CALS Congress 2025
CALS 2025
CALS Congress 2025
June 2025
GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE
TORONTO, ON
CALS Congress 2025
We’re thrilled to welcome you to the upcoming CALS Congress 2025 this June 2025. We look forward to engaging discussions, thought-provoking presentations, and community-building moments with scholars from across Canada and beyond.
Featured Speakers
Program
Day 0: Sunday, June 1, 2024
| Registration Time and Location: TBD |
Day 1: Monday, June 2, 2024
| 8:00AM- 9:00AM | Registration and Welcome Coffee Location: SJC-302 |
| 9:00AM- 9:30AM | Opening Ceremony and Land Acknowledgement CALS-Congress Co-Chairs, Rudi Fischbacher, and David Wolfman Location: SJC-302 |
| 9:30AM- 10:30AM | Opening Keynote Presentation Jackie Oncescu, University of New Brunswick Location: SJC-302 |
| 10:30AM- 10:45AM | Morning Break |
| 10:45AM- 12:15PM Concurrent Paper Session 1 |
| Stakeholder Relationships and Knowledge Mobilization Location: SJB-356 | Bridging Technology, Community, Recreation, and Tourism Location: SJB-357 |
| At what “cost”?! The possibilities and conundrums of fitness stakeholder relationships Aly Bailey, Shiva Mazrouei and Meridith Griffin | Using geofencing as a tool to understand park equity Martha Barnes, Julie Stevens, and Jackie Gervais |
| Engendering togetherness: Knowledge mobilization, exchange, and co-production in curling Heather Mair, Simon Barrick, Laura Leitch, Luke Potwarka, and Adam Pappas | Mapping harm and safety: Exploring sexual and dating-based violence on geosocial networking apps in Canada Amy Matharu, Diana C. Parry, Christopher Dietzel, Stephanie Duguay, Eric Filice, and Corey W. Johnson |
| Challenging stigma associated with dementia using a documentary film to support dance for life enrichment Pia Kontos, Alisa Grigorovich, Romeo Colobong, Jon Parr Vijinski, Devin J. Sodums, Rosanne Aleong, and Rachel J. Bar | AI as a catalyst for recreational water safety and community well-being Arash Akhshi |
| Blowing up the “clinical vacuum”: Reflections on relevance in therapeutic recreation Colleen Whyte, Darla Fortune, and Rebecca Genoe | Using eye-tracking and physiological sensors for investigating dark tourism and memorial sites Rotem Mashkov, Tobias Ebbrecht-Hartmann, David Zolldan, Hagar Srulovitch and Noam Shoval |
| 12:15PM- 1:15PM | Lunch Break Sponsored by The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Brock University Location: SJC-302 |
| 1:15PM- 2:45PM Concurrent Paper Session 2 |
| Gender Experiences and Representations Location: SJB-356 | Radical Reimaginings: Labour, Leisure, and Education Location: SJB-357 |
| The divorcées: A feminist exploration of young women’s experiences of divorce Bronwen L. Valtchanov and Diana C. Parry | “Revolutions are not improvised…”: Occupying the interstices of the anti-work, labouring differently, and rest-as-resistance movements Kimberly J. Lopez |
| (Re)constructing representations of homemakers: A multi-method case study Melanie S. Lim | The Temporary Autonomous Zones of space and the mind Rasul A. Mowatt |
| Black women runners: An exploration of what it means to be at home in our bodies Asha Edwin and Janelle Joseph | Leisure-PUNK? Red pedagogy and praxis for leisure studies curricula Dan Henhawk |
| Mothers’ experiences of well-being in prenatal and postnatal yoga at a maternal wellness centre Trisha Xing and Dawn Trussell | Reclaiming leisure’s politically educative roots: Developing the Theorypractice Lab as a pathway to reignite collective responsibility Lisbeth A. Berbary and Craig Fortier |
| 2:45PM- 3:00PM | Afternoon Refreshment Break Location: SJB-356 |
| 3:00PM- 4:15PM Concurrent Paper Session 3 |
| Navigating Injury and Barriers Location: SJB-356 | Outdoor Leisure: Stress, Connection, Meaning Location: SJB-357 |
