Leisure Journals Research Articles

Viewing hospitality from an interdisciplinary lens: a systematic review of 30-year research on hospitality in health care

Purpose This study aims to examine the conceptual and empirical operations of hospitality at its intersections with health care, which includes medical and senior care. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a systematic review of literature on hospitality in health care published in hospitality, tourism and leisure journals spanning from 1990 to 2023. A total of 50 studies meeting the inclusion criteria are reviewed, providing insights into how hospitality is conceptualized, its practical implementation and the proposed outcomes in health-care settings. Findings Hospitality in health care is conceptualized by hospitality scholars in three main ways: as service functions, as a service exchange and as an organizational culture. There is a significant overlap between the notion of hospitality and the concept of person-centered care in gerontology and health-care literature. Also, hospitality contributes positively to patient/resident experiences, organizational performance and societal impacts. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its focus solely on the theoretical and practical aspects of hospitality in health care within hospitality, tourism and leisure journals, excluding relevant literature from gerontological and health-care journals. Originality/value Interdisciplinary research requires scholars from different disciplines to develop a common language and understanding of key concepts. This study presents the conceptual and practical domains of hospitality and its relevancy to health-care research and offers future directions to strengthen the interdisciplinary research between hospitality, health care and gerontology.

The impending disruption of digital nomadism: opportunities, challenges, and research agenda

ABSTRACT This research maps the landscape of digital nomadism research (DNR), elucidating key topics, themes, challenges, opportunities, and socio-economic, environmental, cultural, and demographic impacts. The United States has emerged as a leading force in DNR, with significant collaborations between the United Kingdom and France. The World Leisure Journal is identified as the top-performing journal. Thematic clusters encompass remote work and technology, flexibility and autonomy, work-life integration, community and networking, global citizenship, economic impact, and skill development, aligning with multiple sustainable development goals(SDG). Moreover, the research explores digital nomadism's sociocultural, environmental, economic, technological, and demographic impacts, emphasizing community engagement, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure development to mitigate environmental impact and promote positive outcomes. Success hinges on community engagement, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure development, promising reduced environmental impact through sustainable practices and fostering positive outcomes. Strategic regulation and community integration are crucial for leveraging global talent access and entrepreneurship. The study underscores the need for supportive policies aligned with family-building aspirations and recommends collaborative efforts to integrate digital nomadism with SDGs through eco-friendly coworking spaces, global citizenship programs, skill development initiatives, and cultural exchange programs. This research offers insights into the dynamic landscape of digital nomadism, guiding future research endeavors.

A bibliometric review of World Leisure Journal: an analysis of research published between 2000 and 2022

ABSTRACT World Leisure Journal (WLJ) has consolidated its position as a prominent source to communicate innovative and interdisciplinary research concerning all forms of leisure. The study intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the academic structure of the WLJ based on articles published between 2000 and 2022 through bibliometric analysis to highlight its contribution and influence. A final data set of 535 articles were analyzed to highlight the journal’s impact, conceptual structure, and most prolific and influential authors, including the sources of knowledge inflow in WLJ. Moreover, the study also performed a collaboration analysis to understand the social structure of the journal. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed various themes studied in WLJ in the three different sub-periods. The USA emerged as a significant country in collaboration with Canada, South Africa, Israel, Brazil and China.

Capitalism, fascism, communism, social democracy and the study of leisure: comments prompted by Ken Roberts’ “Still speaking to ourselves”

ABSTRACT This paper comments on an earlier paper by Ken Roberts published in the World Leisure Journal in which he analysed the relationship between research and commentary on leisure and the tensions generated by international political environments in three periods: 1900-1939; 1945-1989; and the post-1990, post-communism, era. This paper challenges Roberts' thesis that international political environments in the respective periods significantly affected leisure research and commentary or its reception by the wider public. It is noted that much leisure analysis has been ambivalent about totalitarian regimes and has been critical of liberal capitalism rather than supportive if it. Furthermore, it is argued that wider public interest in the outputs of leisure scholars is largely influenced by relevance to the concerns of ordinary daily living and the style and media of communications used.

