneration, Shopping Centre Retail Trends and Shopper Behavior, Shopping Malls, Consumption Culture, and Pedestrian Malls
Shopping Bags
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 813-814.
Scott A. Lukas
In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 813-814.
Research Interests:
In Routledge International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities. Michael Flood et al. eds. Routledge, 2007.
In Routledge International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities. Michael Flood et al. eds. Routledge, 2007.
In Routledge International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities. Michael Flood et al. eds. Routledge, 2007.
Research Interests:
Vegas Layer
Scott A. Lukas
(Selected for The Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program award in “Literary – Professional,” 2009)
Scott A. Lukas
(Selected for The Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program award in “Literary – Professional,” 2009)
Water
Scott A. Lukas
(Selected for The Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program award in “Literary – Professional,” 2009)
Scott A. Lukas
(Selected for The Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program award in “Literary – Professional,” 2009)
The Perils of Control: Automated Matchmaking and Anxiety in “Hang the DJ”
Scott A. Lukas
Scott A. Lukas
Research Interests:
This article considers the mutual influences of the cinema and the theme park, with specific emphasis on the ways in which theme parks have adapted cinematic techniques within their themed spaces. The unique relationship of the filmmaker... more
This article considers the mutual influences of the cinema and the theme park, with specific emphasis on the ways in which theme parks have adapted cinematic techniques within their themed spaces. The unique relationship of the filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein and animator and theme park mogul Walt Disney is introduced. Both artists used technical and fantasy forms of images and animation to create unique filmic worlds. Each had a connection to the theme park—Eisenstein’s theories of montage were influence by early amusement parks, and Disney’s experiences with amusement parks and animation led him to create the first successful theme park in 1955. In the first section of the article, the author considers three aspects of the cinema-theme park relationship: architecture, technology, and concept. In the first, the affinity of cinema and theme parks is understood through various architectural projects, including the use of the language of film (such as the establishing shot) to create the architecture of theme parks and themed spaces. Inherent in this connection is the idea of architecture as an allegorical or symbolic form. In the second of these relationships, the article emphasizes the significant technical interplays of cinema and theme parks. Film productions involve the creation of movie sets that resemble theme parks, while many theme parks, notably those of Disney, utilize miniature movie sets to practice “shots,” pacing, and other elements traditionally tied to filmmaking. As well, cinema has experimented with using the technical modes of the theme park, including Sensurround, IMAX, Odorama, and other sensory approaches. The third of these relationships is conceptual. In this sense each form competes with the other for the attention of the public. In the example of Georges Méliès’ film A Trip to the Moon and Frederick Thompson’s theme park ride Trip to the Moon, there is a competition to present relatively similar subjects in radically different ways. The second section focuses on the issue of the edit as it is adapted from film to the theme park. There has been a tradition of adaptation and remaking—books are adapted into films, films are remade into new films. As an adaptation of a popular filmic form, the edit is used in the theme park to produce unsettling and provocative effects in patrons. At Disneyland, Walt Disney uses the edit to create a holistic and organized consumer space—a themed one—and he establishes his theme parks as “continuous wholes” or forms of montage. Disney uses the “weenie” or key architectural symbol to motivate visitors and to move them through his attractions and rides. He also relies on the technique of movement as people go from one part of the theme park to another. Finally, Disney employs transitions or dissolves to effectively connect one section of the park to the next. Edits also reveal the fragile nature of production of both the cinema and the theme park. The third section considers the story as it is used to create meaningful and personalized theme park attractions. In some cases popular movies are remade as theme park rides, while in others theme park rides become movies. One of the most significant ways in which theme park rides are constructed is through personification and