Work-Study Abroad Courses in International Development Studies: Some Ethical and Pedagogical Issues

Volunteering to Colonize: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Impacts of Voluntourism

“…Yet still, there are far too many organizations in operation that are "corrupt, ineffective, and/or downright harmful to development, often in ways that are fatally obscure to partners unfamiliar with the local context" (Epprecht 2004). We must remember, "there is room for faults" (Dykhuis, 2010).…”

“…Credit must be given to the NGO's and governmental agencies that are indeed helping countries (Epprecht 2004). …”

“…Often ignored in the discussion of tourism and therefore voluntourism is the environmental impact of the tourists' actions: "By its nature… tourism is… highly wasteful of resources financially and environmentally" (Epprecht 2004). The environmental impacts of large tourist buses gallivanting up and down a country's coastline is unaccounted for in the voluntourism costs.…”

“…Beyond the economic and social dynamic between voluntourist and local, the outright "emotional costs of attending to the constant stream of visitors can lead to… community burnout" (Epprecht 2004). Benjamin Sichel (2006) An emotional cost is left through the process of "'emotional capitalism', where the practice of 'doing good' becomes consumable, through blending of the intimate and the emotional with economic discourse" (Mustaffa 2015).…”

Social Justice in Control Systems Engineering

“…Epprecht [18] has described inherent conflicts that exist in the helpful intentions of work-study programs. The historic motivation for many of these programs is to promote capitalism and prevent communism and socialism.…”