The Voluntourist Dilemma
I am a big believer in the power of personal stories to convey emotion and kickstart a conversation, but lately I’ve been feeling frustrated that important conversations are stopping there at the surface, rather than diving deeper. Personal stories are great, but a complex issue can’t be fully understood through an anecdote, so by relying on them alone we are setting ourselves up to never really get what it is we think we know a lot about.
Most of the writing about voluntourism that gets read, including my own work, are just those sorts of anecdotes. Pieces that are more personal essay than they are article. There’s nothing wrong with them, and I have no intention of stopping writing them because they are fun, rewarding, and people connect with them, but there needs to be a second layer to the conversation – one based in facts, research and academic inquiry.
Go Overseas was kind enough to help me dip my toe in this pool. In the 3-part series “The Voluntourist Dilemma,” I’ve tried to meld real life examples with the concepts and research that give them credence. It’s a monster of a piece, and there’s still so so much that I don’t even get to mention, which should give you a hint of what I’m working on next 😉
Set aside a little time, make yourself a cup of tea, sit down, and dig in.