BACKPACKING in the DIGITAL AGE: ETHNOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES from LATIN AMERICA by RUSSELL LEE EDWARDS, III B.A. University of Cent
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BACKPACKING IN THE DIGITAL AGE: ETHNOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES FROM LATIN AMERICA by RUSSELL LEE EDWARDS, III B.A. University of Central Florida 2009 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2013 Major Professor: Ty Matejowsky © 2013 Russell L. Edwards, III ii ABSTRACT My thesis ethnographically examines the changing nature of backpacking for Westerners in Latin America amid a proliferation of mobile computing and social networking. While anthropological and sociocultural research on tourism is extensive, the social scientific literature on backpacking has, thus far, been largely unconcerned with Western Hemisphere countries and the effects of digital technology on this mode of travel. Recent findings suggest, however, that backpacking has currently moved beyond its niche roots as a subculture of independent traveling into a full-fledged tourist industry. My thesis investigates the Latin American backpacking scene to better understand if this is a global trend. The available literature further suggests that today’s backpackers are represented by various subgroups including older and less budget-constrained travelers known as “flashpackers.” Despite using the backpacker infrastructure, flashpackers’ disposable income and relatively expensive equipment places them somewhat beyond traditional backpacker categories. Drawing on ethnographic data collected over two separate multi-sited field sessions in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Colombia, I document the recent experiences of backpackers and flashpackers and evaluate how digital technologies inform and affect their travels. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Thesis Overview .......................................................................................................................... 1 Why Backpacking? .................................................................................................................. 1 Research Considerations ............................................................................................................. 3 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 6 Attempts to Define Backpackers ............................................................................................. 7 Demographics ........................................................................................................................ 10 The Role of Technology ........................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 13 Materials and Methods .............................................................................................................. 13 Analysis Strategy....................................................................................................................... 14 Limitations and Implications ..................................................................................................... 15 Research Program Timeline ...................................................................................................... 16 Overview of Chapters................................................................................................................ 17 CHAPTER THREE: CASE STUDIES FROM “THE GRINGO TRAIL” ................................... 18 Craig and Sara ........................................................................................................................... 19 Frank.......................................................................................................................................... 37 Juan............................................................................................................................................ 45 Jack and Oliver .......................................................................................................................... 55 Alex ........................................................................................................................................... 67 Chapter Summary ...................................................................................................................... 81 CHAPTER FOUR: DISCUSSION ............................................................................................... 82 Classifications of Traveler Typologies ..................................................................................... 82 iv Backpacking as a Subculture ................................................................................................. 83 A Reimagining of Typologies Using an Anthropological Framework ................................. 85 Backpacker Enclaves along the “Gringo Trail” ........................................................................ 89 Consuming Local Culture ......................................................................................................... 98 Technology’s Influence on Backpacking ................................................................................ 103 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION............................................................................................. 108 Contributions to Anthropology ............................................................................................... 109 Broader Contributions ............................................................................................................. 110 Future Research ....................................................................................................................... 111 APPENDIX A: IRB APPROVAL LETTER .............................................................................. 113 APPENDIX B: SURVEY AND QUESTIONAIRRE ................................................................ 115 APPENDIX C: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR TRAVELERS ...................................................... 118 APPENDIX D: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR HOSTEL OWNERS ............................................ 122 APPENDIX E: PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE MATERIALS ............................................ 125 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 127 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Map of Salento produced and provided by a local hostel ............................................. 92 Figure 2: Back of map (Figure 1) with information concerning restaurants listed ....................... 93 vi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Thesis Overview My thesis is based on ethnographic research data I collected in multiple urban and rural sites in Latin America over two separate field seasons in 2011 and 2012. One week was spent in Nicaragua and Honduras respectively during summer 2011 and roughly nine weeks were spent in Colombia during fall 2012. Over subsequent pages, I detail the kinds of portable digital technologies backpackers increasingly utilize while abroad, and consider how this newfound reliance is helping or hindering backpackers’ travel goals. After reviewing relevant concepts and findings from sociocultural research on backpacking, I discuss general theoretical issues and present a hypothesis about intersections of technology and this mode of travel. By means of case studies drawn from interviewed and surveyed backpackers, I offer new findings about today’s backpacking community. The earlier framed hypothesis and related issues are revisited at the end of my thesis. Although mainly focused on travelers in Latin America, my thesis has important implications for those traveling in other parts of the world as well. Why Backpacking? As international travel becomes increasingly affordable to middle-class Westerners, many travelers are now able to experience the world’s diverse cultures, languages, and historical 1 attractions firsthand. While some prefer vacations at luxurious all-inclusive resorts, others are compelled to travel in a more frugal manner. These backpackers or budget travelers often forgo the amenities associated with lavish international vacations by seeking out very different travel experiences. Since the 1960s thousands of American and European youth have followed the “Hippie Trail,” retracing parts of the Silk Road to destinations like Nepal and India. These transcontinental and quasi-spiritual journeys often relied on “thumbing” or hitchhiking as a primary mode of transportation. The motivations for traveling in this manner may vary since the 1960s, but one arguable explanation for choosing backpacking over packaged vacations is that it is much easier for these travelers to immerse themselves in local culture (Richards and Wilson 2004b). While backpackers may appreciate this assertion, there are scholars who argue otherwise. Several authors contend that backpackers mainly travel and interact within specific enclaves (O’Regan 2008; Wilson and Richard 2008). These enclaves are spaces frequented by travelers, and differ from the larger places that encompass them. They mainly facilitate interaction with