[Gocamino] Dissertation Way of St James

[Jackson Partridge]

My name is Jackson Partridge and I am a third year undergraduate at the London School of Economics. I am planning to do my dissertation on the Way of St James. My interest in the pilgrimage stems from the fact that over the Summer I completed a 500 mile walk across the UK for charity. I am now obsessed with walking, and with the things that motivate people to walk! 
For my dissertation, I plan to investigate the massive increase in the number of pilgrims undertaking to walk the Way of St James since the 1980s. Who are these 'modern pilgrims'? Why have they started walking? I understand that a large portion of the new cohort walk the Way of St James for secular reasons. 
Ideally, I would collect general primary data for the period 1982-Present for background, and do a more in-depth investigation of the pilgrims who walked the Way on the Holy Years of 1982 and 2010, for comparison. I was wondering if anybody had any initial thoughts on my subject, and if someone might be able to point me in the direction of primary data that might be of use to me in my investigation? Thank you very much!
Best,Jackson