ABSTRACT
As a guiding philosophical framework, reciprocity entered the dialogue of international service learning (ISL) in the mid-1990s as an attempt to frame and combat the paternalistic tendencies of many ISL programs and, in turn, further consider the views and experiences of the host community. Prior to the 1990s, ISL program assessment heavily focused on the benefits of ISL programs in regards to the visiting participants, shamefully neglecting the voice and impact of those involved with the program in the host community. Today, in an attempt to improve ISL program design and facilitation, common phrases such as “mutually beneficial” and “happens both ways” are used to capture the notion that international service programs should be designed in a way that facilitates benefits for both the visiting participants and the hosting communities. Reciprocity can be applied through a variety of definitions; this chapter focuses on reciprocity in regards to ‘equal’ benefit for both the visiting and host communities.
