Research interests
As an interdisciplinary scholar, I aim to contribute to the theory and practice of tourism, recreation, and leisure academically and within the communities in which I undertake research. I am a qualitative and mixed methods researcher with a social constructivist perspective, strongly influenced by the anthropological study of tourism, the philosophy of recreation and leisure and social justice issues emerging in the leisure, recreation and tourism industries.
My research focuses on narratives produced by and for tourists/recreationists, the transmission of inter-cultural knowledge and sustainability practices, host and guest interactions, the phenomenological experience of tourism, recreation and leisure, and rural community tourism development.
I am therefore committed to qualitative inquiry and pragmatic research which aims to address real world challenges across recreation, leisure and tourism pursuits and their accompany industries from a critical and social justice perspective with an emphasis on community-drive research initiatives.
Teaching interests
In the classroom, and extended learning environment, I have three priorities: interdisciplinary content, interactive teaching, and experiential learning. I create an interactive teaching environment through the use of in-class activities, and a Socratic teaching method which provokes discussion, enabling students to examine how social and political forces shape the construction and use of knowledge and the development of their beliefs, values and professional practice. As an interdisciplinary scholar, with an extensive professional practice background including tourism development, recreation centre management, and therapeutic recreation, my teaching interests include:
- Adventure Therapy and Nature-Based Therapeutic Recreation
- Agricultural and Culinary Tourism
- Nature-Based Recreation and Tourism
- Program Evaluation
- Qualitative Methods
- Risk Management and Legal Liability in Outdoor Recreation
- Social Justice Issues in Recreation, Leisure and Tourism
- Sustainable Events
Education
BA, Lakehead University
HBSc, Lakehead University
HBOR, Lakehead University
MES-NBRT, Lakehead University
PhD, University of Otago
Selected publications
See Google Scholar for full list of publications.
Mostafanezhad, M., Azizi, S., & Johansen, K. (2016). Valuing Organic Farm Volunteer Tourists in Hawai‘i: Farm Host Perspectives. Current Issues in Tourism, 19(6), pp. 37–41. DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2014.961904
Lemelin, R. H. & Johansen, K. (2014). The Canadian National Vimy Memorial: Remembrance, Dissonance and Resonance. International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research, 8(2), pp.203 – 218. DOI: 10.1108/IJCTHR-09-2013-0059
Lemelin, R.H., Whyte, K. P., Johansen, K., Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Wilson, C. & Hemming, S. (2013). Conflicts, battlefields, indigenous peoples and tourism: addressing dissonant heritage in warfare tourism in Australia and North America in the twenty-first century. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 7 (3), pp. 257 – 271. DOI: 10.1108/IJCTHR-05-2012-0038
Johansen, K. & Koster, R. (2012). Forming SCUBA Diving Environmental Codes of Conduct - What Entry-Level Divers are Taught in Their First Certification Course. Tourism in Marine Environments - Special Issue SCUBA DIVING: Exploring Issues of Its System, 8(1/2), pp.61-76. DOI: 10.3727/154427312X13262430524144