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Confronting the white elephant: International volunteering and racial (dis)advantage

Author

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  • Benjamin J. Lough

    (School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA and Centre for Social Development in Africa Faculty of Humanities University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

  • Janet Carter-Black

    (School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, Illinois, USA)

Abstract

This retrospective study with nine volunteer-sending organizations from six countries assesses how race influences the aid recipients’ internalized sense of power and agency. Methods include a combination of 24 structured staff-member interviews, 59 community-member interviews, and 83 quantitative surveys. From the perspective of intended aid recipients, there is a strong association between race and: (i) resources, (ii) knowledge and expertise, and (iii) trust. Practice implications recommend strategies to shift the power balance and to change disempowered racial perceptions, including critical conscious-raising, strengths-based dialogue, and polemic discourse about the mutuality of exchange.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin J. Lough & Janet Carter-Black, 2015. "Confronting the white elephant: International volunteering and racial (dis)advantage," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 15(3), pages 207-220, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:prodev:v:15:y:2015:i:3:p:207-220
    DOI: 10.1177/1464993415578983
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wearing, Stephen & McGehee, Nancy Gard, 2013. "Volunteer tourism: A review," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 120-130.
    2. Andrews, Matt & Pritchett, Lant & Woolcock, Michael, 2013. "Escaping Capability Traps Through Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 234-244.
    3. Kate Simpson, 2004. "'Doing development': the gap year, volunteer-tourists and a popular practice of development," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(5), pages 681-692.
    4. Andrews, Matt & Pritchett, Lant & Woolcock, Michael, 2013. "Escaping Capability Traps Through Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 234-244.
    5. repec:unu:wpaper:wp2012-64 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Henry, Jacob, 2019. "The unspeakable whiteness of volunteer tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 326-327.

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