Khat-chewing in liminal leisure spaces: British-Somali youth on the margins

Khat-chewing, a controversial leisure activity within the Somali diaspora in Britain, has received little attention within the academic field of Leisure Studies. This paper reports on ethnographic research to provide insights into the unique locations where young British-Somali men chew khat, exposing the liminal qualities of such localities. The paper begins with an overview of the contentious position khat-chewing occupies within Somali communities in Britain, highlighting reasons why young British-Somali men hide their association with the leisure practice. The discussion that follows considers how young male khat users conceptualise spatial environments, exposing how these locations temporarily produce a dual sense of privacy and sociality. The ambiences of such temporary leisure spaces remain open to the prospect of discovery, resulting in the use of discretionary tactics to maintain a sense of secrecy. In this context, we discuss how khat-chewing offers a sense of cultural identity and belongingness while also marking young British-Somali men as outsiders – even within their own communities.     

Desired recreation companionship and travel behaviour of people with disabilities

This study examines whether people with disabilities(PWD) participate in leisure and travel activities with their desired companions and if there are discrepancies between their social networks and real recreation companions. The recreation companionship and travel behaviour of PWD have not been thoroughly explored, particularly in non-Western contexts. Accordingly, data were collected from 494 respondents in South Korea, and findings suggest that there was a significant gap between companions PWD desire and those they actually maintain. Travel and tourism were the least frequent recreation activities for PWD. The results can provide managerial implications regarding practices of inclusive and accessible tourism.     

基于循环经济的绍兴休闲观光农业发展研究

［目的］休闲观光农业建设是绍兴市产业转型升级的关键一步，探寻休闲观光农业新模式，能够为休闲农业发展提供理论参考。［方法］文章采用变异系数法确定指标权重，多因素综合分析法测算观光农业发展水平，从循环经济角度出发，评价2001—2016年绍兴市休闲观光农业发展可持续性，提出发展中存在的问题并探索循环型的休闲观光农业新模式。［结果］（1）2001—2016年以来，经济发展可持续性得分较高，资源环境可持续得分次之，循环经济可持续发展偏低。（2）现阶段绍兴市休闲观光农业发展主要存在休闲观光农业自然环境不断遭到破坏，休闲观光农业缺乏整体规划，休闲观光农业旅游支撑体系不够健全等问题。（3）未来发展中，循环经济发展下的休闲观光农业可以开发建设时空复合循环型、资源综合利用循环型、能量多级利用循环型、综合开发利用循环型等4种模式。［结论］未来绍兴市应将循环经济的理念融入到休闲观光农业中，因地制宜，科学选择循环型休闲观光农业发展模式； 规划先行，科学利用农业旅游资源； 强化保障，建立休闲观光农业支撑体系，全面推动休闲观光农业健康持续发展。     

海南岛休闲农业布局现状的实证分析

[目的]全面分析海南岛休闲农业布局现状,为海南岛休闲农业科学合理规划和均衡协调发展提供决策参考。[方法]文章利用海南岛259家休闲农业企业的地理数据,采用比较、缓冲、密度分析工具,从数量、类型、密度、距离衰减方面实证分析海南岛休闲农业的布局特征,并提出相应的优化对策。[结果](1)海南岛东部、中部和西部休闲农业数量分布比重分别为51%、29%和20%,其中国家级示范点数量分布比重分别为83%、17%和0%;(2)休闲农业主要类型有休闲农庄、观光农园、市民农园和农家乐,除休闲农庄在东部、中部、西部分布较均匀外,其他类型分布较不均衡;(3)距离市县中心越远,休闲农业分布密度越小,95%的休闲农业分布在距离市县中心30km以内,距离市县中心10~15km是休闲农业的高峰集聚区;(4)海南岛休闲农业已在海口、保亭、三亚、澄迈、琼中、琼海、定安、儋州形成8个高度集聚带。[结论]海南岛休闲农业无论在数量、类型和密度上都是东部地区最多,中部次之,西部最少。应积极推进具有农业发展优势的地区,因地制宜拓展产业休闲功能;休闲农业产品类型单一的地区,深度挖掘特色资源和文化内涵;加强休闲农业点与旅游景区、生活服务中心之间的跨区域联系,形成和谐发展的有机旅游整体,使休闲农业真正成为农业转型、农民增收的引擎。     

江西省休闲农业示范点空间分布特征研究

[目的]深入分析江西省休闲农业示范点空间分布特征,进而可以提出促进区域休闲农业提升发展的对策建议。[方法]选取2010—2016年江西省国家级和省级休闲农业示范点作为数据,基于最邻近点指数、核密度估计法、不均衡指数和数量类型评价的方法,研究江西省休闲农业示范点的空间分布、类型构成与发展水平。[结果]江西休闲农业示范点空间上呈现聚集型分布特点,主要分布于中心城市、大型景区周边和交通干线沿线,以休闲农园、观光农园和生态农园等类型为主,存在空间分布不均衡、类型结构不合理等问题。[结论]以区域中心城市为中心,建设五大主题功能片区,优化多层级交通游线组织,加强城市、景区与农业资源丰富、生态环境优越区域的交通联系,并充分发挥休闲农业示范点的辐射带动作用,大力扶持培育休闲农业新业态,可以促进区域休闲农业的全面均衡发展。     