Where have all the children gone? A review of the presence of children under 6 years in leisure publication outlets

We conducted a focused search of nine pre-determined leisure journals to (1) determine the prevalence and scope of research on children younger than 6 years (i.e., young children) published in leisure-focused outlets, (2) describe study designs and research methods used to study this age group, (3) tabulate definitions of child leisure, and (4) provide an overview of the studies’ findings. Overall, findings indicate a marked absence of young children from leisure research. Only 28 articles in almost half a century of leisure journal publications met inclusion criteria. Eight studies focused on children as the subject or participant, five articles relied on parents’ or teachers’ reports of their children’s leisure, and 15 articles studied the leisure of parents of children younger than 6 years. We conclude children’s voices are missing in leisure publications and discuss the implications this has for the study of leisure in young children and families.

Embarking on a Rhetorical Exploration: Accommodating Science (or Not) in Leisure Research

An ongoing debate points to a possible gap between the published research about and the delivery of leisure services. For example, two of the major research journals in the field of leisure studies, Journal of Leisure Research (JLR) and Journal of Parks and Recreation Administration (JPRA), are intended for different audiences, yet researchers are far more likely than practitioners to read both journals. Little empirical research has been conducted to explain the possible reasons for these readership disparities. This exploration utilized rhetorical analysis techniques to examine three matched article sets to determine if the science was accommodated for the distinct intended audiences of the two journals. The findings suggested that the ways in which the research was accommodated for the distinct intended audiences was inconsistent. Significance of the findings and recommendations for future accommodation of science in leisure studies are discussed.

Leisure studies in the 21st century: Challenges and opportunities in our collective identity

The year 2018 marked a milestone for leisure research, as the World Leisure Journal, the Journal of Leisure Research, and Leisure Sciences will celebratet their 60th, 50th, and 40th years in publication, respectively. A review of previous articles chronicling the evolution and status of leisure studies revealed three common themes since the 1980s: (a) incompatible faculty roles, (b) insularity, and (c) fragmentation. We examined recent developments in higher education and patterns of change in departmental profiles, in revised undergraduate and graduate curricula that exclude leisure philosophy and theory in core requirements, and in faculty hiring practices. We suggest that these recent developments, combined with the issues posed in prior articles that remain unaddressed, raise concern about the sustainability of leisure studies in the current higher education model. A possible future rooted in a philosophical foundation of leisure is presented.

What’s a Drink with Friends?: A Qualitative Systematic Synthesis of Social Drinking as Leisure

To enrich our understanding of how leisure scholars are engaged in the topic of social drinking, this qualitative systematic synthesis consolidates and describes leisure literature related to social drinking. Following Saini and Shlonsky’s (2012) methods for systematic syntheses of qualitative literature, this review included articles from 11 leisure journals, published between 2006 and 2016, resulting in a total of 249 abstracts reviewed. Upon applying inclusion criteria to focus the review on descriptions of social drinking, 17 articles were included in the synthesis and analysis. Notably, descriptions of social drinking in the leisure literature are less common than those which emphasize the broad health implications. Descriptions of social drinking are most present when presented as an adjunct to another leisure pursuit, as in the context of sporting events and tourism.

Is leisure research contributing to sustainability? A systematic review of the literature

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to identify and summarize to what extent articles in leisure journals have focused on and critically examined the relationship between leisure and sustainability. The study was conducted using content analysis of articles in leisure journals over the past decade (2005–2015) including: Leisure/Loisir, Journal of Leisure Research, Leisure Studies, Leisure Sciences, World Leisure, Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management and Journal of Ecotourism. The results indicate that while some contributions to advance sustainability are emerging in leisure journals, there is a need for more explicit links between leisure and sustainability in the literature. The paper highlights areas where leisure research could be making stronger contributions to advance sustainability moving forward including questioning the relationship between leisure and sustainability, determining the level of sustainability of the leisure industry and proposing and monitoring new models and approaches to enhance sustainability.

Leisure management: all about the “what” and the “who”

The catalyst for the production of World Leisure Journal’s (WLJ) Leisure Management (LM) Special Issue came out of the Leisure Management Commission’s conversations at the 2014 WLO Congress in Mobi...

