Daniel Theriault
Biographic Data
| ID | 4439942 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Daniel Theriault |
| GIVEN NAMES | Daniel |
| FAMILY NAME | Theriault |
| SIGNATURE | THÉRIAULT D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Appalachian State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7589-5003 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 32 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 21 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Parting Thoughts LX
A People’s Leisure
Amilcar Cabral’s Theory of Class Suicide
Lessons from Amilcar cabral for resistance research in leisure studies
Few leisure scholars have defined resistance in published research. Those who have defined resistance adopted frameworks which centre norms, discourse, and ideologies rather than human rights or material needs. If the intent of resistance research is to make the world more just, a fuller accounting of the ways we might make a dent in the universe are needed. The present study fills this gap through a description Amilcar Cabral’s perspective on re…
Is Academia a Site of Struggle? A Critical Analysis of Resistance Scholarship in Leisure Studies
Scholars have long recognized that injustice pervades recreation and leisure. Some scholars have framed leisure activities or research as a meaningful response to injustice, a body of research we term resistance studies. However, this body of research has grown without a corresponding rise in analyses of unjust social structures. Given that injustice is rooted in the social structure, critical analysis of the resistance studies literature is need…
Conceptualizing Race in the Leisure Studies Diversity Course
Diversity courses are integral to higher leisure education curricula and united by the following assumptions: (a) recreation programs involve encounters with “different” groups of people and (b) future professionals require a specialized set of knowledge and skills in order to manage those interactions. Although several scholars have critiqued these assumptions, those insights have not been applied to rethinking how the diversity course is taught…
Affirmation of Jim Crow and Traces of Anti-Racist Dissent in Black Ymcas during the Great Depression
Black contexts such as segregated YMCAs are absent from the dominant narrative of leisure history. Although some research has been conducted on Black YMCAs, these studies often concluded that these sites were temporary havens from racism. However, segregation was also connected to fundamental assumptions about Black people (e.g., as inferior), beliefs which could not be warded off by the erection of separate buildings. The question therefore rema…
Pandemic Panic Course Design
Recreation Management faculty developed an alternative online experience in place of the internship in response to two conditions created by the pandemic: (a) uncertainty of students being able to obtain internships and (b) student safety. The vision was to have students build and practice problem solving skills, inspire innovation as well as be mentored by recreation professionals in the field. This brief provides an overview of the faculty team…
Promoting Creativity in Undergraduate Recreation and Leisure Services Classrooms
Creativity is a useful skill in the recreation profession, yet it is rarely treated as a fundamental skill in the preparation of undergraduate recreation majors. The purpose of this overview is to illustrate the need for creativity in the workforce and how best to nourish student creativity through undergraduate teaching. We review interdisciplinary perspectives on the creative process and how to support the development of creativity in undergrad…
Parting Thoughts XVIII
The origins and (possible) future of practice in undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies
Leisure practice, wherein a professional leads others through an activity or experience, is central to undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies. This centrality persists despite scholarly critiques that leisure practice is disconnected from systemic social issues (e.g., poverty) which harm leisure participants, professionals, students, faculty, and the communities in which all of the above operate; albeit to highly different degr…
Vulnerable Teaching in Leisure Studies
In this paper, I argue that educators who embrace vulnerability in their teaching enhance their capacity to promote social justice. Vignettes from three of my course meetings with undergraduate Recreation and Leisure Service majors are presented, each of which illustrate different opportunities and pitfalls in vulnerable teaching. The first class meeting illustrates possibilities that arise when professors acknowledge their lack of expertise. The…
A Case Study of One Inclusive Recreation Course
Diversity and inclusion courses are common components of undergraduate leisure studies curricula. Although a body of diversity and inclusion content has been developed, few detailed course structures have been shared. I share the learning outcomes, course units, lecture topics, assigned readings, and key assignments from my inclusive recreation class in this essay. Lessons learned while teaching this course are also shared to facilitate both crit…
A people’s history of leisure studies
Histories of the African American YMCA movement have largely silenced the Black actors who made that movement possible. The act of centering those individuals, not just as actors, but as thinkers capable of reshaping leisure’s past and present is an act toward social justice. The purpose of this study is to present and critically examine the ideology of one of those actors: Channing Tobias. His work both inside and outside of the YMCA was devoted…
Both Sides Now
Wilderness has been constructed as White, in part through histories that marginalize African American attitudes and experiences. In response, we provide an overview of African Americans' relationships with nature during three historical periods: (a) Enslavement, (b) Reconstruction and Postreconstruction, and (c) 1936–1994. African Americans' relationships with nature were created through an ongoing dialectic of oppression and transgression throug…
Power threats and radical healing in Black youths’ leisure
Using racial threat theory, the present commentary argues that Black youth have been historically and are presently treated as a threat in leisure settings. The second half of this article thus argues that the margins—as a space relatively free of oppression—may be an effective site for Black youth to imagine alternatives to their status as a threat. Radical healing, a process of building the capacity of Black youth to resist oppression, is descr…
Playing While Black
