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Becoming an actor of small-scale development projects: A qualitative investigation into the experience of international volunteers.

Branchu, Charlotte LU (2014) SIMV32 20141
Sociology
Master of Science in Development Studies
Graduate School
Abstract
This research is a qualitative inquiry into the experience and everyday lives of international volunteers. Given the novel aspect of international volunteering in being a social phenomenon, this research was conceived with the aim to be an explorative study and to yield new elements with implications for future research. Indeed, the research participants account for a yet unexplored area of research which is their difficulty of becoming an ex-volunteer. This difficulty arises in social interactions in casual settings as they return to their original society, even years after the experience.

The research also aims at bringing about transformative knowledge in the inquired area of research and in the field of development. The research... (More)
This research is a qualitative inquiry into the experience and everyday lives of international volunteers. Given the novel aspect of international volunteering in being a social phenomenon, this research was conceived with the aim to be an explorative study and to yield new elements with implications for future research. Indeed, the research participants account for a yet unexplored area of research which is their difficulty of becoming an ex-volunteer. This difficulty arises in social interactions in casual settings as they return to their original society, even years after the experience.

The research also aims at bringing about transformative knowledge in the inquired area of research and in the field of development. The research addresses these aims by providing invaluable insights that pave the way for future inquiry, even more so by contributing to prescriptive recommendations for the maximization of mutual beneficial impacts of international volunteering both for the volunteers and for the host communities. Most of these recommendations are directed towards acknowledging the role and responsibilities of sending organisations as gatekeepers between the volunteers and the communities. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Branchu, Charlotte LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV32 20141
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
volunteer tourism, development, social interactionism, identity, grounded theory
language
English
id
4612570
date added to LUP
2014-09-12 11:00:38
date last changed
2015-02-02 09:05:25
@misc{4612570,
  abstract     = {{This research is a qualitative inquiry into the experience and everyday lives of international volunteers. Given the novel aspect of international volunteering in being a social phenomenon, this research was conceived with the aim to be an explorative study and to yield new elements with implications for future research. Indeed, the research participants account for a yet unexplored area of research which is their difficulty of becoming an ex-volunteer. This difficulty arises in social interactions in casual settings as they return to their original society, even years after the experience.

The research also aims at bringing about transformative knowledge in the inquired area of research and in the field of development. The research addresses these aims by providing invaluable insights that pave the way for future inquiry, even more so by contributing to prescriptive recommendations for the maximization of mutual beneficial impacts of international volunteering both for the volunteers and for the host communities. Most of these recommendations are directed towards acknowledging the role and responsibilities of sending organisations as gatekeepers between the volunteers and the communities.}},
  author       = {{Branchu, Charlotte}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Becoming an actor of small-scale development projects: A qualitative investigation into the experience of international volunteers.}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}