Culture Isn't Cutting It: Creating Study Abroad Marketing That Appeals to Men

[摘要] Despite the fact that the number of study abroad students continues to increase each year and that the types of study abroad programs continues to diversify, women still outnumber men in study abroad participation at a rate of almost three-to-one.This qualitative study seeks to understand low male participation in study abroad as a result of negative perceptions caused by the ways in which study abroad is marketed to students.I selected male study abroad alumni to participate in personal interviews through which I sought to understand the criteria, motivations, and outcomes that men had for their overseas programs.A variety of study abroad marketing materials were also collected, with a specific focus on social media.Using human, cultural, and social capital as a framework for analysis, I conducted a comparative analysis to determine whether marketing materials reflect the most compelling benefits that would motivate men to enroll.Additionally, I used normative and dialogic frameworks to understand the ways in which men’s views of their gender inform their study abroad experience.This study shows that study abroad marketing is not reflective of the practical and pragmatic motivations that men have for studying abroad.Overall, study abroad professional in charge of marketing should focus less on 'fun” and 'cultural” experiences and instead emphasize the practical and pragmatic benefits of study abroad in order to attract more men.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh