Shabnaz Habib on Airplane Mode

Why do we travel? Obviously, sometimes we do it to go to work or visit family. But lots of us also do it for fun, becuase we can. And we naturally presume that’ it’s an unalloyed good. But is it?

My guest, whose new book ‘Airplane Mode’ explores some of the complexities and contradictions of travel and tourism, is Shahnaz Habib.

She’s a writer and translator, but intriguingly, isn’t a travel writer or affiliated with the travel industry, which means she can approach the subject with a unique perspective.

IIn the book and in our discussion, you'll hear all about passport privilege, how those of us with first-world passports can travel relatively freely while others with less powerful ones struggle.

Discover how the creation of guidebooks, their online successors, and social media have influenced our travel choices in ways that aren't necessarily always good.

We also explore the politics of mobility, whether travel is always necessary or indeed a good thing, its environmental impact, the role of the tourism industry in shaping our travel desires, and the often-overlooked mundane aspects of travel that contribute to our overall experience.

This isn’t an episode about why you shouldn’t travel — Shahnaz was on vacation while we recorded it — rather, it’s about questioning why and how we do it.



AI generatedTimestamped Summary

[00:00] Introduction and welcome

[00:45] Shahnaz introduces herself and her background

[02:00] The inspiration behind “Airplane Mode”

[06:00] Discussing ‘passport privilege’ and its implications

[14:00] The environmental impact of travel

[19:00] Questioning the necessity of travel and ‘wanderlust’

[25:00] The history and influence of guidebooks on travel

[32:00] Embracing the mundane aspects of travel

[38:00] Shahnaz’s personal travel principles

[46:00] Reflecting on travel inequities and geopolitical impacts

[56:00] Closing thoughts and future work

Links

Airplane Mode - https://books.catapult.co/books/airplane-mode/

Shahnaz’s website - https://www.shahnazhabib.com/