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Elephant-based Volunteer Tourism: An exploration of participant experiences and reflections on captive elephant welfare in Thailand

dc.contributor.authorTaylor, Madyson
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-18T16:19:12Z
dc.date.available2018-01-18T16:19:12Z
dc.date.issued2018-01-18
dc.date.submitted2017-11-30
dc.description.abstractDue to the diverse forms of interaction between humans and animals, particularly in tourism settings, it is no surprise that there has been growing scholarship evaluating its intersection (Cohen, 2009; Fennell, 2012 a,b,c, 2013, 2014, 2015). In recent decades, social science researchers have begun to take up these intersections via tourist experiences encountering wildlife (Markwell, 2015) with a critical subtheme of captive animals as visitor attractions. Informed by eco-feminist philosophy, a case study of elephant-based voluntourism in Thailand is the focus in this scholarship. The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand volunteer tourist perspectives of captive elephant tourism in Thailand. Objectives of this research were to interpret stories and meanings of elephant welfare held by volunteer tourists and assess the potential of volunteer tourism to aid in the improvement of captive elephant welfare. Stories were weaved using tenets of narrative analysis (Glover, 2003; Polkinghorne, 1995) oriented through an eco-feminist lens. Interview data revealed that the process of engagement in elephant welfare and volunteering has resulted in participants feeling a moral responsibility to continue forms of advocacy. The data provides context from which to analyze and think critically about care and welfare and how these pieces may interact to influence the operative nature of tourism enterprises and the wellbeing of captive elephants.en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/12882
dc.language.isoenen
dc.pendingfalse
dc.publisherUniversity of Waterlooen
dc.subjectanimal welfareen
dc.subjectelephant-based tourismen
dc.subjectvolunteer tourismen
dc.subjecteco-feminismen
dc.titleElephant-based Volunteer Tourism: An exploration of participant experiences and reflections on captive elephant welfare in Thailanden
dc.typeMaster Thesisen
uws-etd.degreeMaster of Artsen
uws-etd.degree.departmentRecreation and Leisure Studiesen
uws-etd.degree.disciplineRecreation and Leisure Studies (Tourism)en
uws-etd.degree.grantorUniversity of Waterlooen
uws.contributor.advisorGrimwood, Bryan
uws.contributor.affiliation1Faculty of Applied Health Sciencesen
uws.peerReviewStatusUnrevieweden
uws.published.cityWaterlooen
uws.published.countryCanadaen
uws.published.provinceOntarioen
uws.scholarLevelGraduateen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten

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