At the Leisure Research Symposium, Focus on the Future.

There were some intense discussions about way-finding at the 1999 Leisure Research Symposium in Nashville, Tenn. That is, way-finding on the future paths of leisure studies. Many speakers and poster presenters provided frameworks that would take leisure studies into the next century. Collectively the viewpoints were diverse. Some justified why leisure research needs to change, others provided insight into processes of change; some forecasted where we will go and others prescribed where we should go.

The opening session, "On the Cusp of the New Millennium: Leisure Studies in the 21st Century," reflected on the status and direction of leisure research. Ben Hunnicutt characterized the academic roots of leisure as embedded in a social reform movement that was highly critical of the excesses of industrialization and consumerism. Modern lifestyles, with emphasis on technology, consumption and mass culture, disengaged us from the essence of our humanity. Hunnicutt described the role of the reformer in elegant simplicity: Expose alienation, gather public support for change and do something practical to effect change in the world. Converging on a similar theme, Jack Kelly argued that the forces of science alone will reduce research questions to an ever-narrowing scope of concern and will not lead to a "big picture" of the "real world" problem. According to Kelly, if we do not fully integrate social contexts within our research questions, the academic leisure community will continue its current trajectory of being unfit for meaningful responses to societal problems.

These speakers were followed by comments from Rene Dahl. Dahl argued that understanding differences in power between segments of society is necessary for positive long-term change. Karen Fox supported a return to our reformist roots but cautioned us to be aware of forces within ourselves that will resist change. And Mary Parr questioned a leisure curriculum disconnected from leisure practice.

The poster session proved to be an exciting forum for discussing research ideas. The 13 posters--and their presenters--attracted a substantial number of practitioners and academics to the "poster corner" during the grand opening of the Exhibit Hall. Presenting an invited poster on a project funded by the National Institute of Health, Karla Henderson discussed the future of leisure research connected with women of color. She depicted the need to understand the history and social contexts of the meanings women attach to leisure and physical activity. At another invited poster, Gary Ellis presented his research agenda, which drew upon several behavioral theories and suggested strategies for engineering experiences through recreation leadership. His poster also depicted the implementation of the model which compared favorably with other leadership strategies. Feedback from the poster session indicated it was a fun experience that allowed more in-depth discussion of issues than traditional research papers.

Research Challenged

Abstracts for posters underwent the same review process as abstracts for papers (Reviewers are blind to whether or not the abstract is for a poster or paper). Authors chose the poster format because it provided more opportunity for audience interaction than formal paper presentations. Several speakers in the research sessions explicitly pointed to future directions for leisure research. In an invited keynote, Tazim Jamal provided a critique of nature-based tourism research by re-framing traditional industry agendas. Jamal challenged researchers to understand the social contexts of the "nature" that is being promoted, understand for whom it is being promoted and by whom it is being promoted. Much like the speakers in the opening session, she believed that social and cultural contexts need to be integrated within our understandings of individual behavior.

Speaking from a totally different perspective, Tom Goodale argued a similar point in an invited keynote on leisure and the humanities. With an eloquent presentation that captivated the audience like an inspiring Sunday service, Goodale argued that leisure studies has lost its sense of commitment to societal values and public goods. Where leisure--and higher education--at one time instilled important directives on ethics, politics and citizenship, we now fail to convey anything about individual responsibility to the good of the whole. This emphasis on individualism has disenfranchised a growing number of people, places, and ideas due to a mass culture that requires market-place relevancy. In acknowledging only market-place politics we lose sight of the big picture of life, to which Goodale warns, "If we've lost faith in an objective reality, then that will be the greatest tragedy of this century."

There were 98 other papers covering a breadth of topics within leisure studies. These papers were clustered into groups of four or five and presented in the following theme sessions: Leisure travel and tourism; leisure and family relationships; commitment and leisure behavior; leisure curriculum; leisure and leadership; community context of tourism; nature-based tourism; cultural contexts of leisure; ethnicity and leisure; marketing leisure services; leisure humanities; leisure and the lifespan; methodological issues; gendered leisure; leisure and well-being; management of leisure services; equity in management; outdoor recreation; youth and young adult leisure; generalization beyond therapeutic intervention; and social context of disability. The following highlights a few ideas drawn from these presentations.

Tourism Planning in Transition

Presenters in the session on community context of tourism were concerned about integrating community values into rural tourism development. Alenka Verbole and Stuart Cottrell's paper on tourism development in rural Slovenia examined the process of tourism development by looking at power differentials between local and external groups. They described rural tourism planning processes as in a continual state of transition due, to competitive struggles between various local and external social groups.

Greg Hawkins and other colleagues from Clemson University presented two papers related to building a sense of community. A basic tenet of both papers was that tourism development needs to be embedded in community values and the collective experiences of local people.