In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have highlighted the potential of racial profiling in leisure settings. As a result, black youth and parents remain aware of the potential dangers of participating in recreation activities in public spaces. As black youth and their families are forced to navig…
Promoting Youth Physical Activity in Rural Southern Communities
PURPOSE: Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activ…
Organized Leisure Experiences of LBGTQ Youth
This study examined the organized leisure experiences of young people who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, and queer (LBGTQ). Data were gathered through interviews, participant observation, and review of program documents at an organized leisure program for LBGTQ youth. Findings illustrate that participants experienced oppression due to their sexual identities, which manifested as both a lack of educational resources and social is…
The Association of Location and Social Context with Physical Activity Enjoyment in a Population of Able Bodied Rural Aging Women
Collectively, rural aging women experience a physical activity disparity compared to younger, male, and urban populations. Research suggests that enjoyment of physical activity may function as an antecedent to participation and also as an outcome that can encourage future leisure time physical activity. This study examines how rural women's choice of leisure time physical activity location and activity companions informs their enjoyment of that p…
Extra‐Individual Correlates of Physical Activity Attainment in Rural Older Adults
Context: Challenged with a higher incidence of disease, reduced social support, and less access to physical activity facilities and services, rural older adults may find healthy active living a challenge. Despite these challenges, some rural older adults manage to achieve active lifestyles. Purpose: This study investigates the relative importance of 4 extra‐individual correlates of physical activity to physical activity achievement in rural senio…
Organized Leisure Experiences of LBGTQ Youth
This study examined the organized leisure experiences of young people who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, and queer (LBGTQ). Data were gathered through interviews, participant observation, and review of program documents at an organized leisure program for LBGTQ youth. Findings illustrate that participants experienced oppression due to their sexual identities, which manifested as both a lack of educational resources and social is…
Both Sides Now
Wilderness has been constructed as White, in part through histories that marginalize African American attitudes and experiences. In response, we provide an overview of African Americans' relationships with nature during three historical periods: (a) Enslavement, (b) Reconstruction and Postreconstruction, and (c) 1936–1994. African Americans' relationships with nature were created through an ongoing dialectic of oppression and transgression throug…
Playing While Black
In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have highlighted the potential of racial profiling in leisure settings. As a result, black youth and parents remain aware of the potential dangers of participating in recreation activities in public spaces. As black youth and their families are forced to navig…
Power threats and radical healing in Black youths’ leisure
Using racial threat theory, the present commentary argues that Black youth have been historically and are presently treated as a threat in leisure settings. The second half of this article thus argues that the margins—as a space relatively free of oppression—may be an effective site for Black youth to imagine alternatives to their status as a threat. Radical healing, a process of building the capacity of Black youth to resist oppression, is descr…
Parting Thoughts XVIII
The origins and (possible) future of practice in undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies
Leisure practice, wherein a professional leads others through an activity or experience, is central to undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies. This centrality persists despite scholarly critiques that leisure practice is disconnected from systemic social issues (e.g., poverty) which harm leisure participants, professionals, students, faculty, and the communities in which all of the above operate; albeit to highly different degr…
A people’s history of leisure studies
Histories of the African American YMCA movement have largely silenced the Black actors who made that movement possible. The act of centering those individuals, not just as actors, but as thinkers capable of reshaping leisure’s past and present is an act toward social justice. The purpose of this study is to present and critically examine the ideology of one of those actors: Channing Tobias. His work both inside and outside of the YMCA was devoted…
Extra‐Individual Correlates of Physical Activity Attainment in Rural Older Adults
Context: Challenged with a higher incidence of disease, reduced social support, and less access to physical activity facilities and services, rural older adults may find healthy active living a challenge. Despite these challenges, some rural older adults manage to achieve active lifestyles. Purpose: This study investigates the relative importance of 4 extra‐individual correlates of physical activity to physical activity achievement in rural senio…
The Association of Location and Social Context with Physical Activity Enjoyment in a Population of Able Bodied Rural Aging Women
Collectively, rural aging women experience a physical activity disparity compared to younger, male, and urban populations. Research suggests that enjoyment of physical activity may function as an antecedent to participation and also as an outcome that can encourage future leisure time physical activity. This study examines how rural women's choice of leisure time physical activity location and activity companions informs their enjoyment of that p…
Promoting Youth Physical Activity in Rural Southern Communities
PURPOSE: Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activ…
Organized Leisure Experiences of LBGTQ Youth
This study examined the organized leisure experiences of young people who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, and queer (LBGTQ). Data were gathered through interviews, participant observation, and review of program documents at an organized leisure program for LBGTQ youth. Findings illustrate that participants experienced oppression due to their sexual identities, which manifested as both a lack of educational resources and social is…
Playing While Black
