Abstract
The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the experience of women returning from the Arctic territory of Nunavut. Such women transitioned from a secluded, communal, Canadian wilderness journey of approximately 7 weeks duration, to a Western lifestyle of advanced technology, high-paced, individualistic living. Preliminary inquiry of expedition returnees pointed to a significant number of participants detailing moderate or higher levels of anxiety, paralleling similar findings of cross-cultural sojourners who reported experiencing a kind of 'reverse culture shock' upon coming home. Psychological distress related to transition between foreign environments and home cultures, has been associated with potential health concerns. Qualitative research uncovering the experience of reentry following a wilderness expedition is severely limited, though necessary in this age of increased wilderness and cross-cultural travel.
Sigma Membership
Xi Sigma
Type
Dissertation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Culture Shock, Wilderness Travel, Changing Perspectives, Psychological Distress, Women
Advisor
Patricia Stevens
Second Advisor
Teresa Johnson
Degree
PhD
Degree Grantor
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Degree Year
2007
Recommended Citation
Wedin, Helen Mueller, "The experience of returning from a wilderness expedition" (2022). Dissertations. 1357.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/dissertations/1357
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2022-01-31
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3299642; ProQuest document ID: 304774460. The author still retains copyright.