Stories of volunteer tourism – constructions and power relations in a local context in Vietnam

Abstract

Volunteer tourism, which is a combination of travelling and volunteer work in the global “South”, is increasing and there is a need for more knowledge of the local context. There is a need to examine the constructions of volunteer tourism in the interpretations of people invol-ved on a local level and the implications of these constructions. It is also important to study power dimensions in the relation between local staff and volunteers. The purpose of the study is to examine what image of volunteers and volunteer tourism is constructed by volunteers and local staff. It aims to study what view of the volunteer’s role and what image of the function of volunteer tourism is constructed by local staff and volunteers. Another aim is to examine power relations in the relation between volunteers and local staff. The theoretical framework is social constructivism using discourse analysis. My analysis shows that the volun-teer takes the role of an educator. The image of volunteer tourism that is constructed revolves around the volunteer and the volunteer experience and the function of volunteer tourism as an international internship. Volunteer organisation involves an imbalance in power between volunteers and local staff since volunteers are customers and being western means to have a symbolic capital in this environment.