Citation

Parr MG, Schmalz D. J. Leis. Res. 2019; 50(4): 372-387.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, National Recreation and Park Association, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00222216.2019.1617645

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

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.

Language: en

Keywords

Higher education; leisure studies; parks and recreation education