association with key values. In contemporary themed spaces, the filmic technique of suspense is utilized to increase reflexive connections between the consumer and the theming and associated products. Backstories are also used in theme parks like Dollywood to increase the likeability of the theme park. The fourth section considers the associations of film and theme parks through the screen, including the theme park video screen that is used to add to the narrative of the ride, the video and digital cameras of patrons, and the screen that is employed to put the patron into the picture and simultaneously sell a product. The article concludes with a consideration of the blurring of these two modes and the idea of a hybrid medium—a cinematic theme park. Included in this discussion is Disney’s The Great Movie Ride, an example of a theme park ride that takes patrons into the movies.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Tahoe Daily Tribune, May 4, 2005
Tahoe Daily Tribune, November 9, 2005
Tahoe Daily Tribune, April 7, 2005
Research Interests:
Tahoe Daily Tribune, August 29, 2005
Research Interests:
Tahoe Daily Tribune, December 2, 2003
Research Interests:
Tahoe Daily Tribune, January 11, 2006
Research Interests:
Tahoe Daily Tribune, October 30, 2015
Reno Gazette Journal, Friday December 5, 2008
Anthropologist looks at what makes midway rides thrilling
CBC News, Calgary
CBC News, Calgary
Research Interests:
If Kate Upton Told You to Shave Your Chest, Would You Do It? Slate, August 14, 2013
Research Interests:
LTCC Students Learning the Impact of Gender Bias in Ads, Lake Tahoe News, September 21, 2012
Research Interests:
Theme Parks in the Center of Research, JGU Mainz
Research Interests:
Interview on Bansky and Dismaland, The Independent, 2 September 2015.
Research Interests:
Interview on Freedomland Theme Park, Atlas Obscura, 8 July 2015.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Selected Bibliography – Themed and Immersive Spaces, In A Reader in Themed and Immersive Spaces. ETC (Carnegie Mellon University), 2016.
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Full text available at: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/content/reader-themed-and-immersive-spaces
Research Interests:
Variations on the Two-Edged Sword in Music (1988) This piece was written for the Albion College Contemporary Music Ensemble. It was inspired by the work of technologist Denis Goulet and attempted to use the intersection of the baritone... more
Variations on the Two-Edged Sword in Music (1988)
This piece was written for the Albion College Contemporary Music Ensemble. It was inspired by the work of technologist Denis Goulet and attempted to use the intersection of the baritone saxophone and the electronic music as a point of consideration for the challenges presented by technology in the human world. The music was performed live in the Albion College chapel, which had very boomy acoustics (noted on the final recording). The baritone saxophone was effected with a number of effects pedals (as noted on the performance notes), and the music was created with the TX-81Z, Casio RZ-1 drum machine (using sampled drums), and, yes, a Casio toy sampler, which was all I could afford at the time. The music features alternative tone scales, made possible by the TX-81Z. The end result of the recording is raw, but it is a reflection of this piece in time.
This piece was written for the Albion College Contemporary Music Ensemble. It was inspired by the work of technologist Denis Goulet and attempted to use the intersection of the baritone saxophone and the electronic music as a point of consideration for the challenges presented by technology in the human world. The music was performed live in the Albion College chapel, which had very boomy acoustics (noted on the final recording). The baritone saxophone was effected with a number of effects pedals (as noted on the performance notes), and the music was created with the TX-81Z, Casio RZ-1 drum machine (using sampled drums), and, yes, a Casio toy sampler, which was all I could afford at the time. The music features alternative tone scales, made possible by the TX-81Z. The end result of the recording is raw, but it is a reflection of this piece in time.
Parliamentary Procedure Guidelines for Local Senates Prepared by Scott A. Lukas
This work represents my curricular development during my time at the US Institute of Peace
This document features some of the interesting and innovative work that my students completed in my classes. Many of these experiments became the subject of pedagogical publications and reflections.
Merchandising Architecture: Architectural Implications & Applications of Amusement Theme Parks, by Louis Wasserman, 1977 - unavailable online and presented here as a teaching resource.
Potential Impact of Disney's America Project on Manassas National Battlefield Park, testimony, US Senate, June 21, 1994