Voluntourism in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

This anthropological study on the positive and negative effects of voluntourism focusses on the view of the local community. During a three month period of fieldwork, the stories and experiences of locals who are directly involved with voluntourism were collected. As this view is often overlooked, this thesis aims to show the agency and creativity of the host community of voluntourism in Kathmandu. Literature knows a dominantly negative stance on voluntourism, whereas data from this fieldwork shows several solutions from the local community to extract benefits that fit their needs. In addition, the experiences of the participants show how several aspects of voluntourism can help fill the gaps the government leaves open.