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Poverty Travel with SquatterCity

Started by Mark Schoneveld · 8 months ago

One of my favorite travel blogs Intelligent Travel just did a fantastic interview with author Robert Neuwirth. He writes SquatterCity, a blog that covers the plight of impoverished people in urban areas. He’s also coming out with a book Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, a Ne ... Continue reading »

9 comments

  • Janelle

    1 year ago

    Thanks Mark! Some of my most profound travel experiences have happened when I've stepped outside the boundaries of tourist-centric locations and interacted with the real people pushed to the outskirts of town.
    reply
  • Mark

    1 year ago

    You're welcome, Janelle. Most definitely. Me too. I wouldn't have it any other way.
    reply
  • Mike

    1 year ago

    Great stuff, Mark.

    We're actually in the process of writing a series on "dark tourism" at Vagabondish. This includes so-called "poverty tourism" and the interview you mention above will provide keen insight into that very topic. Thanks for sharing.
    reply
  • blackmailismylife

    1 year ago

    I wouldn't want to live as close as I think you do to Finnegan's Wake. I've gotta say that 'poverty tourism' sounds like one of the most patronizing, exploitative things I can think of doing in the name of 'activism.' I mean, I'm sure it's done/said with best intentions, but it's exoticism and not much that would be identifiably 'political.'
    reply
  • Mark

    1 year ago

    Yeah, 'poverty tourism' doesn't exactly have a nice friendly ring to it. It reminds me of the ongoing debate about whether or not to go visit Burma. Many activists try to tell people not to go there because the money goes directly to supporting the despotic government. But does that mean you can't go and help support local economies? Or that you shouldn't go and witness the ills of that society and report back? Calling it exoticism is not really fair. I'd say going to the rain forests to find un-Westernized native tribes is worse.
    reply
  • blackmailismylife

    1 year ago

    Well, journalism and 'poverty tourism' are two very different things, right? As a casualty of late '90's identity politics, I find the whole notion of 'bearing witness' to be pretty insufferable and too voyeuristic to be nominally 'political.'
    reply
  • Book Hotel

    5 months ago

    From my travel experience, the most interesting travel locations are not the most common ones you can find.
    reply
  • Portugal Holidays

    5 months ago

    Wonderful article, just added the site to my favorites. Thanks so much.
    reply
  • Allen Murer

    5 months ago

    Thanks for sharing your nice experience on travel; I love this article because I am very crazy person. Travel to a new place is not just enjoying moment for me, I think, we don’t have enough time to travel whole world. We need few more life to travel, to know the world .
    reply

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