The Hospitality of Austrian Farmers: Between Tradition and Globalization

Abstract

The article explores the institution of hospitality in the milieu of present-day Austrian peasants, which is influenced by two trends: on the one hand, globalization and commercialization; on the other, tradition and conservative mores of the rural society. Given the trends so contradictory, it is necessary to see if it makes sense to speak of the traditional rural hospitality or we are rather dealing with a commercial hospitality of the trade type. It is worth defi ning the very notion of the traditional peasant hospitality as applied to the Austrian case: what is it exactly and does it exist as such? Drawing on fieldwork data, interviews, and comparative research, the author discusses the farmers behavior patterns, customs and rituals, as well as the distribution of gender roles in dealing with guests. The attitudes of the farmers themselves toward hospitality are examined and comparisons are drawn between the kinds of hospitality among peasants engaged in agriculture and those in the tourist business.