Moving from arrogance to acceptance: narratively shifting human perceptions through a China study abroad programme

This research combines Lugones' notions of arrogant perception and loving acceptance with Buber's concepts of I-It (treating people like objects) and I-Thou (treating people as valued human beings) to examine what 43 doctoral students reciprocally learned when they embarked on a travel study abroad program to China. The work, which draws on literature about reflection, travel study and culturally competent educators, was conducted as a narrative inquiry. Narrative inquiry's four analytical devices (broadening, burrowing, storying/restorying, fictionalisation) helped to make sense of the educators' small stories. The research themes that emerged were the: (1) continuity of the travel study experience, (2) comparative nature of the travel study experience, (3) unique nature of the travel study experience, (4) bodily basis of the travel study experience, and (5) living/re-living through the travel study experience. The work concludes that perspectives, identities and communities are not fixed. Finally, educators must ensure that their present pedagogical actions are consistent with their desired futures.