| From strength athlete to opioid addict: An autoethnographic exploration of injury, involuntary sport termination, and opioid addiction Kieley, A.M. & Pushkarenko, K | Conceptualizing outdoor recreation stress and implications for outdoor recreation behavior. A Cognitive Appraisal Theory Perspective. Ian E. Munanura, & Jeffrey D. Kline |
| Analysing barriers to outdoor rock climbing in Vancouver, British Columbia Jenniffer Wigglesworth | Applying the Eudaimonic Activity Model to ground the Biophilia Hypothesis Rebecca Koroll |
| Exploring accessible geotourism experiences for visually impaired tourists in Shahrekord and Isfahan, Iran Samaneh Soleimani, Bahram | Experiencing ecological integrity: Bridging nature and culture in Canadian National Parks Lucas Middleton |
| 4:15PM- 6:00PM | CALS Executive Board Members’ Meeting Location: SJB-336 |
| 6:30PM- 9:30PM | ‘Join or Die’: Reception, Film Screening, and Panel Discussion Location: WF 607 |
Day 2: Tuesday, June 3, 2024
| 8:00AM- 9:00 AM | Welcome Coffee Location: SJB-357 |
| 9:00AM- 9:15 AM | Day 2 Opening Remarks CALS-Congress Co-Chairs |
| 9:15 AM-10:45 AM Concurrent Paper Session 1 |
| Reframing Perspectives in Tourism Location: SJB-356 | Cultivating Connection and Community Togetherness Location: SJB-357 |
| A cultural critical discourse analysis of hot air-balloon tourist skills, knowledge and emotion Irit Shmuel and Paolo Mura | Hurry Hard!: Interrogating the possibilities and pitfalls for curling in promoting community togetherness Simon Barrick and Heather Mair |
| Narratives of equity-deserving Canadian tourism social entrepreneurs in the technology sector: An ethics of care perspective Gaurav Panse | Leisure as a catalyst for durable and temporary connection: Integrating endogenous and exogenous pathways to social capital Troy Glover |
| Leisure and aging: Leisure for older adults visiting immigrant children Nazila Najafi and Garrett Stone | Integrating leisure in social prescribing: Opportunities and challenges for leisure scholars and practitioners Amanda Johnson and Janet McKeown |
| Bridging the gap between nations through transformative local food experiences Stephen Hiamey | Nourishing connections: How Sikh langar inspires transformative community care Jasmine Nijjar |
| 10:45AM- 11:00AM | Morning Coffee Break Location: SJB-357 |
| 11:00AM- 11:45PM | Poster Session Location: SJB-356 |
| Leisure coping for parents of young adults with intellectual disabilities Bronwen McComb and Sanghee Chun Creating space for ‘other’ families in travel and leisure: Insights from Filipino Muslim families in the Philippines Robert Charles Capistrano and Safa Manala-O Validating the Dementia Public Stigma Scale (DePSS) for use within the recreation and leisure sector Alisa Grigorovich The role of the philosophy of therapeutic clowning in the social world Gervais Deschênes and François Gravelle |
| 12:00PM- 1:45PM | Lunch Break and General Member’s Meeting Location: SJA-327A (200 King Street E) |
| 1:45PM- 3:00PM Concurrent Paper Session 2 |
| Being Well Together: Leisure, Health and Well-being Location: SJB-356 | Leisure Inclusion: Queer Bodies, Policies, and Possibilities Location: SJB-357 |
| The power of community: A leisure-based approach to postvention Julia Froese and Lisa McDermott | Voyeurism, drag performance and queer culture Fenton Litwiller |
| Building sustainable peer networks through outdoor orientation programs in support of student well-being Kelly A. Pilato, Timothy S. O’Connell, and Anna H. Lathrop | Camp queer inclusion study: Making a case for mattering in camp thought and practice Luc Cousineau and Mandi Baker |
