Diane M. Samdahl

Dr. Samdahl received a B.S. in Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin and a M.A. in Sociology at the University of Washington before obtaining her Ph.D. in Leisure Studies at the University of Illinois. Her work focuses on leisure in everyday contexts with particular attention to populations that have been marginalized by mainstream culture on the basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation. A unifying theme throughout her work is that cultural factors shape and oftentimes limit personal expression in leisure, and that issues of power and control must be added to insights about enjoyment and motivation if we are to understand leisure's meaning for different segments of our population. Many of Dr. Samdahl's publications engage in a reflexive examination of North American leisure sciences including several articles and a book chapter that critique leisure constraints research. Dr. Samdahl has co-authored one book, The Diverse Worlds of Unemployed Adults: Consequences for Leisure, Lifestyle, and Health. In addition to teaching in the Recreation and Leisure Studies Program she is affiliated with the Women's Studies Institute and the Qualitative Inquiry Program at the University of Georgia. Dr. Samdahl was awarded the SPRE Excellence in Teaching Award in 2005.