InsideEvents Programming

InsideEvents is an international podcast hosted by Dr Mike Duignan, featuring 50+ scholars and practitioners talking about ideas, concepts, “Difficult Conversations” and “Wicked Problems” in events. Below, you can find all podcasts currently published and scheduled, and to the right you can cluck to find out more about the aim of each series.

  • Apart from “difficult conversations” and “wicked problems” most of the InsideEvents podcasts are dedicated to explore ideas and concepts related to events, from “event portfolios” to “legacies” and all the ideas in between.

  • There are a lot of difficult conversations that event owners, organisers, governments and critical commentators are having, and that are needed to have, to tackle some of the most pressing - often existential - challenges facing the events industry. "Difficult Conversations” is a special track of InsideEvents podcasts designed to bring key stakeholders together to openly discuss these issues. These podcasts will be launched in 2024, covering a range of issues. Examples include:

    Does Saudia Arabia’s quest for global sport event domination represent an attempt at “Sportswashing”?

    Do major events, like the Super Bowl, increase risks of human trafficking and modern-day slavery?

    Events often manifest as “cities within cities” and often fail to engage meaningfully with the host destination: Why is this and to what extent is this true?

    Is development associated with mega-events incompatible with sustainable social and economic development principles?

    What are the benefits of failed bids?

    Can FIFA ever clean up its image of corruption and human rights scandals?

    Race and sporting events in the USA": What progress has been made in the last century 1920’s to 2020s?

    Is Paris 2024 just a project to extend a gentrified “Grand Paris”?

    Do we do enough to promote a strategic “event portfolio” approach to scheduling events in the calendar for destinations? What are the barriers?

    Why is it that major- and mega-events consistently overestimate benefits and underestimate costs? Is this part of the game? Can we do anything about it?

    Is it fair to judge cities and countries like Qatar on human rights with the same standard as developed nations (who also historically had dubious rights records)?

  • Hosting events, particularly large-scale major- or -mega-events have become more complex both in terms of the business environment they find themselves in, and the operational and strategic demands around sustainable development and the legacies they leave behind.

    This special track of InsideEvents applies some of the principles of wicked problem solving to interrogate and seek solutions to some of these pressing issues in the bidding, planning, delivery and legacies of large-scale events. The thing that makes events interesting is that they not only produce wicked problems (e.g. planning issues), they can also tackle non-event related problems too (e.g. tackle everyday socio-economic challenges in the destination).

    The principles of wicked problems is ideal to frame these discussions as they are all inherently complex with no “stopping rule” and not always a clear “right or wrong” solution. This is because events are always situated in social contexts that have their own norms and values, therefore, each problem is always inherently different with various local economic, political, social and cultural factors influencing processes and outcomes. And finally, solutions to wicked problems are always “one shot” operations, which is often the case for one-off events, like the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    Examples of topics include:

    1. How do we produce lasting legacies out of events that are fundamentally temporary?

    2. Are events and festivals doing enough to be environmentally friendly and encourage pro-environmental behaviours?

    3. How do we balance hedonic experiences with the need for social responsibility (e.g. pro-environmental behavior at festivals)?

    4. How do we design and deliver major events that result in minimal human rights violations?

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  • Dr Meng Qu (Hokkaido University) on 'Use of Events for Social Revitalisation'

    Dr Meng Qu (Hokkaido University) on 'Use of Events for Social Revitalisation'

    Podcast blurb: The connections between artistic events and the rejuvenation of social life in rural areas, where the need for creativity is pressing, are becoming increasingly evident. Many small, outlying Japanese communities are grappling with the effects of depopulation, an aging population, and economic decline. The need to prevent further decline has led to the emergence of art as a remedy for strengthening these communities. Both large and small-scale art festivals deeply rooted in the community have been organized with the primary goal of revitalizing these struggling areas. These festivals showcase artworks that celebrate the local landscape and incorporate elements of the region's cultural heritage. This podcast aims to explore how these creative events stimulate population growth and bolster the resilience and social connections within the community. The implications of this discussion suggest that active community involvement and the establishment of creative entrepreneurship are crucial elements in the success of festivals in rural areas, as well as in ensuring that sustainable development outcomes are maximized.

