Troy Glover | University of Waterloo (original) (raw)

Papers by Troy Glover

Explorations of kindness and gratitude, a felt sense of thankfulness, are missing from tourism st... more Explorations of kindness and gratitude, a felt sense of thankfulness, are missing from tourism studies. Such explorations shed light on psychological value of relationships and social capital. We adopted a positive psychology theoretical lens to explore acts of kindness from strangers towards tourists and to understand how these acts are valued. To meet that aim, we conducted a study with twenty Canadian tourists. Through thematic analysis of semi structured, in-depth interviews, we identified these themes: trust in the other person; a sense of risk or adventurousness; novelty or authenticity of the experience; and eudai-monic growth, that is, receiving kindness from strangers indicated well-being beyond experiencing pleasures. Costs and benefits to benefactors were identified. We developed a model that explains how acts of kindness are personally valued by tourists.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Public park and recreation settings are important environments for health prom... more EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Public park and recreation settings are important environments for health promotion and public park and recreation organizations are increasingly recognized for contributing positively to community health and disease prevention. Researchers typically focus on the influence of the built environment on health and less on the social environment, which have crucial implications for health and well-being. Exploring parks and recreation settings as social environments in which individuals engage in leisure jointly with others can assist managers in better understanding individual leisure behaviors and health outcomes. Community centers represent meaningful spaces that facilitate social interaction through their diversity of programming and services. The social relationships that arise from these interactions in leisure settings can act as a source of health and well-being for users. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the social relationships at a county-owned community center in the southeastern United States, and their implications for health and well-being. This study demonstrated a valuable role of community centers beyond opportunities for physical activity. Through opportunities for bonding, bridging, and linking social capital that the community center afforded through their programs and services, users had access to emotional support, as well as information and resources that was not available to them in other domains of their life. It is important for practitioners to consider the valuable contribution that relationship building can have to a user's health and well-being when designing, marketing, and evaluating programs and events. A substantial contribution to the community center user's health and well-being was access to information, resources, and services which were a result of partnerships and collaborations that the community center had with local organizations and institutions. It would be advantageous for community centers to collaborate with agencies that can assist visitors in other domains of life (e.g., housing, employment, family) that can indirectly impact the welfare of users. This is especially relevant for community centers that serve disadvantaged populations (i.e., low income, elderly) that may not have the knowledge or ability to access these types of services themselves. However, as the findings indicate, it is also important to recognize that collaborations and partnerships can potentially have negative

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Many urban centers across North America represent landscapes of neglect and na... more EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Many urban centers across North America represent landscapes of neglect and narratives of tragedy. The effects of suburbanization and sprawl have led to the decay and abandonment of existing, older inner cities and have contributed to the demise of many city centers. The process of urban revitalization recognizes that multiple strategies can be employed to reverse the effects of urban decay and create downtown areas that are more appealing to current and prospective residents. The purpose of this study was to examine everyday forms of urban leisure and their relationship with place-making and urban revitalization initiatives. This examination of recreation and leisure in an urban context acknowledges that successful and vibrant downtown areas are major sites of everyday leisure. Here we argue that parks, green spaces, and recreation facilities play an important role in successful urban revitalization strategies. This study was conducted in Kitchener, Ontario, a fast growing midsized Canadian city. Using a photo-elicitation technique, 21 participants were asked to photograph meaningful landscapes in the downtown area. Findings indicate that everyday social interactions are supported by recreation and leisure spaces and opportunities and are central to place-making and successful urban revitalization strategies in downtown areas. The participants in this study suggested that incorporating vibrant and animated places and highlighting local character in a downtown context served to create landscapes consistent emphasis on the economic value of leisure and recreation spaces has led to the widespread growth of impressive, yet often depersonalized, sporting complexes, resorts, shopping and entertainment centers, convention facilities, and amusement parks in urban centers in many urban areas. Instead, efforts aimed at place-making and reversing the effects of urban decay should incorporate the perspective of residents and provide places conducive to social interactions that are unique and important for everyday leisure.

For many people, the city is a landscape of everyday life. In cities, public spaces serve as venu... more For many people, the city is a landscape of everyday life. In cities, public spaces serve as venues for social interaction, sociability, conviviality, and the enactment of community. Despite their relevance to community life, however, urban spaces remain underexamined in the leisure literature. If researchers seek to understand leisure in the context of everyday experiences, they must also consider the spatial perspective in which leisure activities are pursued. In this research reflection, we argue that urban public spaces and some private spaces are fundamentally leisure settings that warrant greater research attention. We propose to broaden the conceptual understanding of what constitutes urban public space by outlining four categories of urban space based on
ownership and accessibility.

The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of an online social networking site (SNS) call... more The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of an online social networking site (SNS) called Momstown.ca in the development of peer support Interviews with 22 members of Momstown.ca demonstrated that women experience a sense of isolation for a variety of reasons and desperately want to connect with other mothers in a similar situation. Women reported attempts to befriend other mothers through "stroller stalking," which often led to bad "mommy dates." Momstown.ca served as a matchmaker by enabling women to court other moms online and face-to-face. We conclude these interactions facilitate momances (deep platonic friendships amongst mothers), but also a sense of community. As a result, women experienced care, camaraderie, and felt connected, not isolated and alone.

