Birgit Phillips explores the concept of transformative travel as it pertains to long-term independent travelers and offers a broad philosophical understanding of the complex socio-cultural processes involved in identity negotiation. She examines both the elements that contribute to the transformation of values and identities and the mechanisms by which this transformation occurs. By deploying a pluralistic, reflexive, interpretive research approach, Phillips foregrounds the personal experiences of the individual study participants and the meanings they attach to their travel experiences. In addition, since the study spanned over 14 years, the author is able to provide a wide-ranging picture of the complete travel experience, from initial motivations to post-travel reintegration as well as the long-term effects on traveler values and identities.

This chapter presents a novel pedagogical approach of “remote service learning” (RSL), which was applied in an undergraduate health degree program at an Austrian university. Remote service learning is a form of active blended learning that combines academic learning with practical experience and social commitment, using a range of tools and methods from online didactics. Drawing on emancipatory pedagogies such as transformative learning, an RSL-focused course pursues the ambitious goal of promoting reciprocal empowerment, that is, the promotion of mutual educational processes. “Reciprocal” refers to all stakeholders involved in the course, directly or indirectly: university students, the local community, the Austrian NGO, and the educator. Survey and qualitative data results have shown that the fundamental triad of learning, acting, and reflecting in remote service learning not only leads to a deeper understanding of the course content and discipline but also increased self-awareness, empathy, and a heightened sense of the highly complex social realities in different parts of the world.