    Meng’s bio: Meng Qu, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Vice Director at the Center for Advanced Tourism Studies (CATS) Hokkaido University; co-convener at Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI); Associate Editor of Folk, Knowledge, Place and Regional Editor of Event Management journal. He is also the Guest Lecturer at National Taiwan University and Hiroshima University. He is also the editorial board member at Tourism Geographies; Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT); Shima; Journal of Marine and Island Cultures (KMIC); Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism; Journal of Responsible Tourism Management (JRTM) and the advisory board member at CREATOUR International. His research draws from range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives, especially from the fields of creative/tourism geography, rural and island studies, with a focus on East Asia. Key research topics include socially engaged art festivals, relational aesthetics, creative in-migrants, sustainability, and rural revitalization.

    Further reading and resources:

    Latest Special Issue: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Small Island Cultures and Heritage

    Latest Community Project: Island Revitalization Documentary Series

    Latest Selected Publications (related to this topic):

    Qu, M., & Zollet, Z. (2023). Neo-endogenous revitalisation: Enhancing community resilience through art tourism and rural entrepreneurship. Journal of Rural Studies. 97. 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.11.016

    Qu, M., & Zollet, S. (2023) The Power of Small: Creative In-migrant Microentrepreneurs in Peripheral Japanese Islands During COVID-19. In Adventures in Small Tourism: Studies and Stories. Scherf, Kathleen, (Eds). Calgary: University of Calgary Press.


    Zollet, S., & Qu, M. (2023). Urban-to-rural lifestyle migrants in Japanese island communities: balancing quality of life expectations with reality. In P. H. Johansen, A. Tietjen, EB. Iversen, HL. Lolle, & Fisker JK. (Eds.), Rural Quality of Life. Manchester University Press.

    Qu, M., McCormick, A. D., & Funck, C. (2022). Community resourcefulness and partnerships in rural tourism, Journal of Sustainable Tourism 30 (10), 2371-2390. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1849233

    Qu, M. (2022). Socially engaged art tourism, in-migrants micro-entrepreneurship, and peripheral island revitalization. Wakayama Tourism Review 3, 17-19. https://10.19002/10.19002.3.17

    Qu, M., Cheer, J. M. (2021). Community art festivals and sustainable rural revitalisation. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(11-12), 1756-1775. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1856858

    Qu, M., & Funck, C. (2021). Rural art festival revitalizing a Japanese declining tourism island. Nancy Duxbery (Eds). In Cultural Sustainability, Tourism and Development (Re)articulations in Tourism Contexts, 51-68. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367201777-6

    Social media profiles:

    Website: https://www.qu-meng.com

    Face book: https://www.facebook.com/mengqumo/

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/KinghoodMo

    Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Meng-Qu-5

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-meng-qu-02304861/

  • Dr Sandra Goh (Auckland University of Technology) on 'Cultural Programming'

    Dr Sandra Goh (Auckland University of Technology) on 'Cultural Programming'

    Podcast blurb: If you look around every city, the performing arts centre, concert halls, theatres, art galleries, museums, arts street, art cinemas, architecture, and food, are often the highlights of the destination’s culture and image. When a programmer programmes for a space or a place, the programmer is adding soul to what animates the characteristics of a place. It is almost an imagination or the putting together of a tapestry of arts and culture representative of its past, present and future. The whole city becomes a stage when cultural programming is applied to a mega event, however, the question remains about how big this stage is and how inclusive cultural programming ought to be.

    Sandra’s bio: Dr Sandra Goh is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of BA Event Management at the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, in New Zealand. Sandra’s research touches on the contemporary issues in events and tourism. As a former event producer, Sandra is particularly interested in how creativity and the understanding of people and places help resolve some of the current issues in events, tourism and society. Sandra also serves on the editorial board of the Event Management journal. As chair of the 7 Experiences Summit, She likes to invite you to join her in New Zealand from the 28 November to 1 December 2023.

    Further reading and resources:

    Goh, S., Ryan, C., Faisal, A., & Qi, H. (2022). Mega events, disruptions, and arts entrepreneurs: Reconceptualising the creative transformation of urban spaces. Annals of Tourism Research, 92(C).

