LEISURE STUDENTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS?

Abstract

Leisure as a human right has been incorporated into numerous international conventions and declarations beginning with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Currently over 25 declarations, conventions and/or covenants created by a variety of international and regional organizations identify leisure as a human right. While there is a clear global consensus concerning leisure as a human right, there remain numerous challenges. Fulfilling the right to leisure is not only a challenge at an individual, community, and national level but also for scholars working within the field of leisure. What of the role of leisure studies scholars regarding leisure as a human right? While some leisure studies researchers have explored aspects related to leisure and human rights, this has been limited (VEAL, 2015). To ensure leisure is advanced as a human right requires the support, actions and advocacy of all involved in leisure studies. There is a need for collective action to be taken to champion leisure as a human right, through research as well as advocacy leadership. This paper reviews the issue of scholarly advocacy as well as identifies potential strategies leisure studies scholars could adopt to advocate for human rights.