Mittuniversitetet

In a world full of uncertainties and chaos, humanity is trying to grasp a sense of security and groundableness by adhering to the prevalent status of norms, be it academic research methods and knowledge production, or the dominant economic theories and ideologies, without questioning their validity and continuous applicability, which has led to the unhealthy development in academic, economic and personal progression. This thesis critically examines the possibility of transformation on a threefold dimension, namely 1) academic, 2) economic/ cultural/ social and 3) personal through the study of a single spiritual tourism experience by the use of hermeneutic-phenomenological research paradigm refined with Buddhist philosophy. It is hoped to offer alternative choices and interpretations to perceive the world and all practices contained in it, so that a gradual radical transformation, to the better, will come by.