The Tourism System Research Categorization Framework

This analysis produced a tourism system research categorization framework comprising mutually exclusive subject areas to classify the keywords in academic journal articles. The primary research goals were to develop this framework and then assess the frequency levels of specific tourism research subject areas in the 10-year period of 2002–2011. A database of 37,918 author-selected keywords from 9,588 research articles in 31 tourism, hospitality, and leisure journals was created. Using the proposed framework, the database was divided into six main categories (destination; demand; travel; marketing; geographical areas; and generic terms) and 61 sub-categories. The destination category captured the most keywords, followed by demand and then marketing.

Quebec's recreation intervention model in health care and social services and its implications for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification's standards

Many concerns emerge related to the use of therapeutic recreation certification through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) in Quebec (Canada). In addition to linguistic issues, Quebec stands out by the way it approaches certain social issues. As such, it is relevant to contribute to this special edition of the World Leisure Journal and explain the situation in Quebec. Indeed, the way the profession developed in Quebec is different, in some respects, from the model brought forward by the NCTRC's certification, especially for the components regarding the therapeutic use of leisure. A leisure-orientation model provided by a general recreation professional (recreologist or leisure technician) is a preferred model to help people with special needs in Quebec. The major strength of this model is certainly the fact that it mainly focuses on valuing the individual's potential and well-being rather than on reducing his or her incapacities. This paper gives a brief historical overview of the recreation profession in the field of health in Quebec and describes how it shapes the role of recreation practitioners. It then covers the strengths and weaknesses of the recreation and health model brought forward in Quebec. Finally, the development of an eventual adhesion to a national certification is explored.

Where in the World? A Geographic Analysis of a Decade of Research in Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Journals

This study examined research focus countries and regions in 4,654 articles published in 32 tourism, hospitality, and leisure academic journals from 2002 to 2011 inclusive. Applying a variety of analysis methods, the research showed the spatial distribution, co-occurrence relationships among countries, and the most popular topics of research focus and types of tourism by countries. There was a broad geographic focus of the research in tourism, hospitality, and leisure journals in the decade from 2002 to 2011 spanning 126 countries. It was found that a significant number (70) of countries were not covered in this 10-year snapshot of the academic journal research and require more attention from scholars in the future. Some major countries were underrepresented including France, Germany, and Russia. However, the predominance of the research focus on the Asia-Pacific region and particularly on China was a major finding in this analysis, as was the sparse coverage of South and Central America.

A content analysis of the World Leisure Journal: 1958–2012

The World Leisure Journal (2000–present) and its predecessor publication know as IRA Bulletin (1958–1972), WLRA Bulletin (1972–1980) and the WLRA Journal (1981–2000) have served as the major conduit for disseminating information regarding the activities of the World Leisure Organization (WLO) as well as advancing the body of knowledge in recreation and leisure studies and services. As Edginton has offered “over time, WLO has consistently offered its membership a publication highlighting the activities of the organization as well as, in recent year, advancing research and scholarly findings.” The purpose of this study was to conduct a historical content analysis of the World Leisure Journal and its predecessors from 1958 to 2012. Several areas were explored including: (1) core/primary themes as reflected in title, abstracts and keywords; (2) methodology of only research-based articles; (3) geographic distribution of authors; (4) gender of authors; and (5) affiliation of authors. The findings reveal that the geographic distribution of authors finds 44% are North Americans; 27% are European; 14% are drawn from Australia/Oceania; 8% from Asia; 3% from Africa; 2% from South America; and 2% from Middle East. When viewing authorship by gender, 70% of the authors were male and 30% were female. Slight more than 35% of the articles author(s) affiliation were with non-governmental organizations, followed by 24.2% from universities, colleges, or research institutions and 21.5% from the World Leisure and Recreation Journal/World Leisure Journal. A keyword analysis finds that the greatest percentage of articles emphasize a regional focus, followed by papers which focus on lifespan/age groups, leisure terms, leisure values/outcomes, culture/diversity, leisure management/programming and health/wellness. When viewing research methodologies employed 62.50% were identified as quantitative, 31.2% were identified as being qualitative, and 6.2% could be described as mixed method studies. The most prevalent research method utilized was survey research. The majority of articles published following the transition of the journal to a more research-focused one is that the majority of articles can be categorized as research/theoretical, followed by ones offering commentary, professional practice, conceptual frameworks, book reviews, philosophical and other.

