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Othering Narratives: How Travel Writing Narratives Perform the Distance Between Us

Travel is meant to challenge the beliefs of our own spaces and break down the barriers

that so often separate us from connecting with those in far off places that practically feel like

another world. The word “travel” itself brings about this idealistic image of discovery- discovery

of the self and the discovery of new lands. Travel Writing can then be seen as the cultural artifact

to stand in for this discovery. The ease of modern travel and the popularization of the genre of

Travel Writing has opened up the spaces that this genre can exist in. In order to better understand

the ways that Travel Writing function within Western cultures, we will be looking towards the

New York Times column, “36 Hours,” to form our understanding of the relationship between this

American based publication and its audience. This column works as a very specific appeal to

people interested in travel, and more specifically the type of traveler that hopes to tick off certain

things like a checklist. The condensed nature of the activities presented in this column works to

assume the type of traveler it is writing for. Rather than creating a narrative that really engages

with the culture it situates itself in, the column creates a sort of genre in Travel Writing that

creates the façade of a literary narrative, with the content of a promotional travel writing article.

In this study, we will analyze how the New York Times Column assumes its western audience

and how that relationship with its reader has either brought us closer together, or ironically

placed us further apart.

The genre of travel writing can be dated back to some of the earliest examples of

Literature in the Western World. Homer’s Odyssey is nothing other than an adventure novel and

Johnathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels can be seen as an early critique and exploration of the

effects of travel on humanity’s world view. Travel Writing can encompass a lot of different

styles of writing, but the focus of this research will be on a column that seems to defy certain
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genre standards. When looking at the subgenres of Travel Writing, most texts fall somewhere on

a spectrum, which includes Destination based advertising on one end and Literary Narratives on

the other end. Specifically, we will be looking at the New York Times “36 Hours” column,

which while creating a personal travel narrative, also does the work to advertise the specific

location that is the topic of their column. These columns are of interest because of the way the

writer inserts themselves directly into the story they create- it is a travel log of their time in a

specific location. It is also narrative based due to its implicit purpose of entertainment and

journey through a linear time narrative. The presence of these articles’ publisher, The New York

Times, illuminates the function of these texts to not only entertain, but inform the reader on

travel and tourism. The New York Times’ assumed readership lies primarily within the United

States, so we can therefore see how these texts work to perform for their almost exclusively

western audience with various overused and cliched travel narratives. Within these texts, we will

specifically be looking at the use of descriptive adjectives that create a sense of otherness, such

as “traditional” and “authentic,” the implementation of western cultural appeals and the inclusion

of voices from the places they write about.

Texts & Contexts

A critique of the genre of travel writing in this case will be a critique of The New York

Times’ approach to the genre, and how it engages with its assumed American audience. Beyond

this, however, we will look at the ways in which this genre performs certain social actions to

create a disparate hierarchical structure between the western world and the non-western world.

Much of this is constructed based on the exclusive relationship between The New York Times

Travel Writer, and the western audience it is speaking to. These texts become evident of the

dialogue had between those of similar geographic location about those that are outside of that
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presumed similar community. We will be using certain frameworks of Rhetorical Genre Theory

to define what forms take place in this genre, and the types of functions they go on to produce in

relation to othering certain people and places.

Carolyn Miller’s work in “Genre as Social Action,” will be the main rhetorical genre

framework considered in this research. Miller’s work will allow us to understand how these texts

have come to affect real change and shape the travel industry. By looking at these articles as

“cultural artifacts that can tell us things about how a particular culture defines and configures

situations and ways of acting,” I will be able to identify the terminology that has come to define

the genre and look to the ways that they perform certain idolized versions of destinations

(Bawarshi 72). Like Miller, this research will focus on the recurrent forms that take place in the

New York Times’ articles and will further analyze that ways that this comes to form meanings

among those who directly and indirectly participate in this genre.

The specific texts I will be examining in this research are all coming from a specific

publication, The New York Times, and from a specific travel column within that publication, “36

Hours.” By putting many of these texts in conversation with one another, I will be pointing out

recurrent patterns that are emblematic of the othering effect of the texts as a whole. While this

column includes texts from various countries, cities, and regions, I will be focusing on the ones

written about “non-western” countries and cities and on the articles that have been written

between the 2016 and 2018, as they are the most recent and relevant responses. The more current

a text is, the more accurately it can speak towards the modern issue at hand.

Data & Analysis

The structure of The New York Times column, “36 hours,” follows one specific travel

writer as they detail the exact things that they did during a 36 hour stay in a certain city. This
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narrative form follows like a personal journal of the places that person ate, the museums they

visited, monuments checked off of a list, and the participation in local activities. What is not

include in these narratives, however, is the inclusion of people from where they are visiting. Here

is an excerpt from the article “36 Hours Chiang Mai:”

“Friday

1) 5 p.m. HANDMADE HAVEN

Handmade creations abound along Charoenrat Road. Siam meets Soho at Woo, a cafe

and concept store that blooms with Thai creativity — literally — starting with plants and

exquisite floral arrangements. The upstairs art gallery exhibits painting and sculpture,

while the boutique’s wide-ranging collection includes rice extract lip balm, minimalist

ceramics, kaleidoscopic hippie-chic dresses and a skull covered with tiny white seashells

that would make Damien Hirst jealous. Down the street, The Meeting Room Art Cafe is

piled with stacks of prints and canvases by local artists — all for sale — while

elegant Sop Moei Arts sells textile creations to decorate your body or home, from scarves

to embroidered wall hangings.”