    Pappalepore, I., and Duignan, M.B. (2016). The London 2012 Cultural Programme: A Consideration of Olympic Impacts and Legacies for Small Creative Organisations in East London. Tourism Management, 54, 344-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.11.015.

  • Dr Judith Mair (University of Queensland) on 'Socio-Cultural Impacts of Events'

    Dr Judith Mair (University of Queensland) on 'Socio-Cultural Impacts of Events'

    Podcast blurb:

    The social impacts of events are hugely important to the people who live in the host destination, but often it is the economic impacts that get most attention from event funders and policymakers. There are lots of impacts, which can be short term or long term, positive or negative, and tangible or intangible. Measuring and monitoring is important, but identifying through research those impacts which have the most positive impacts on local residents, and then embedding strategies to boost these positive impacts, is an important focus of work in this field.

    Judith’s bio: Judith Mair is an Associate Professor at the UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Australia. Judith’s work aims to understand and enhance the positive impacts of tourism and events on the communities and societies which host them. She is working on a number of projects in fields including mega-event legacies, the future of events, the links between events and social connectivity and the potential impacts of climate change on the events sector.

    Further reading and resources:

    Lockstone-Binney, L., Mair, J. & Holmes, K. (2023 in press). Developing “eventful” mega-event hosting legacy indicators. Event Management

    Mair, J., Chien, P. M., Kelly, S. J., & Derrington, S (2023) Social impacts of mega-events: a systematic narrative review and research agenda, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 31(2), 538-560

    Mair, J. & Smith, A. (2021). Events and sustainability: why making events more sustainable is not enough. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 29(11-12).

    Mair, J & Duffy, M. (2021). Who has the right to the rural? Place framing and negotiating the Dungog Festival, New South Wales, Australia. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 29(2-3), 176-192.

    Mair, J. & Duffy, M. (2018). The role of festivals in strengthening social capital in rural communities. Event Management 22(6), pp. 875-889.

    Mair, J. & Duffy, M. (2018). Engaging the senses to explore community events. Event Management, 22(1), pp 49-63.

    Laing, J &. Mair, J. (2015). Music festivals and social inclusion – the festival organisers perspective. Leisure Sciences: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 37(3), 252-268.

    Mair, J. & Duffy, M. (2015). Community events and social justice in urban growth areas. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 7(3), 282-298.

  • Dr Barbara Grabher (University of Brighton) on 'The Anthropology of Events'

    Dr Barbara Grabher (University of Brighton) on 'The Anthropology of Events'

    Podcast blurb: The anthropology of events is interested in the question ‘Why?’. Why do societies celebrate? With the potential to inform the operational ‘how’ of event management and production, this focus on the reasons and purposes of events enables to dig deeper into the social, cultural and political meanings of events. Linking social scientific and philosophical debates with the phenomenon of events, the anthropology of events opens important perspectives to understand societies through the ways gatherings, celebrations and commemorations are taking place.

    Barbara’s bio: Dr Barbara Grabher works as Lecturer in Event Studies at the University of Brighton, UK. As a trained Anthropologist with a specialisation in Gender Studies, her research sits within the field of Critical Event Studies. In her research, she engages with event-based regeneration processes such as the UK City of Culture, European Capital of Culture and Eurovision Song Contest. She is the author of the monograph ‘Doing Gender in Events: Feminist Perspectives in Critical Event Studies’ (Routledge, 2022) and co-author of the forthcoming edited volume ‘Events and Infrastructures: Critical Interrogations’ (Routledge, planned publication 2024).

    Further reading and resources:

    Falassi, A. (1987). Time out of time: Essays on the festival. University of New Mexico Press.

    Routledge Critical Event Studies Book Series – Editors: Prof David McGillivray and Prof Rebecca Finkel

    Journal of Festive Studies – Lead Journal Editors: Associate Professor Aurélie Godet and Dr Isabel Machado

  • Dr Chris Chen (University of Canterbury) on 'Fandom'

    Dr Chris Chen (University of Canterbury) on 'Fandom'

    Podcast blurb: Fandom is an interesting and fascinating topic in events and general sociology, driving some unique consumer behaviours. It is the recognition of a personal, mostly positive, relatively deep, cognitive and emotional connection with an element of society, e.g., a person, an art work, part of popular culture such as movies, shows, music, sports, etc. Understanding fandom from social psychology and environmental psychology enables us in comprehending how pop culture influences us maintaining and exerting our social identities, regulating our social behaviours in interacting others and the society, and helping communities build meanings and integrity. This is specifically meaningful in discussing consumer behaviours in events, and their long-term impact to destinations and society.