The leisure society II: the era of critique, 1980–2011

The “leisure society thesis” was developed primarily in the 1960s and 1970s and a recent paper in the World Leisure Journal summarised the relevant literature from that period and analysed contemporary recollections of it (Veal, 2011). This paper follows the story of the leisure society thesis since 1980. Set against the background of discussions of work and leisure in periods of high unemployment, the work ethic, working hours, post-work and work–life balance, the paper reviews the post-1980 offerings of proponents, analysts and critics of the leisure society thesis. A four-fold typology of leisure society conceptualisations and reduced-work future scenarios is proposed, comprising: the current leisure society; the evolutionary leisure society; the leisure society as a political project; and other reduced-work scenarios/projects. The second half of the paper reviews literature that is analytical, ambivalent and/or definitional regarding the leisure society thesis and that which is critical. This involves discussion of the failure of paid working hours to fall in the second half of the twentieth century as had been predicted, and appraisal of a range of critical theoretical/conceptual issues. While the significance of the leisure society thesis as an early project of leisure studies is debatable, and it is clearly now an historical reference point rather than a current project, the question is raised as to why the leisure studies community has failed to join with others who are pursuing the cause of reduced paid working hours for all.

Auto-ethnography in leisure studies

In this paper we explore auto-ethnography, one recent genre of qualitative inquiry that we believe is particularly well-suited for the field of leisure studies. We begin by defining auto-ethnography and describing its key features. We then examine its use in leisure research to date, based on an analysis of auto-ethnographical studies of leisure published in three major qualitative methods journals and three major sport and leisure journals over the past 25 years. We explore the wide variety of leisure settings and activities that have been approached through auto-ethnographical research. We identify four common analytical foci in such studies, including issues of identity construction and dramaturgical enactment; embodied emotion and ‘knowledge in action’; race, class, and gender; and methodological critique. We consider four distinctive contributions that auto-ethnography offers in the field of leisure studies. Our review of auto-ethnographic journal articles suggests that there is considerable untapped opportunity for this emerging genre of qualitative research in the study of leisure in society. We provide a brief discussion of the impact of paradigmatic conflicts on editorial responses to auto-ethnographic manuscripts and conclude with a call for opening a broader academic space for auto-ethnographical integration of the self in qualitative leisure research.

Rurality in Leisure Research: A Review of Four Major Journals

Rurality maintains a significant position in the United States' culture and economic system. A key aspect to enhancing rural areas is appropriate research to inform policy and practice. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review leisure and recreation research and summarize how academics in this field conceptualize rural settings and issues. For our sample, we selected four major leisure journals in the U.S. given their leading roles as sources of research and knowledge. We identified 57 articles focusing on U.S. rurality and six topical themes. Findings suggested that future research in this area should consider the context of different rural settings, account for axiological orientations in approaches to rurality, and recognize the complexities and implications of rural measures.

The leisure society I: myths and misconceptions, 1960–1979

Recent discussion in the World Leisure Journal has raised the issue of the place of the “leisure society thesis” in the development of leisure studies. Some have argued that the thesis was a key, but misconceived, “project” of the early phase of leisure studies which has done lasting damage to the leisure studies brand. Others argue that the thesis was a passing preoccupation which has long since been superseded and is no longer of relevance. In this paper, it is noted that recollections of the leisure studies thesis in its heyday of the 1960s and 1970s are often unspecific and at times ill-informed. The paper is not a defence or critique of the leisure society thesis but an attempt to establish a more accurate history through discussion of five myths: 1. that portrayals of the leisure society in the 1960s and 1970s invariably involved visions of the future; 2. that there was a consensus within the leisure studies community concerning a future leisure society; 3. that the thesis was a significant feature of the early leisure studies literature; 4. that definitions of the leisure society were based on predictions of falling working hours; and 5. that leisure society proponents themselves predicted reductions in working hours.

Leisure and emotional labour: A commentary on Rojek's “Leisure and emotional intelligence”

(2010). Leisure and emotional labour: A commentary on Rojek's “Leisure and emotional intelligence”. World Leisure Journal: Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 253-256.

World Class Leisure! World Class City! ChunCheon 2010 World Leisure Congress and Leisure Games

(2010). World Class Leisure! World Class City! ChunCheon 2010 World Leisure Congress and Leisure Games. World Leisure Journal: Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 72-73.