Offering space at the table: the work of hosting US study abroad students in Northern Thailand

Abstract

This study illuminates important aspects of the complex power dynamics present when study abroad programmes take place between institutions based in the Global North and host communities based in the Global South. It explores the commercialisation and performance of home, showing how the provision of global education services has become a new form of work in the neoliberal economy that pervades lives in Thailand and other study abroad destinations. This paper does not argue that this labour is exploitative, but instead that study abroad programmes should be aware of the effort put forth by hosts to satisfy desires for a homestay experience and should engage in reciprocal relationships with host communities that reject contrived notions of authenticity. Given the recent disruption of international travel and study abroad programmes, the findings in this paper offer important considerations for higher education institutions as they rebuild exchanges with host communities like those profiled in this study.

Keywords:

• Study abroad
• work
• homestays
• Thailand
• globalisation
• border pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lauren Collins

Lauren Collins is a postdoctoral fellow at the Davidson Honours College at the University of Montana, where she teaches research methods and community-engaged courses. Her research focuses on the social context of global education, with particular attention to reciprocal relationships and equity in university-community relationships. She is particularly invested in reshaping how US institutions approach global education initiatives in a post-pandemic world.