#ElephantRides and #ElephantRights: Digital Identity Construction among U.S. Millennial Tourists at Thai Elephant Parks

• In Event: 2323 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtable
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 7. Multifaceted Forms of Identity Construction

Abstract

American Millennials increasingly seek opportunities to engage in socially- and environmentally-friendly “eco-tourism” (Sofronov 2018; Rita, Brochado, and Dimova 2018), which has contributed to the growth of elephant sanctuaries and conservation sites in countries such as Thailand (Schmidt-Burbach 2017). However, many Thai elephant sanctuaries do little to support wild elephant populations and welfare, capturing elephants from the wild and inflicting systematic abuse upon captive populations (Schmidt-Burbach 2017, 2018). Despite this, research has yet to fully investigate why young American tourists, who claim to be environmentally conscious travelers, continue to support such attractions.
Drawing upon theories of the social self and impression management, this essay attempts to shed light on this inconsistency by exploring what American Millennial tourists publicize about their visits to controversial Thai elephant parks on Instagram. Using exploratory content analysis, the study analyzes a sample of forty Instagram posts, considering both the visual and written components to understand what American Millennial tourists attempt to communicate about their digital selves through their interactions with captive Thai elephants. The findings suggest that tourists paradoxically use facilitated, inhumane interactions with Thai elephants to portray themselves as environmentally-conscious, elephant-friendly, and adventurous. On the other hand, elephants frequently act back upon these impressions by conveying contradictory visual cues about the Instagram users. More broadly, this study suggests the value of using social media to explore issues of sustainability and environmental awareness among U.S. Millennials.

Author

• Casey Jude Riordan, New York University