Worlds of difference revealed through college students' international service: A narrative inquiry in identity, leadership, and ethical action

International service has been a part of the postsecondary educational landscape for over a century and continues to be an increasingly popular experience for American college students. With globalization and increased accessibility to travel and communicate worldwide, a proliferation of international service opportunities have emerged with a limited understanding of the influences on individuals and communities. The purpose of this study was to better understand the influence that international service has on college students' identity, leadership, and ethical action. This study was carried out with a critical hermeneutic research orientation as outlined by Herda (1999). The theoretical framework for this study included the use of narrative identity (Ricoeur 1992) as a central category in order to better understand the complex nature of international service through narratives.;The protocol for this research included a participatory approach allowing for both the researcher and the participants to understand and interpret the data collectively. The 12 research participants of this study were college students from Stanford University who engaged in international service during the summer in 2007. Six main themes emerged from this research project in the areas of identity, ethical action, and leadership. The findings of this study suggest a critical review of the ethical considerations of international service. Implications for universities, educators, and future international service participants are also discussed.;This research revealed how the experience of traveling abroad to engage in international service can make a difference in one's identity through the power of narrative. Moments abroad with others are captured through stories, which gave meaning to the relationships and experiences. Narrative identity provides a different paradigm from which to understand oneself in relation to others. Just as no two students experience international service exactly the same way, their life histories and worldviews are different and create a different narrative identity. The international service experience in itself can influence a person's understanding of oneself or the world by the meaning given to it by each participant.