Podcast blurb: Tom and Mike talk about EDI concepts and related issues in events.

Tom’s bio: Dr Thomas Fletcher is Reader within the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management. He is an interdisciplinary applied sociologist with particular interest in sport, equity, diversity and inclusion, social justice, families and fatherhood.

Tom is an internationally recognised researcher. His work can be broadly categorised under three intersecting areas. Firstly, migration and ethnically communities where he is recognised globally for his work into the South Asian diaspora, race equality and social justice in sport, leisure and events. Secondly, social and cultural aspects of sports events where he has published on topics related ethical event hosting, community development, and inclusive events. The third and most recent area concerns families and family events. He is the author of the 2020 monograph Negotiating fatherhood: sport and family practices (Palgrave Macmillan) which won the 2021 Leisure Studies Association Outstanding Book Prize.

Beyond Leeds Beckett, Tom has a range of roles with international peer review journals and organisations. He is currently a Managing Editor of Leisure Studies, Associate Editor of Events Management and Sport in Society. He was previously Reviews Editor for Soccer & Society. Tom is a Board member of The Academy of Leisure Sciences and sits on the Heritage Advisory Group of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation. Between 2017 and 2020 Tom was Chair of the Leisure Studies Association.

Further reading:

Calver J; Dashper K; Finkel R; Fletcher T; Lamond I; May E; Platt L; Ormerod N (2023) The (in)visibility of equality, diversity, and inclusion research in event management journals. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events