Faculty Sponsor(s)
Susan Currie Sivek and Brad Thompson
Location
Vivian A. Bull Music Center: Delkin Recital Hall
Subject Area
Journalism and Media Studies
Description
This project discusses the poor treatment of elephants in Thailand and how tourism correlates with an increase of elephant abuse and exploitation. Despite elephants being sacred in the Thai culture, abuse, that has led to endangerment, has increased with tourism growth. Drawing on the differences between developing and developed countries, this project gives readers insight on the negative footprint humans leave behind while taking part in unethical tourism practices. Centered on a recent trip I took to Thailand, this project is delivered as a first-person feature article and draws on the feelings of guilt and anger I felt while watching hundreds of elephants suffer from abuse. This project’s goal is to give readers information about the harm caused from unethical tourism and then advise on how to practice ethical tourism. Distributed via a magazine-style page layout, this project is written to match the writing style of travel and wildlife news organizations.
Recommended Citation
Pickhardt, Liam, "An Elephant Never Forgets: The Dark Side of Tourism in Thailand" (2019). Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement. Event. Submission 79.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/symposium/2019/all/79
An Elephant Never Forgets: The Dark Side of Tourism in Thailand
Vivian A. Bull Music Center: Delkin Recital Hall
This project discusses the poor treatment of elephants in Thailand and how tourism correlates with an increase of elephant abuse and exploitation. Despite elephants being sacred in the Thai culture, abuse, that has led to endangerment, has increased with tourism growth. Drawing on the differences between developing and developed countries, this project gives readers insight on the negative footprint humans leave behind while taking part in unethical tourism practices. Centered on a recent trip I took to Thailand, this project is delivered as a first-person feature article and draws on the feelings of guilt and anger I felt while watching hundreds of elephants suffer from abuse. This project’s goal is to give readers information about the harm caused from unethical tourism and then advise on how to practice ethical tourism. Distributed via a magazine-style page layout, this project is written to match the writing style of travel and wildlife news organizations.
