Accessibility, Inclusion, and Diversity in Critical Event Studies

Most early social research into planned events had the effect of broadcasting narratives of dominant cultures and privileged groups. More recently, however, convergences of gender, sexualities, ethnicities, age, class, religion, and intersectional analyses and events studies have started to drive new critical understanding of the impacts of events on non-mainstream, non-majority communities around the globe. This timely book addresses current gaps in the literature surrounding issues of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity in various event landscapes.

Structured into four parts covering the main types of events, the chapters present original topics using innovative methodological approaches. Each chapter employs a case study to illustrate the key intertwining issues in these various experiential realms. Further, the chapters are all cross- or interdisciplinary, drawing on gender, sexualities, cultural, race/ethnicity studies as well as multiple literatures that feed into critical events studies and exploring a variety of global examples.

This significant book opens the path to further research on the role and importance of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity in events environments worldwide. It will be of interest to academics and researchers of critical event studies as well as a number of related social science disciplines.

Rebecca Finkel is an urban cultural geographer and Reader in Events Management at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. The main focus of her research frames critical events studies within conceptualisations of social justice, equality and diversity, and identity. Her main research interests include resistance to globalisation processes through cultural events, doing gender at festivals, and mapping human rights and international sporting events. Her new research explores the relational wellbeing dimensions of human–animal interactions in events, tourism, and leisure contexts.

Briony Sharp was awarded her PhD in Events Management from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and is currently a Lecturer in Events Management at the University of Huddersfield. Her research examines social impacts from an individual, community, and organisational perspective, and possible social legacy routes from these impacts. Specifically, this includes social engagement initiatives pursued in conjunction with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the relationship between social capital, community engagement, and potential social legacies. New research investigates innovative methodologies in events with a focus on event volunteering and tourism motivations.

Majella Sweeney is a Senior Lecturer in International Hospitality and Tourism Management at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Research interests include small hospitality enterprises, focusing on the host–home relationship and self-identity. Qualitative research methods, specifically visual methods within the hospitality, tourism, and event industry, are another area of interest. Her new research explores hospitality and tourism events with conceptualisations of family inclusion, marginalisation, and accessibility.