Dr. Gordon Walker?s research into Chinese people?s leisure behaviour will take him to China next year, thanks to a McCalla Professorship.
The award, one of the University of Alberta?s most prestigious, is a once-in-career award recognizing exceptional scholarship and teaching. In the 2008-09 academic year Walker will explore his field of research further both here and in the world?s second largest economic powerhouse ? and then translate his own learnings into the classroom.
Walker?s research has never been more important for Canada?s recreation and tourism industries. That?s because as countries like Canada, Australia and the United States? socio-demographic landscapes change with the influx of more Chinese immigrants and with the burgeoning of China?s economy that means more Chinese on the move than ever before, it?ll become increasingly important for tour operators and recreation programmers to understand what their clients want and to address those differing needs with tailored offerings. ?It certainly puts a different spin on what might be valued in terms of leisure activities,? says Walker.
The socio-demographic landscape in Edmonton, Alberta and Canada is changing dramatically, Walker says. Recent census data show that the ?most common (last) names in Edmonton today are Smith, Lee and Wong. This is shorthand to show how much Edmonton, Alberta and Canada have changed. The statistics suggest that in 10 years, Chinese will make up five percent of the population in Canada and the number of East Asians will increase as much. The demographics suggest there?s a sea change going on.?
This is where Walker says the McCalla award, which allows for a reduced teaching load will be a tremendous opportunity to focus more pointedly on some aspects of his work. ?I plan to conduct a systematic review of all the literature concerning Chinese people?s leisure, review as much of it as I can find, then try to analyse and evaluate it.?
That will mean delving into the piles of research papers he?s found but which have been either off the beaten path, or interesting but not relevant at the time to the focus of a paper he?d been writing. This year he?ll have an opportunity to look at all those papers he?s kept, and both published and unpublished literature, or so-called ?grey? literature often found only deep within web searches. Examples of ?grey? literature might include hidden gems like students? unpublished theses and dissertations. He?ll also travel to China with a graduate student to try to unearth more research into this area at universities and other libraries there.
When it comes to leisure, Walker explains, the Chinese goal differs significantly from that of North Americans. ?Chinese sometimes wonder what we mean when we say, ?work hard, play hard?. It?s this idea that you want to put the same amount of energy and determination into your leisure as you do into your work, but in China leisure is the balance that you provide to your life.?
?At least some of the research has found that Chinese view leisure in terms of more passive activities; relaxation is very important as is tranquility; peacefulness in term of emotions whereas in North American leisure tends to be more active whether it?s sports or aerobics. There?s a big difference there in terms of what you would offer in terms of recreation programming and also in terms of what?s desired.?
What he learns from his research will be translated into an undergraduate class tentatively called ?Cross-cultural aspects of recreation, sport and tourism? and Walker hopes students will use this knowledge to think deeply about and discuss issues of cultural shifts and changes in light of their careers in the field of leisure and what it could mean in the future development of leisure activities for Canadians.
As the University of Alberta focuses its vision ever more outwardly and with internationalization of the student and research experience being an important focus, with the rise of the China Institute on campus with a goal of being the premiere institution for studying and understanding Chinese culture in Canada, Walker says his field of research is definitely on a roll. ?I feel really fortunate in terms of timing and what I look at. There?s a wave there and I?m riding it right now and enjoying it!