Ethics and Poverty Tours

Poorismorganized tours that bring predominantly middle and upper class people to impoverished regionsis growing in popularity, touted by its supporters as conscientious consumerism. Evan Selinger examines the arguments of poorisms advocates (it raises awareness of global suffering and provides needed funds to eliminate poverty) and of its detractors (both the intentions behind poorism and the consequences following from it can be morally problematic). Heconcludes that this kind of privileged voyeurism is at best a morally complex endeavor.