‘I feel something is still missing’: leisure meanings of African refugee women in Canada

This research explored the leisure meanings of three African women, former refugees resettled in Canada. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this study revealed that leisure meanings were tightly bound in the women’s Christian faith, church, and faith community in affording them solace, socialisation, and community bonding. Furthermore, learning for leisure emphasised leisure for educational advancement, self-improvement, and knowledge-gain, to keep busy, and for companionship. Physically active leisures afforded fitness and fun, while nature-based leisure, particularly with friends, family, and their ethnocultural communities were important for restoration, nurturing relationships, and fostering social networks. These leisures also served to mitigate traumatic memories and stress. Because of the prominence of their Christian faith and the church as central to these women’s leisure, collaborative efforts by faith-based entities, leisure and recreation organisations and practitioners, settlement agencies, and mental health bodies, are recommended to effectively address the challenges and aspirations of resettled African women refugees through leisure.     

Benefits of leisure in overcoming gender violence experiences: a case study

This article is based on a case study carried out at Casa Malva, a shelter for female victims of gender violence in Gijón, Asturias (Spain). The study explores the potential therapeutic value of leisure in the process of personal recovery for women living in sheltered accommodation, and the positive impact leisure may have in overcoming a traumatic life event. The study comprised 16 semi-structured interviews with female victims of gender violence and three discussion groups with shelter staff. The article examines the concept of leisure and the potential benefits of leisure activities as part of the Personal Recovery Project (PRP) run by Casa Malva. PRP is an innovative recovery initiative aimed at helping women to overcome situations of gender violence by focusing on areas of experience, such as family, employment and leisure.     

深度休闲对主观幸福感的影响研究——以苏南地区城市居民为例

深度休闲对优化苏南地区休闲产业建设,进一步提升居民休闲生活质量有重要影响。文章通过问卷调查的方式收集苏南地区城市居民深度休闲行为的数据,研究苏南地区城市居民深度休闲行为特征及深度休闲对主观幸福感的影响。结果发现:(1)苏南地区城市居民进行深度休闲活动的场所主要为户外;(2)闲暇时间不足是限制苏南地区城市居民进行深度休闲活动的主要因素;(3)苏南地区城市居民的深度休闲活动总体程度不高,愿意在深度休闲活动上投入大量时间和金钱的人更是少数;(4)苏南地区城市居民从事深度休闲活动产生的强烈认同感和坚持不懈的毅力对主观幸福感有着显著的积极影响。     

Localism and the Big Society: the asset transfer of leisure centres and libraries – fighting closures or empowering communities?

This paper critically examines the ‘asset transfer’ of leisure services from the public to the voluntary sector. Asset transfer might be theorised as ‘austerity localism’, in which volunteers are obliged to fill the gaps left by retreating public provision, or as ‘progressive localism’, which represents new opportunities through the localism and Big Society agendas to develop more locally responsive, cooperative and mutualist visions. In this way, asset transfer might overcome the limitations of the United Kingdom policies in which ‘Big Government’ is replaced by civic society. Drawing on qualitative interviews with key personnel (volunteers, managers and local authority officers) at 12 leisure facilities, a grounded assessment of the nuanced balance between ‘austerity localism’ and ‘progressive localism’ is provided, including three observations. First, the main impetus for transfer was cuts in local authority budgets which stimulated the emergence of local groups of volunteers. Secondly, the transfers themselves required interaction between local government and the volunteer groups; however, the nature of the relationship and support given varied and support was limited by austerity measures. Thirdly, volunteers do not automatically fill a gap left by the state: without support transfer viability relies on the financial and social capital among volunteer groups, and this is unevenly distributed. These findings suggest that the capacity for a ‘progressive localism’ to emerge through asset transfer is limited. However, where transfer has occurred, there are some progressive benefits of volunteer empowerment and a more flexible service.     

An Exploratory Examination of Serious Surfers: Implications for the Surf Tourism Industry

Surf tourism is a multibillion dollar industry expected to continue expanding. Despite such economic significance, the surf tourism literature has gaps related to surf tourism segments. In response, this study applied the serious leisure framework to profile serious surfers and contrast their sociodemographic composition and travel behaviors. Although more serious surfers are more avid travelers in the quest for the perfect wave as compared with less serious surfers, preference for local attractions and conveniences did not vary between groups. In addition to contributing the scholarship of serious leisure and surf tourism, this study provides insights for the surf tourism industry. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.