Socio-political Motivation of Experiential Travel Education in the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries: The Grand Tour, World’s Fairs and Birthright Israel Edward Porges A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education University of Washington 2017 Reading Committee: Joy Williamson-Lott, Chair Maresi Nerad Ralina L. Joseph Walter Parker Program Authorized to Offer Degree: College of Education ©Copyright 2017 Edward Porges University of Washington Abstract Socio-political Motivation of Experiential Travel Education in the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries: The Grand Tour, World’s Fairs and Birthright Israel Edward Porges Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Joy Williamson-Lott College of Education The purpose of this study is to illustrate that travel as experiential education, though not always obvious, often has political or cultural intent or ramifications. Objectives such as promoting cosmopolitanism, nationalism and imperialism, and colonialism may then become obvious by examination of various experiential education travel programs, past and present. This thesis will examine three examples of travel-oriented experiential education with political and social objectives from three different centuries: The Grand Tour of the 18th century, World’s Fairs of the 19th century, and Birthright Israel in the 20th and 21st centuries. These examples were chosen for study to emphasize that 1) travel, despite recently being recognized as such, is a form of experiential education that goes back at least three centuries; 2) experiential travel education perceived to be a cultural or fun experience may have a socio-political agenda as well; 3) experiential travel education can be focused upon different constituencies, from a single person to a small, specific group to the public masses; 4) the Grand Tour, World’s Fairs and Birthright Israel change in terms of their original educational mission. The findings suggest that social and political aims are often incorporated or stated objectives to travel experiential education. In the three examples studied, there are political components to the Grand Tour, World’s Fairs, and Birthright Israel. The research also showed that the mission of these first two examples morphed due to changes in the social and political nature of the times whereas the goals of Birthright Israel, given its newness, presently remains the same. Also revealed is that travel as experiential education is not a recent innovation, but by definition, goes back to previous centuries. It is, however, only since the last half of the 20th century that the term experiential education has been recognized and applied. Further, travel as experiential education is universally applicable whether an individual, a group, or the masses. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction to the Study .......................................................................................... 1 Experiential Education ................................................................................................................ 4 Travel as Experiential Education .............................................................................................. 11 Chapter Outlines: The Grand Tour, World’s Fairs, Birthright Israel ....................................... 14 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 17 Chapter Two: The Grand Tour: 1600–1850 ................................................................................. 18 Typical Student Tourist............................................................................................................. 26 Women Travelers ...................................................................................................................... 30 Other International Students ..................................................................................................... 31 Socio-Political Consideration ................................................................................................... 32 Chapter Three World’s Fairs: A New Educational Experience .................................................... 34 Background ............................................................................................................................... 35 Mechanics’ Institutes ................................................................................................................ 37 National Industrial Fairs ........................................................................................................... 38 World’s Fairs ............................................................................................................................ 40 Politics of Early World’s Fairs ................................................................................................. 43 Scheduling and Classifying of International Fairs .................................................................... 46 Colonial Exhibits ...................................................................................................................... 48 Indigenous Colonial Displays ................................................................................................... 50 Information, Entertainment or Edutainment? ........................................................................... 55 Lasting Impacts on the Public: Subtle and Some Not So ......................................................... 57 Women’s Representation at American World’s Fairs .............................................................. 60 African-American Representation ............................................................................................ 65 Atlanta Cotton States Exposition 1895 ..................................................................................... 71 Chapter Four: Birthright Israel...................................................................................................... 75 Background ............................................................................................................................... 77 The Birth and Nature of Birthright ........................................................................................... 79 Birthright’s Experiential Educational Tours ............................................................................. 88 Socio-Political Motivation ........................................................................................................ 94 Study Results ............................................................................................................................ 95 Summation ................................................................................................................................ 99 Chapter Five: Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 101 Limitations of the Study.......................................................................................................... 104 Contribution to Research and Recommendations ................................................................... 105 Appendix A: Typical Grand Route Tour 1700s .......................................................................... 107 Appendix C: Puck Cartoon Chicago Exposition 1893 ............................................................... 109 Appendix D: Seattle World’s Fair 1909, UW Campus Commemorates “Advancing Women’s Rights” ........................................................................................................................................ 110 Appendix E: Birthright by the Numbers 2016 ............................................................................ 111 i Works Cited ................................................................................................................................ 112 ii Acknowledgements After a forty-year hiatus as a U.W., A.B.D., and after ten years of retirement, I worked up the courage to see about completing the doctoral program. Marty Howell, welcomed me into his office. Upon hearing my quest, he said, “I’m totally with you. I know the perfect committee Chair for you. Let me speak to her and I’ll get back to you.” That was in 2015, two years ago. Thank you, Assistant Dean, Marty Howell. That perfect Chair, Professor Joy Williamson-Lott, was indeed all he claimed. She was dogged, patient, persistent and most of all, encouraging. Thank you, Joy. To the reading committee of Walter Parker, Ralina L. Joseph, and Maresi Nerad, I thank you for your suggestions and patience. Each had a welcomed perspective that added to this research. Thanks to each of you. To my young friend, Joel Magalnick, accomplished editor and writer, for his time and effort in helping me to produce this document. Thanks, Joel. To my wife, Phyllis, who upon hearing my cautiously worded request for feedback regarding re-enrolling for the doctorate, exclaimed, “You want to do what? I don’t get it!” She stood by me, cajoled me, nudged me along, crossed I’s and dotted T’s. Without her valuable insights and her constant support and encouragement, there would be no Ed.D. in this household. I owe her more than words can say. Thank you, Phyllis. iii Dedication …to my older sister by seven years, Bobbie Porges Japka, Ph.D., my inspiration. She moved from New Jersey to southern California about forty years ago. Bobbie completed