The Leisure Studies Association: past, present and future

The Leisure Studies Association completed in 2015 40 years since its creation and its history intertwines with the history of leisure research and its development. The focus of this article is on the past, present and future of the association. The article starts analysing the 40 years of the organisation and its contributions to the field explaining the developments and its current structure and objectives. In 40 years the Leisure Studies Association offered an immense contribution to the field with its journal Leisure Studies, the publication of over 120 books and the organisation of its annual conference and multiple workshops and seminars. The final part of this paper looks to the future of the association and the leisure studies as well as to the obstacles to be overcome considering the current situation and characteristics of higher education.