ANZALS to Explore New Directions in Leisure Studies

Details of the ninth Biennial Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) have been announced.

Being staged in association with The University of Queensland the conference is to be held at the Hilton Hotel, Brisbane from 2nd to 4th February 2010.

The conference theme ‘Exploring New Ideas and New Directions’ acknowledges the myriad issues and challenges that have significantly impacted on the form and structure of leisure studies programs throughout Australia and New Zealand in recent years. Such change has raised questions about whether or not it is a case of ‘old wine in new bottles’ – new administrative ‘homes’ – or is it something more fundamental? Are the growing areas of sport, event and tourism management becoming the new face of leisure and how well do these specialised programs incorporate the broader interdisciplinary approaches of traditional Leisure Studies? Importantly, what form should the ‘new generation’ of programs take?

The 2010 ANZALS Conference provides an important platform for academics, researchers and professionals in leisure, recreation, tourism, outdoor recreation, the arts, entertainment, culture and play to come together to share their research, knowledge and expertise.

The 2010 ANZALS Conference has secured four internationally renowned keynote speakers, all leaders within their fields of interest which broadly cover Leisure, Tourism and Recreational Studies.

Conference keynote presenters include:

Professor Donald Getz, Ph.D. 
Don Getz is a Professor in the School of Tourism, The University of Queensland and is a Distinguished Fellow in the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Tourism, University of Gothenburg, in Sweden having recently stepped down from his long-term position as Professor in the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, Canada.

Professor Karla A. Henderson, Ph.D.
Karla A. Henderson is a world renowned author and journal editor, a Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences, and is currently a Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University.

Professor Robert A. Stebbins, Ph.D., FRSC
Robert A. Stebbins, FRSC, is Faculty Professor and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology, University of Calgary, a Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences, and Honorary Research Associate at the University of New Brunswick.

Norma J. Stumbo, Ph.D., CTRS
Norma Stumbo, recently retired as Professor in therapeutic recreation at Illinois State University, has been active in higher education in Illinois for over 30 years and is a Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences. She is perhaps best known for her texts on therapeutic recreation but is also internationally recognised for her work on leisure education and accessibility.

The Key Topic Areas to be addressed at this Conference include:

• Leisure Tourism Experiences 
• Family Leisure 
• Accessibility, Inclusion and People with Disabilities 
• Leisure Theory 
• Conservation and Outdoor Recreation 
• Healthy lifestyles 
• Leisure and Sports Participation 
• Young People and leisure 
• Women and Sport 
• Women and Leisure 
• Event and Festival Management

Each ANZALS Conference attracts a diverse group made up of some of the most prominent local and international academics and researchers in leisure studies, and this year will be no exception. Our program highlights include the Trans-Tasman Games which will be an exciting series of activities including rock-climbing and abseiling at Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point and kayaking nearby in the Brisbane River, a series of concurrent sessions highlighting the latest research in leisure-related studies, and the ANZALS’ Annual General Meeting. Social functions planned include the Welcome Reception and Conference Dinner.

Early bird registration for the conference close on 20th November 2009.

For further details about the conference email: anzals2010@uq.edu.au or go to www.staff.vu.edu.au/anzalsconference