Leisure Studies, 2012

This study uses a Lefebvrean analysis to explore the ways social relations are negotiated and con... more This study uses a Lefebvrean analysis to explore the ways social relations are negotiated and contested in the production of a quasi-recreational space called Gilda's Club of Greater Toronto, a venue that provides complementary care and support to people living with cancer. It does so by asking how Gilda's Club, as a social space, resists and/or reproduces the conflicts and challenges of care for people living with cancer. Drawing on the work of Henri Lefebvre to guide the analysis, qualitative data collected from 26 club members were used to examine the production of the club as a conceived, perceived and lived space. The findings underscore the insurgent and transformative possibilities of a social space like Gilda's Club for people living with cancer, while also exposing the club as a site of discriminatory practices wherein marginalisation was produced and enforced. The complex tension between these contrasting practices is explored.

Background Few studies have considered the joint effects of social and physical environments on p... more Background Few studies have considered the joint effects of social and physical environments on physical activity (PA). The primary purpose of this study was to examine the compounding effects of neighbourhood walkability and social connectedness on PA.

The increase of online diaries, or blogs, has not only affected communication channels, but also ... more The increase of online diaries, or blogs, has not only affected communication channels, but also the way tourism destinations are being promoted and consumed. To date, few studies have focused on the content of travel blogs as a rich source of destination marketing information. A review of the current research on travel blogs revealed that the two most popular research methods used to analyze the content of online diaries are content analysis and narrative analysis. This paper provides a discussion of the strengths, weaknesses and implications of using content analysis and narrative analysis on travel blogs. After a presentation of alternative research methods on travel blogs, the authors present industry and methodological implications related to the nature of online diaries.

This performance text explores how people "craft liveable truths" after a cancer diagnosis. Inter... more This performance text explores how people "craft liveable truths" after a cancer diagnosis. Interviews with 26 members of Gilda's Club, a meeting place for people whose lives have been touched by cancer, serve as the data source for the study. Weaving together excerpts from the interviews, a composite character named Henry is created to explore stories of diagnosis, changes in relationships, and the healing nature of shared experiences. Henry's interactions with his doctor, daughter, and "cancer friends" reveal his struggle for dignity, hope, and transcendence throughout his cancer journey. This story is about living, not dying, with cancer. It is simultaneously a text about emotions (fear, happiness, friendship, anxiety, sadness, and optimism) and the institutional processes that shape them. The text invites a discussion of "emotion work" and institutional thinking fostered by support groups such as Gilda's Club.

Qualitative Health Research, 2010

In Canada's health care system today, cancer patients are expected to endure long, often painful ... more In Canada's health care system today, cancer patients are expected to endure long, often painful wait times. In this study we explored whether Gilda's Club (an organization that supports people affected by cancer) might increase opportunities to resist the role of the "patient patient," consequently providing a better understanding of how cancer patients cope with the long wait times in Canada's time-crunched health care system. The research presented here provides examples of the painful waiting experience for cancer patients. Yet, this research also provides examples of patients refusing to be patient. We argue that organizations like Gilda's Club can provide a space that facilitates resistance and allows patients to become more informed and more participatory in decision-making processes. We conclude that these findings reflect a gap in cancer care in Canada that might be addressed through integrating organizations like Gilda's Club into standard medical practice for cancer patients.

Leisure Studies, 2010

To cite this Article Mulcahy, Caitlin M., Parry, Diana C. and Glover, Troy D.(2010) 'Play-group p... more To cite this Article Mulcahy, Caitlin M., Parry, Diana C. and Glover, Troy D.(2010) 'Play-group politics: a critical social capital exploration of exclusion and conformity in mothers groups', Leisure Studies, 29: 1, 3 -27 To link to this Article:

Leisure Studies, 2005

The purpose of this research was to study community gardens as sites for exploring the influence ... more The purpose of this research was to study community gardens as sites for exploring the influence of leisure on gender roles and relations. In particular, we sought to understand how gender roles and relations were reproduced and/or resisted within the leisure setting of a community garden. Through our analysis of the data we identified three main themes that illustrate community gardens as sites where traditional gender roles were both resisted and reproduced. The first theme relates to the division of work in a garden. The second theme relates to initiative and leadership styles. Based on the success of their gardens, many women were empowered to seek new opportunities or responsibilities outside their garden, the third theme of the findings. Our findings illustrate the complexity of resistance and reproduction.

Environmental Management, 2010

Good governance is of paramount importance to the success of parks and protected areas. This rese... more Good governance is of paramount importance to the success of parks and protected areas. This research utilized a questionnaire for 10 principles of governance to evaluate the outsourcing model used by British Columbia Provincial Parks, where profit-making corporations provide all front country visitor services. A total of 246 respondents representing five stakeholder groups evaluated the model according to each principle, using an online survey. Principal component analysis resulted in two of the 10 principles (equity and effectiveness) each being split into two categories, leading to 12 governance principles. Five of the 12 criteria received scores towards good governance: effectiveness outcome; equity general; strategic vision; responsiveness; and effectiveness process. One criterion, public participation, was on the neutral point. Six criteria received scores below neutral, more towards weak governance: transparency; rule of law; accountability; efficiency; consensus orientation; and, equity finance. The five stakeholder groups differed significantly on 10 of the 12 principles (P < .05). The 2 exceptions were for efficiency and effectiveness process. Seven of the 12 criteria followed a pattern wherein government employees and contractors reported positive scores, visitors and representatives of NGOs reported more negative scores, and nearby residents reported mid-range scores. Three criteria had government employees and contractors reporting the most positive scores, residents and visitors the most negative scores, and NGO respondents reporting mid-range scores. This research found evidence that perceptions of governance related to this outsourcing model differed significantly amongst various constituent groups.