Date of Award
Spring 5-2016
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
English
First Advisor
Joyce Inman
Advisor Department
English
Abstract
In “An Experience Like No Other: A Case Study on Summer Camp Culture,” I consider the stories of individuals as they remember experiences and encounters they had while at summer camp. As a camper, counselor, and staff member, I have experienced many sides of camp. Recognizing my own tendency to describe the camp experience with claims about how “camp relationships are the best” and how “camp is great,” I decided that I, and others, would benefit from a study that considers and critiques these commonly recited stories about camp as a master narrative. Indeed, as the number of summer camps continues to increase and more children, teenagers, and adults become involved in camp activities, researchers are beginning to take interest in further exploration of camp culture (e.g., see Abigail Van Slyck, Dennis Waskul, and C. L. Lopez). Very little, however, has been written about relationships within the summer camp setting and the stories camp counselors tell about their experiences; thus, there is a direct need for scholars to fill in the gaps and explore new avenues of camp culture.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Rhett, Sarah E., "An Experience Like No Other: A Case Study on Summer Camp Culture" (2016). Honors Theses. 377.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/377