The Peace Corps was built upon the ideals of “world peace and friendship,” but Gen Z is analyzing the organization through a new lens.
Peace Corps Swearing-In Ceremony. US Embassy South Africa. CC BY 2.0
A growing number of Gen Zers are vocalizing their concerns about the Peace Corps, a program introduced by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Kennedy initiated the program with the intention of fostering global peace through volunteerism, however, Gen Zers are criticizing the Peace Corps for its roots in neocolonialism and American exceptionalism.
In his 1961 Special Message to Congress, Kennedy described the living conditions in developing countries as primitive, framing volunteers as heroes. Today, more than 240,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps, working in sectors such as education, agriculture and community development. While a decrease in Peace Corps volunteers amongst Gen Z is in part due to its lack of economic incentive, many Gen Zers are challenging traditional modes of volunteerism and examining the Peace Corps through the lens of white saviorism, criticizing the program for the lack of diversity among its volunteers. In a 2020 factsheet, only 34% of Peace Corps volunteers identified as minorities.
Former Peace Corps volunteers don’t necessarily view their trips as acts of “heroism.” Instead, they see volunteerism as a two-way street. “One thing most people forget about the Peace Corps is that it is not simply about going overseas ‘to help.’ The Peace Corps is intended to be a multi-dimensional exchange,” says Paul, 62, who volunteered through the Peace Corps in Mali for two and a half years. “Volunteers returning to the U.S. tell stories about other countries not only to raise awareness, but to show how people are similar around the world. In the end, we all got more from the folks ‘over there’ than they got from us.”
UC Berkeley has produced more Peace Corps volunteers than any other university in the country, but recent student discourse surrounding the Peace Corps isn’t necessarily positive. “Peace Corps volunteers are going in with a Western notion of education. We’re assuming that people abroad should believe and trust volunteers simply because they’re American,” says Natalie, 20, a sophomore at UC Berkeley who considered joining the Peace Corps post-college. Gen Zers argue that instead of addressing criticisms and reforming the program accordingly, the Peace Corps is more concerned with protecting its wholesome, noble image and enforcing U.S. imperialism through the development of capitalistic structures. Decolonizing Peace Corps is an anti-imperialist organization seeking to abolish the Peace Corps altogether. A growing number of Gen Zers are joining the movement, and the organization’s Instagram account has garnered over 9,000 followers. A change.org petition and Venmo account are linked in the account’s bio, along with other resources to learn about colonial occupation in developing countries.
The future of the Peace Corps is uncertain, with a growing discourse surrounding whether or not it be abolished, reformed or maintained as is. Gen Z is at the forefront of this dialogue, seeking to reevaluate the mission of the Peace Corps and redefine what it truly means to volunteer, striving for a more culturally sensitive approach to international aid.
Agnes Volland
Agnes is a student at UC Berkeley majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and minoring in Creative Writing, with a research focus on road trip culture in America. She currently writes for BARE Magazine and Caravan Travel & Style Magazine. She is working on a novel that follows two sisters as they road trip down Highway 40, from California to Oklahoma. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in journalism, publishing, or research.