Online Walkers: A Cyber Ethnography Research of “El Camino de Santiago"

This research aims to investigate, understand and interpret the motivations behind the choice to undertake the Camino de Santiago by examining how this choice emerge within online communities dedicated to the topic. It is one of the most well-known spiritual routes in the world, which has fueled the imagination of devotees, adventurers and travelers since the 9th century. Online communities not only serve as spaces where people gather information about the Camino, obtaining useful advice to organize their journey, but they also provide an opportunity to construct the social meaning attributed to spirituality and travel. Through digital ethnography, this essay highlights the main collective representations elaborated upon the Camino de Santiago, as well as the subjective reasons that group members provide to clarify their idea of "traveling", which refers to the need to live a deep and enriching experience. Furthermore, the analysis of the posts revealed that the Camino represents an opportunity for self-determination identification, particularly for women who – when facing the challenges associated with the journey – question themselves, their physical, psychological and social abilities, challenging traditional views of femininity.