    Chris’s bio: Dr Ning (Chris) Chen is a senior lecturer in marketing based at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His primary areas of research interest include identity and attachment theory in different context including place, branding, and sports, and the motivations and impact of fandom especially in sports. Dr. Chen has published numerous manuscripts in top marketing and tourism academic journals, book chapters, as well as authored books including one on Digital Sports Marketing. Dr Chen serves as an associate editor for Event Management, and sits on several other editorial boards of academic journals.

    Further reading and resources:

    Ding M., Chen N. and Shen L. (2019) Digital sports marketing. Tsinghua University Press.

    Duffett, M. (2013). Understanding fandom: An introduction to the study of media fan culture. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

    Funk, D. C., & James, J. (2001). The psychological continuum model: A conceptual framework for understanding an individual's psychological connection to sport. Sport Management Review, 4(2), 119-150.

    Gray, J., Sandvoss, C., & Harrington, C. L. (Eds.). (2017). Fandom: Identities and communities in a mediated world. NYU Press.

    Jiang, Y., & Chen, N. (2019). Event attendance motives, host city evaluation, and behavioral intentions: An empirical study of Rio 2016. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(8), 3270-3286.

  • Dr Brianna Wyatt (Oxford Brookes University) on 'Storytelling in Events'

    Dr Brianna Wyatt (Oxford Brookes University) on 'Storytelling in Events'

    Podcast blurb: Storytelling is an important element for event experiences and must be carefully and strategically designed to ensure the intended story or message is experienced. In this podcast I explain what storytelling is, how it linked to the practice of interpretation, and importantly, how storytelling helps to attract and maintain audience interests and attention whilst at the same time helping to support an enhanced quality of life for the local community in which an event might take place.

    Brianna’s bio: Brianna Wyatt is a Senior Lecturer and the Postgraduate Subject Coordinator for the Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management programmes at Oxford Brookes University. Her primary research interests and industry experience revolve around heritage and dark tourism, with emphasis in interpretation and experience design. She is also a consulting academic for (dark)heritage businesses within her University’s Business & External Engagement team, with her most recent work pertaining to collection management and exhibitions development at the Buckingham Old Gaol.

    Further reading and resources:

    Agnew, V., Lamb, J. & Tomann, J. (Eds.) The Routledge handbook of reenactment studies. Routledge.

    Åstrøm, J. K. (2020). Why Theming? Identifying the Purposes of Theming in Tourism. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 21(3), 245–266. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2019.1658147

    Brædder, A., Esmark, K., Kruse, T., Nielsen, C. T., & Warring, A. (2017). Doing pasts: Authenticity from the reenactors’ perspective. Rethinking History, 21(2), 171-192. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2017.1315969

    Dal Falco, F. & Vassos, S. (2017) Museum experience design: A modern storytelling methodology, The Design Journal, 20(1), S3975-S3983, https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352900

    Duffy, M. & J. Mair (2018) Festival Encounters: Theoretical Perspectives on Festival Events. Abingdon: Routledge.

    Jablon-Roberts, S., & Sanders, E. A. (2019). The underlying definition of historical accuracy. Dress - The Journal of the Costume Society of America, 45(2), 107-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/03612112.2018.1537647

    Saxton, L. (2020). A true story: Defining accuracy and authenticity in historical fiction, Rethinking History, 24(2) 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2020.1727189

    Tschida, D. A. (2022). Rendevous with history: Grand Portage National Monument and Minnesota’s North Shore. In C. Rex & S. E. Watson (Eds.), Public memory, race, and heritage tourism of early America (pp. 136-152). Routledge.

    Wyatt, B. & Rossetti, G. (2024 – forthcoming) Storytelling in festivals and events: A Special Issue for the Event Management Journal.