In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have highlighted the potential of racial profiling in leisure settings. As a result, black youth and parents remain aware of the potential dangers of participating in recreation activities in public spaces. As black youth and their families are forced to navig…
Power threats and radical healing in Black youths’ leisure
Using racial threat theory, the present commentary argues that Black youth have been historically and are presently treated as a threat in leisure settings. The second half of this article thus argues that the margins—as a space relatively free of oppression—may be an effective site for Black youth to imagine alternatives to their status as a threat. Radical healing, a process of building the capacity of Black youth to resist oppression, is descr…
Both Sides Now
Wilderness has been constructed as White, in part through histories that marginalize African American attitudes and experiences. In response, we provide an overview of African Americans' relationships with nature during three historical periods: (a) Enslavement, (b) Reconstruction and Postreconstruction, and (c) 1936–1994. African Americans' relationships with nature were created through an ongoing dialectic of oppression and transgression throug…
A people’s history of leisure studies
Histories of the African American YMCA movement have largely silenced the Black actors who made that movement possible. The act of centering those individuals, not just as actors, but as thinkers capable of reshaping leisure’s past and present is an act toward social justice. The purpose of this study is to present and critically examine the ideology of one of those actors: Channing Tobias. His work both inside and outside of the YMCA was devoted…
Vulnerable Teaching in Leisure Studies
In this paper, I argue that educators who embrace vulnerability in their teaching enhance their capacity to promote social justice. Vignettes from three of my course meetings with undergraduate Recreation and Leisure Service majors are presented, each of which illustrate different opportunities and pitfalls in vulnerable teaching. The first class meeting illustrates possibilities that arise when professors acknowledge their lack of expertise. The…
A Case Study of One Inclusive Recreation Course
Diversity and inclusion courses are common components of undergraduate leisure studies curricula. Although a body of diversity and inclusion content has been developed, few detailed course structures have been shared. I share the learning outcomes, course units, lecture topics, assigned readings, and key assignments from my inclusive recreation class in this essay. Lessons learned while teaching this course are also shared to facilitate both crit…
Pandemic Panic Course Design
Recreation Management faculty developed an alternative online experience in place of the internship in response to two conditions created by the pandemic: (a) uncertainty of students being able to obtain internships and (b) student safety. The vision was to have students build and practice problem solving skills, inspire innovation as well as be mentored by recreation professionals in the field. This brief provides an overview of the faculty team…
Promoting Creativity in Undergraduate Recreation and Leisure Services Classrooms
Creativity is a useful skill in the recreation profession, yet it is rarely treated as a fundamental skill in the preparation of undergraduate recreation majors. The purpose of this overview is to illustrate the need for creativity in the workforce and how best to nourish student creativity through undergraduate teaching. We review interdisciplinary perspectives on the creative process and how to support the development of creativity in undergrad…
Parting Thoughts XVIII
The origins and (possible) future of practice in undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies
Leisure practice, wherein a professional leads others through an activity or experience, is central to undergraduate education in recreation and leisure studies. This centrality persists despite scholarly critiques that leisure practice is disconnected from systemic social issues (e.g., poverty) which harm leisure participants, professionals, students, faculty, and the communities in which all of the above operate; albeit to highly different degr…
Is Academia a Site of Struggle? A Critical Analysis of Resistance Scholarship in Leisure Studies
Scholars have long recognized that injustice pervades recreation and leisure. Some scholars have framed leisure activities or research as a meaningful response to injustice, a body of research we term resistance studies. However, this body of research has grown without a corresponding rise in analyses of unjust social structures. Given that injustice is rooted in the social structure, critical analysis of the resistance studies literature is need…
Conceptualizing Race in the Leisure Studies Diversity Course
Diversity courses are integral to higher leisure education curricula and united by the following assumptions: (a) recreation programs involve encounters with “different” groups of people and (b) future professionals require a specialized set of knowledge and skills in order to manage those interactions. Although several scholars have critiqued these assumptions, those insights have not been applied to rethinking how the diversity course is taught…
Affirmation of Jim Crow and Traces of Anti-Racist Dissent in Black Ymcas during the Great Depression
Black contexts such as segregated YMCAs are absent from the dominant narrative of leisure history. Although some research has been conducted on Black YMCAs, these studies often concluded that these sites were temporary havens from racism. However, segregation was also connected to fundamental assumptions about Black people (e.g., as inferior), beliefs which could not be warded off by the erection of separate buildings. The question therefore rema…
Lessons from Amilcar cabral for resistance research in leisure studies
Few leisure scholars have defined resistance in published research. Those who have defined resistance adopted frameworks which centre norms, discourse, and ideologies rather than human rights or material needs. If the intent of resistance research is to make the world more just, a fuller accounting of the ways we might make a dent in the universe are needed. The present study fills this gap through a description Amilcar Cabral’s perspective on re…
Parting Thoughts LX
A People’s Leisure
Amilcar Cabral’s Theory of Class Suicide
Political science (15 works) · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Law (9 works) · Politics (8 works) · Recreation (8 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Gender Studies (7 works) · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts (7 works)