| Mental wellness through meaningful leisure: A Lefebvrean analysis of tourism place experiences Kelley McClinchey | “It’s just tricky with our political climate here”: Experiences and perspectives of anti-trans policy in sports and recreation Celeste Pang, Eva Bošnjak, Gio Dolcecore and Marty Clark |
| 3:00PM- 3:15PM | Afternoon Break Location: SJB 357 |
| 3:15PM- 4:30PM Concurrent Paper Session 3 |
| Constructing Leisure: Tools, Spaces, Moments Location: SJB-356 | Managing the Chaos: Reflections on Generating and Analyzing Online Longitudinal Data [Paper Series] Location: SJB-357 |
| Toy, vehicle, or equipment? Parent and children’s constructions of the bicycle in childhood Erin Sharpe, Jocelyn Murtell, and Alex Stoikos | Using a multiauthor blog to explore baby boomer’s leisure experiences Rebecca Genoe, Toni Liechty, Wonock Chung, Jenna Fesemyer, Samara Stearns, Kristen Plandowski, and Pattara Tavilsup |
| Musicians rehearsing and the affective relationship to their leisure space Martin Lussier, Charlet Brethomé, and Lucile Ouriou | Diving into reflexive thematic analysis Rebecca Genoe, Toni Liechty, Wonock Chung, Jenna Fesemyer, Samara Stearns, Kristen Plandowski, and Pattara Tavilsup |
| Intentionality and meaning-making in everyday life: A phenomenological exploration of everyday moments of leisure Karen Gallant, Heidi Lauckner, Ashlyn Stevens, Jacqueline Wojciechowski, and Stephanie Mason | Embracing the chaos: Pitfalls and opportunities of longitudinal analysis in leisure research Rebecca Genoe, Toni Liechty, Wonock Chung, Jenna Fesemyer, Samara Stearns, Kristen Plandowski, and Pattara Tavilsup |
| 4:45PM- 6:00PM | Student-Led Walking Tour Walking Through History: Social and Humanitarian Evolution in Downtown Toronto Sarah Olsen Location: Tour begins at the entrance of 300 Adelaide St East (Building SJB) |
| 6:30PM- 9:00PM | The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences President’s Reception Location: Waterfront Campus |
Day 3: Wednesday, June 4, 2024
| 8:00AM- 9:00AM | Welcome Coffee Location: SJC-302 |
| 9:00AM- 9:15AM | Day 3 Opening Remarks CALS-Congress Co-Chairs Location: SJC-302 |
| 9:15AM- 10:15AM | Closing Keynote Presentation Tricia McGuire-Adams, University of Toronto Location: SJC-302 |
| 10:15AM- 10:30AM | Morning Break |
| 10:30AM- 12:00PM Concurrent Paper Session 1 |
| Sustainability and Shared Futures Location: SJB-356 | Equity and Access in Leisure Experiences Location: SJB-357 |
| Plogging to bridge generations in a time of climate change Kaneera Uthayakumaran, Kelsey Harvey, Meridith Griffin, Kristi Allain, Allison Jeffrey and Madison Bird | The meaning and experience of accessing leisure for midlife women experiencing poverty in St. Catharines Jenny Wubs and Erin Sharpe |
| Who’s not buying it? Negotiating sustainability and consumption with outdoor gear Erin Sharpe and Jaden Fleming | More than the machine: Critical perspectives on new Philippine arrivant labour and leisure heard through kuwentuhan Giana Tomas and Kimberly J. Lopez |
An analysis of the city of Edmonton’s policies and practices for creating sustainable and inclusive urban green spaces Mohadeseh Mahmoudi and Elizabeth Halpenny | Leisure as a restorative labour right: Insights from direct care workers in long-term care Jaylyn Leighton, Giana Tomas, Kimberly J. Lopez, Ashley K. Flanagan, Sherry Dupuis, and Michelle Fleming |
| Optimism and obstacles in environmental action: Sustainability in Ontario provincial sports organizations Teresa Hill, Rob Millington, Simon Darnell, and Brad Millington | Developing an adaptive movement program for older adults living with dementia: A process analysis Ashley Giroux and Maureen Connoll |
| 12:00PM- 1:00PM | Lunch Break Location: SJC-302 |
| 1:00PM- 2:15PM Concurrent Paper Session 2 |
| Student-Led Workshop Location: SJB-356 | Regenerative Futures in Tourism Location: SJB-356 |
