Empathy Beyond US Borders: The Challenges of Transnational Civic Engagement

Research output: Book/ReportBook

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

How do middle-class Americans become aware of distant social problems and act against them? US colleges, congregations, and seminaries increasingly promote immersion travel as a way to bridge global distance, produce empathy, and increase global awareness. But does it? Drawing from a mixed methods study of a progressive, religious immersion travel organization at the US-Mexico border, Empathy Beyond US Borders provides a broad sociological context for the rise of immersion travel as a form of transnational civic engagement. Gary J. Adler, Jr follows alongside immersion travelers as they meet undocumented immigrants, walk desert trails, and witness deportations. His close observations combine with interviews and surveys to evaluate the potential of this civic action, while developing theory about culture, empathy, and progressive religion in transnational civic life. This timely book describes the moralization of travel, the organizational challenges of transnational engagement, and the difficulty of feeling transformed but not knowing how to help.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Place of PublicationCambridge, United Kingdom
PublisherCambridge University Press
Number of pages299
ISBN (Electronic)9781108605571
ISBN (Print)9781108474566
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2019

Publication series

NameCambridge studies in social theory, religion, and politics

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Social Sciences

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