GLOBALZN 1A03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: International Volunteering, Neoliberalism, Us & Them
Document Summary
For many, it epitomizes global citizenship ideals. Especially popular in af uent countries like canada. Travel = cross-cultural exchange = global awareness. Better to live with or contribute to visited communities (cid:8219) enhances quality & depth of inter-cultural understanding. Critics say it"s about the tourists, not the communities. Way to assuage liberal guilt and/ or pad resumes. More about appearing to self & others as doing good? (show others how good we are) (cid:8219) trips are often highly documented on social media. Eg. gives good story to tell on med school applications (cid:8219) experiences is highly valued in western professional contexts. Neo-colonialism-exploiting the south for north"s bene t: voluntourism"s questionable narratives. Critics say it reproduces narratives it"s supposed to x. Need volunteers to help achieve basic levels of existences (cid:8219) af rmed by unquali ed westerns doing crucial tasks. So prevalent that organization often don"t need to advertise! Works through existing structures, doesn"t disrupt them.