Several presentations approached research from a meaning-based perspective, and in doing so, embraced qualitative designs for data collection. Deb Bialeschki examined women's negotiation of fear and their resistance to male control in outdoor recreation areas. The women of her study consciously redefined traditional meanings of outdoor places to fit their own identities and needs.

Bill Obenour and Mike Patterson conceptualized a meaning-based model for leisure travel in which travel experience is assessed as a whole story or unfolding narrative, rather than a researcher-imposed reduction of the experience into components or variables. In a variation on this theme of meanings, Steve Hill examined the implicit meanings that are expressed in metaphors about sport and highlighted the way these metaphors reify stereotypes about masculinity.

Issues of ethnicity and cultural diversity were also visible in many presentations. Susana Juniu presented data from female Latino immigrants who had lived in the U.S. for at least six years. Her study revealed that recreation participation became more structured and segregated after her informants moved from Latin America to the United States. Monika Stodolska also studied changes in leisure for people who immigrate. Participants in her study had immigrated from Poland to Canada, and displayed a variety of adaptive techniques while adjusting their leisure to the opportunities provided in this new country.

Offering a different type of study of diversity, Dan Hibbler and Kim Shinew looked at African American middle managers in parks and recreation departments, and highlighted the prevalence of discrimination and inequity in these work settings.

Technology is Evident

This year's research symposium was the first to offer LCD panels in every room to facilitate computerized overhead projections. Technology was evident in the substantive topics of research, as well. Michael Campbell used a GIS database compiled from digitized topographic maps to analyze hazards along a river that has high recreation use. Eric Gulledge and Michael Kanters evaluated park and recreation web sites and offered suggestions on how managers and web site designers can make these sites more user-friendly. Chris Bowling took advantage of inexpensive disposable cameras in a technique called photo-elicitation, whereby his study participants took photographs of salient images from their daily lives.

Several presentations provided practical advice and recommendations as part of their discussion. Kathy James evaluated services offered by a national forest visitor center. She used a video camera to assess time spent at various exhibits and used an onsite questionnaire to assess the importance of various exhibits. Although the bookstore was ranked lowest in terms of important services, visitors spent most of their time in the bookstore compared to other exhibits. James' recommendations indicated a need for interactive exhibits to compete with the interactive product sold in the visitor center bookstore. Bill Hendricks studied the propensity of mountain bikers to change their trail etiquette. Using a quasi-experimental design with an unobtrusive camera to assess biking speed, Hendricks planted hikers on the trail to assess yielding behavior. He found that biker trail etiquette was affected more when the source of the message was a volunteer patrol mountain biker rather than a volunteer patrol hiker or a volunteer in uniform.

Structured Activities for Special Populations

Other presentations evaluated programmatic interventions for special populations. Sarah Sylvia and Dwayne Baker examined the impact of outdoor adventure recreation on at-risk youth and youth with disabilities. They suggested that structured activities were necessary to help these youth adapt to and benefit from this experience. Kathleen Scholl, Leo McAvoy and John Smith also reported a study that documented the importance of assistance and support for families that include a child with a disability. In that study, families valued their participation in a special inclusive outdoor program but needed assistance and systematic support in order to take advantage of this opportunity. In addition to these studies, two whole sessions were devoted to topics of therapeutic recreation and focused on issues related to generalization beyond leisure intervention and understanding the social context of disabilities.

In addition to the poster and paper presentations, Jim Busser organized the "brown bag" sessions which provided informal settings to discuss timely research issues. Larry Allen and Lisa Raymond lead the discussion, "Research Opportunities Through Partnerships" and John Crompton led the discussion on "Creative Approaches to Funding Research."

The Research Roundtable served as a dialogue forum for cooperative discussion between researchers and practitioners. Nancy Gladwell organized this year's roundtable, "Would You Please Study.... "which included the following distinguished and diverse panel of practitioners: Rebecca Benna, Parks and Recreation Department, Miamisburg, Ohio; Bill Clevenger, Decatur Park District, Ill.; Yvonne Ferrell, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation; and Cynthia Burkhour, Inclusive Recreation Consultant, Mich.

In a special session apart from the peer-reviewed papers, Geoff Godbey organized a special panel to discuss "Re-thinking leisure in American life." Panelist Doug Kleiber argued for leisure as an intervention tool that positively affects human health and community well-being. He focused on active engagement coupled with voluntary selection as essential for everyday subjective well-being, which ultimately influences optimal levels of stress and other health issues. Godbey's session was well-attended and provided a shared basis for hallway discussions about the future of leisure studies.

Conclusions about the future of leisure studies are varied. However, one point that has been resurrected over the past decade--and integral to the symposium's discussions--is directed at understanding the social contexts of leisure. The proportion of researchers who frame leisure studies from sociological and socio-political perspectives is continuing to build momentum. And perhaps that will be significant part of way-finding for leisure studies in the coming century.

Research Update is edited by Dr. Irma O'Dell of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Kim L. Siegenthaler, Ph.D. of Appalachian State University.