Travel and Social MediaIn small groups:

1. Read these: Neocolonialism and Wikipedia. Watch this if you want more clarification.

2. In your group, define neocolonialism on Blackboard, including how social media and the travel industry at large might play into Neocolonialism.

In another Blackboard post, each small group will be assigned and will respond to one of these questions:

1. How can social media be used positively in the travel industry? What specific ways can it be used? How can we be more responsible users (or should we just turn off our phones)? Make a concrete list.

2. Look for Instagram / social media accounts that are doing what you think is “good” job at deconstructing Neocolonialism / Orientalism. Mention them specifically, screenshotting posts and uploading them, and writing why you think they are doing “good” work.

3. Is all travel colonial? Are there forms of travel that are not colonial / exploitative or white-savior-y? What are they? Or, if you find none, should we just not travel? What is gained, and what is lost?

4. Has travel changed with social media? How? Is the change for better or for worse? Then, think about the marketing of travel: look at old travel ads like this one, or this one. How is this a similar message to an “influencer photo?” How is it different? (Think of medium, author, audience, message, etc.)

5. Read this Guardian article on Influencers in Saudi Arabia, as well as the caption on this Instagram post. Respond to the following questions: How does social media construct a place? What ethical concerns are at play in that construction: for example, who is speaking (indigenous people or Western tourists), what image are they creating (beautiful desert or human rights violations), etc. What would you change about this project? Is social media supposed to be held responsible for activism, or is it really about beautiful photos and a mental escape?