ABSTRACT
Robert Burns explores simply to make some points that will, Robert Burns hope, enhance the sensitivity of the traveler. Going abroad can have a whiff of neo-imperialism about it, if travelers are thought of as imposing their values on the places they visit. The local elite, especially those with the requisite language skills to deal with travelers, might themselves be outsiders in the local community while the poor local people might be doing all the grueling work, so the situation is pretty complex. There are two levels on which we can start considering some of the issues, namely, gender and power, although some would argue that gender-based discrepancies are simply another dimension of the unequal distribution of power in society. The hidden transcript is often a powerful critique of the powerful or oppressors. The best evidence for the belief that the other has a hidden transcript is found in various conspiracy theories.
