Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Forest and Conservation Science

Department or School/College

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Jennifer M. Thomsen

Commitee Members

William L. Rice, Sarah J. Halvorson, David Flores, Christopher A. Armatas

Keywords

Constraints, DEI, Negotiation, Outdoor recreation, Safe space, Social capital

Abstract

Outdoor recreation is associated with numerous health and wellness benefits for participants. Yet, there has been a long-term underrepresentation of underserved communities in outdoor recreation (i.e., people of color, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities). This phenomenon has spurred substantial research since the 1970s, which has characterized the problem well and identified many of the underlying reasons. In recent years, there have been widespread efforts to increase relevance, diversity, equity, and inclusion (RDEI) in outdoor recreation and public land management, however participation among underserved communities remain relatively unchanged despite an increasingly diverse American public. This study seeks to move beyond describing the problem of underrepresentation, and better understand solutions that are working, such as affinity groups. Affinity groups are grassroots organizations supporting outdoor recreation engagement and community building. Affinity groups have been spreading across the U.S. for the last 10 – 15 years and have been successfully engaging underserved communities in outdoor recreation. Despite their growth and success, affinity groups have received little attention from leisure researchers interested in issues of RDEI. Through an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach, this research explores affinity groups and how they foster accessible and inclusive outdoor recreation for underserved communities. Data for this study include a netnography (observational research of online communities) of 20 affinity groups on Instagram and Facebook and semi-structured interviews with 21 affinity group leaders and members across the Northwestern U.S. Results indicate that affinity groups are diverse and complex—with varying organizational structures, geographic scopes, and ways of engaging participants both online and in-person. Through these diverse ways of operating and engaging underserved communities, affinity groups create communities with a wealth of structural social capital which helps participants collectively negotiate constraints to outdoor recreation—making recreation more accessible and enjoyable. Additionally, through some separatism from mainstream recreation, affinity groups act as safe spaces which allow participants to authentically engage in community recreation, build solidarity, challenge cultural hegemonies of exclusion, and replace them with more inclusive recreation narratives and experiences. Findings from this research have numerous implications to advance both theory and practice, including offering insights for recreation providers to effectively advance DEI goals.

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2024 Jaclyn Fox Rushing