The separation that is evident in this text comes from its lack of local voices. The writer

discusses the importance and intrigue behind the local art but does not speak to or engage with

the actual artists themselves. While the audience does get a description of the visual artifacts of

this place, they do not, however, receive any dialogue from the people who are created these

artifacts. Without this inclusion of local voices, the text departs from cultural interaction to a

promotional and marketing voice. Rather than engage with the art and the artist, the audience is
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forced to consider the ways in which they can consume the culture. There is an emphasis on the

fact that all of these pieces are “for sale.” We are introduced to this kind of “handmade

creativity” not as a something to investigate, but to purchase and bring back to our own homes as

art and “hangings.” While promoting a capitalistic view of travel is not necessarily harmful to a

location, what is harmful is this lack of dialogue. Of the 10 articles looked at in this research,

none of them include a quote or conversation directly from a local. Travel Writing has often been

critiqued for this lack of inclusion of local voices, which causes the production of cultural

difference (Beriault 391). Instead there is a narrative distance put between the travel writer and

the place they are visiting. In the article, “36 Hours in Oaxaca,” the writer mentions a place that

“makes for excellent people watching.” Rather than actually engaging with people, this kind of a

message places the traveler at a distance from the people who live there. The travel writer in

therefore acts as a participant that creates and maintains these distinct cultural differences

(Beriault 392). It is a community to “watch,” not one to engage with.

This specific example is emblematic of the structure of this column and how it works to

show off the noteworthy things one can do in that city or country. The list-like nature of the

column has elements of their personal experience placed within it. It does in fact describe what

the travel writer did in their 36-hour stay, and much of this can read like small vignettes. While

in some way attempting to be a personal narrative, the column ends up taking on the purpose of

promotion and framing. The articles are framed as stories but result in surface level personal

narratives replete with reflection and self-discovery. No matter what the location is of the article,

it seems as though each text works to explore the more tangible justifications for travel. In this

lies the more commercial and problematic aspect of these types of Travel Writing narratives.

Rather than truly engaging with the culture, these places are described as destinations rather than
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experiences. They are written about in a tangible and commercialized way that does not include

any narrative time for personal reflection. These pieces then become selling points rather than

narratives. When thinking back to where these texts fall in the spectrum of this genre, we see

how it masks its more commercial elements with the façade of a personal narrative.

Another aspect of the separation between the travel writer and the places and

people they are writing for comes from their use of the “othering” adjectives. The table below is

a compilation of the sub headlines found within each of these articles. In many ways they are

representative of the themes that run throughout each of the articles. Some of the othering

adjectives found in these sub headlines include “remote,” “craft,” “traditional,” “old,”

“emerging,” “proud,” “authentic” and “less-developed.” Terms such as these work to alienate the

places that are being discussed. Many of these terms either have a quaint, regressive, or

mysterious appeal to them. There is a level of condescension that comes from many of these sub

headlines, which can be found later on in many of the texts themselves. Part of this comes from

the genre constructed home/ out of place binary (Glesener 215). By describing something as

“traditional,” “authentic” or “old,” the genre therefore places these things against the new and

more progressive ideals of the western world. The “othering” adjectives such as “proud,” and

“emerging,” speak towards the views the travel writer has on a place rather than how a place

view itself.

Table 1:

§ 36 Hours in the Golden Triangle, Thailand: “Find a grotto for peaceful contemplation and
commune with the elephants in this once-remote region
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§ 36 Hours in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe Side): “With adrenaline-pumping activities galore,

there are countless ways to experience this enthralling natural wonder”
§ 36 Hours in Trinidad: “This tiny melting pot serves up an exhilarating array of food,
culture and night life”
§ 36 Hours in Nairobi Kenya: “Intense traffic, a strong multicultural vibe, big global
businesses- and yet you can still feed the giraffes and elephants within the city limits”
§ 36 Hours in Oaxaca: “This multicultural hub in the highlands of southern Mexico is
known for its mild climate, rich culinary and craft traditions, and complex history”
§ 36 Hours in Chang Mai: “Glorious temples and traditional markets are what this riverside
city in Thailand is known for. Now, thanks to a blossoming creative scene, there are also
new, ambitious restaurants and plenty of contemporary art and design to complement the
old”
§ 36 Hours in Bangkok: “From upstart creative spaces and obscure bars to neighborhoods
where a surprising urban tranquility reigns, Bangkok remains ripe for discovery”
§ 36 Hours in Kigali, Rwanda: “More than 20 years after the horrific genocide in Rwanda,
Kigali is emerging as a proud city, known for its progressive start-ups, energetic art scene
and great dining and coffee”
§ 36 Hours in Bali: “Explore the Indonesian island’s more authentic, less developed eastern
side, where Old Bali is alive and well”
§ 36 Hours in Puerto Vallaarta, Mexico: “With its inventive food scene, excellent beaches
and ‘Night of the Iguana’ mystique, the city makes the perfect weekend getaway”