| Philosophical implications of leisure studies: A student perspective Brandon Rehaume, Hannah Clark, Quinn Michelin and Steven Henle | Regenerative tourism: Towards a model of industry best practice Jennifer Holman and Bryan Grimwood |
| Philosophical implications of leisure studies: A student perspective Brandon Rehaume, Hannah Clark, Quinn Michelin and Steven Henle | Exploring care embodiment and the regenerative impacts of youth in tourism destination communities: A Hermeneutic phenomenology analysis Wut Yee Kyi Pyar and Karla Boluk |
| Philosophical implications of leisure studies: A student perspective Brandon Rehaume, Hannah Clark, Quinn Michelin and Steven Henle | Centering Indigenous entrepreneurs narratives of their visitors’ experiences Anke Föller-Carroll and Karla Boluk |
| Philosophical implications of leisure studies: A student perspective Brandon Rehaume, Hannah Clark, Quinn Michelin and Steven Henle | To regenerate research relationships: Re-visiting the Two Row Wampum-Covenant Chain Treaty Ellie Joseph, Jay Bailey, Karla Boluk and Mahshad Akhoundoghli |
| 2:15PM- 3:00PM | Closing Remarks Kimberly Lopez, University of Waterloo Location: SJC-302 |
Highlights
- Over 50 paper presentations and a dedicated poster session
- “Join or Die” a public screening and panel discussion based on Dr. Robert Putnam’s Research featuring critical dialogue on leisure and social capital
- Student-led walking tours exploring Toronto’s cultural and historical sites, guided by students in the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at George Brown College.
- Social mixers and networking events including the President’s Reception on June 3rd
- CALS Annual General Meeting (AGM) – Open to all CALS members.
- Along with CALS specific programing, please view the website below to discover an array of events taking place across the congress: https://www.federationhss.ca/en/congress/programming
Featured Screening
Accommodations
The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences has secured special discounted rates for Congress 2025 attendees at a range of accommodations—including hotel options and university or college residences—located near George Brown College in Toronto. These preferred rates are available for stays up to three days before and after the official Congress dates (May 30–June 6), subject to availability and individual hotel policies. For full details on rates and availability, please visit: https://www.federationhss.ca/en/congress/accommodations.
Please note: The majority of the CALS conference program will take place at George Brown’s St. James Campus, primarily in the SJB building (300 Adelaide St. East).
Interested in Sharing Accommodations?
If you’re looking to share a room and reduce costs, we’d be happy to help connect you with other attendees who are also interested. Please get in touch with us: calscongress2025@georgebrown.ca!
CALS Graduate Student Grant – Now Open!
We are pleased to offer the CALS Graduate Student Conference Grant for both Domestic and International to support participation by graduate and post-doctoral students. Please check the attached documents for details.
Please note:
This is separate from the Congress Graduate Merit Award. All graduate and postdoc students are eligible to apply, regardless of their application status for the Congress award.
Deadline to apply: May 1, 2025
Submit applications to Dawn Trussell at dtrussell@brocku.ca.
Should you have any questions or require support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the CALS organizing team.
We can’t wait to see you in Toronto this June!, we’d be happy to help connect you with other attendees who are also interested. Please get in touch with us: calscongress2025@georgebrown.ca!