World Leisure Special Interest Groups (SIGs) work towards the future challenges in the field of leisure research, education, knowledge transfer, and advocacy. Member-generated and member-driven, SIGs provide a space for WLO members to meet and work together at a global level.

Connect, Work Together & Contribute

Connect, work together and contribute to common projects within an international relevant leisure community of academics, professionals and decision makers at global level.

  • Participate actively at WLO organized and co-organized events, projects and activities.
  • Submit and publish your own news and promote them through an international network.
  • Be proactive and organize any activity that will be supported by a community of academics and professionals, practitioners and decision makers around the globe.

Want to get involved in any of the current Special Interest Groups?

See here below the current Special Interest Groups and facilitators names and contact details. Feel free to raise your voice and connect with them!

If any questions, contact us!

If you would like to develop and/or promote a new SIG, please share your ideas, comments and views by sending an email to  secretariat@worldleisure.org.

  • Your name, organization and email address.
  • Name of the proposed topic with a short description.
  • Reasons why this topic needs to be addressed (societal/scientific relevance)
  • Possible collaborators

Current Special Interest Groups and Chairs Names

Leisure Management

Dr.  John R Tower, Ph.D., Victoria University, Australia. John.Tower@vu.edu.au

Dr. Jo An Zimmermann, Ph.D., Texas State University, USA. jz15@txstate.edu

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Diversity, Access and Inclusion

Lisa Mische-Lawson, PhD, CTRS, The University of Kansas Medical Center, USA. lmische-lawson@kumc.edu

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Leisure for Children and Youth

Cari E. Autry, Ph.D., CTRS, East Carolina University, USA. autryca18@ecu.edu

Dr. Makhaya Malema, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

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Leisure Education

Atara Sivan, Ph.D., Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong. atarasiv@hkbu.edu.hk

Prof. Marie Young, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

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Leisure and Well-being

Teresa Freire, PhD, Universidade do Minho, Portugal. tfreire@psi.uminho.pt

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Leisure and Ageing

Douglas Kleiber, Ph.D. University of Georgia, USA. dkleiber@uga.edu

Darla Fortune.  Concordia University in Canada (Co-Chair). darla.fortune@concordia.ca

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Leisure and Gender

Heather Gibson, Ph.D., University of Florida, USA. hgibson@hhp.ufl.edu

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Travel and Tourism

Carolin Lusby, Ph.D., Florida International University, USA. clusby@fiu.edu

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Leisure and Sports

Prof. Ling Ping, Hangzhou Normal Univeristy, China. 2528555325@qq.com

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Leisure and Human Rights

Atara Sivan, Hong Kong Baptist University, atarasiv@hkbu.edu.hk

Tony (A.J) Veal, University of Technology Sydney, Tony.Veal@uts.edu.au

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Community and Economic Development

(Chair – open position)

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Leisure and Innovation

(Chair – open position)

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