Another aspect of these New York Times articles create a barrier between two seemingly

different worlds is the way in which these texts adhere to certain western cultural appeals. For

example, as seen in the sub headline for “36 Hours in Nairobi Kenya” they are juxtaposing the

Western assumptions with Kenya as opposed to what they deemed as having a “strong

multicultural vibe.” The juxtaposition comes just after the word “yet” in this example, and what

follows is the kinds of things that are expected of African countries from Western audiences. By

comparing the big emerging city that is like our own, to that kinds of classic naturalized images

of Kenya with giraffes and elephants, the appeal is placed on the shock of the comparison

between what is there and what is usually expected. This kind of a comparison to western

cultural appeals is representative of the ways that these texts not only perform certain clichés, but

also perform these expected clichés for an exclusive western audience.

Further Considerations
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While writing about picturesque and unique destinations, the travel writer comes to stand

in for the place itself, and through their writing, creates the image of the place they write about.

Travel Writing can therefore be seen as a powerful form of cultural communication, and when

done effectively, can come to represent the complete image of a place and a people for those may

never even think about booking a flight to that certain destination. The kind of power that is in

the hands of travel writers is important to understand the ways in which society has structured

this powerful position, and how the writing within travel narratives can induce problematic

visions of different cultures and places.

Much of what has been uncovered in through the genre of the travel writing narrative

speaks to the oppressive silencing of local voices within each text. The ways that the texts

separate those in the “modern western world” and those in the “charming non-western world” is

not necessarily a conscious one or one that is inherently meant to separate individuals. Rather

these texts are ironically meant to bring those from different places closer together through the

lens of travel and the travel narrative. In Jeanne Glesener’s article, “Mobility at Large:

Globalization, Textuality and Innovative Travel Writing,” they point to the ways in which

innovative travel writing offsets the problematic othering quality of the genre. For example, they

largely instruct that good travel writing comes from those that are “self-reflexive” and put their

writing in a larger consideration of global connectedness (Glesener). This speaks not only to a

more thoughtful consideration of the global contexts for which travel writers should speak to, but

also the ways in which this genre can more accurately include the voices of those cultures and

communities they are writing about.

From this analysis, we begin to see that many of these texts do not engage in or with

other cultures in a meaningful way. Instead, these narratives relate towards a more tangible
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explanation of a destination and the kinds of things that someone can achieve while visiting.

There are various othering qualities that come from this genre, and it is important to understand

and read through the various biases held by those writing these articles. The cultural appeals and

the ways that they separate those included in the cultures works to create a world of others in a

seemingly connected world. When thinking about the future of this research and the various

places it could lead, it is interesting to not only consider the ways in which these texts affect the

primarily western audience, but to consider how this shapes the areas that are being written

about. Travel Writing can promote certain areas, and it would be interesting to consider how

these narratives directly corelate to increase tourism and the types of expectations held by those

tourists and travelers.

References

Beriault, Janie. “Navigating an Unequal World: Jamaica Kincaid’s A Small Place as a Counter-

Travel Narrative.” Interventions: The International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, vol.

20, no. 3, 2018, 389-405.

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Cohane, Ondine. “36 Hours in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.” The New York Times: The New York

Times Company, 22 Dec 2016.

Frazier, Donald. “36 Hours in the Golden Triangle, Thailand.” The New York Times: The New

York Times Company, 4 May 2017.

Gettleman, Jeffery. “36 Hours in Nairobi, Kenya.” The New York Times: The New York Times

Company, 15 Dec 2016.

Glesener, Jeanne E. “Justin D. Edwards & Runegraulund. Mobility at Large: Globalization,

Textuality and Innovative Travel Writing.” Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2012,

215.

Khan, Sarah. “36 Hours in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Side).” The New York Times: The New

York Times Company, 30 March 2017.

Miller, Carolyn R. “Genre as Social Action.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, 70, 1984, 151-164.

Moon, Freda. “36 Hours in Oaxaca.” The New York Times: The New York Times Company, 15

March 2018.

Seminara, Dave. “36 Hours in Bali.” The New York Times: The New York Times Company, 20

April 2017.

Sherwood, Seth. “36 Hours in Bangkok.” The New York Times: The New York Times Company,

15 Feb 2018.

Sherwood, Seth. “36 Hours in Chiang Mai.” The New York Times: The New York Times

Company, 2 Aug 2018.

Wulfhart, Nell M. “36 Hours in Trinidad.” The New York Times: The New York Times

Company, 23 Feb 2017.

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Kamin, Debra. “36 Hours in Kigali, Rwanda.” The New York Times: The New York Times

Company, 12 Jan 2018.