CCSE: Topics of Interest for SGSSS Student-led Open Competition 2025/26

Colleagues from the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events (CCSE) at University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are eligible to supervise students in the area of sport, leisure and tourism (Unit of Assessment 24) for the SGSSS Student-led Open Competition which is now open for applications.

We are keen to invite expressions of interest in a number of research topic areas, related to the SGSSS Challenge-Led Pathways (https://www.sgsss.ac.uk/about-us/challenge-led-pathways/): 

• Communication, AI and New Technologies 

• Environment, Migration and Demographic Change 

• Governance and Institutions 

• Health, Wellbeing and Communities  

• Securities: Justice, Economies and Conflict 

• Social Inequalities 

If you are interested in discussing an application with CCSE colleagues, in the first instance contact the SGSSS UoA Lead for UWS; david.mcgillivray@uws.ac.uk. 

Priority Topics for CCSE 

1. Sport (events) and human rights  

• The governance arrangements for human rights in mega sport events. In this research area we are interested in exploring what governance arrangements are most effective in respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in the context of major and mega sport events. We are interested in institutional arrangements and how stakeholders at all levels are involved in planning and decision-making processes so that the progressive rhetoric is translated into effective practice. Governance arrangement topic areas include: 
  • The relationship between grassroots organisations and advocacy organisations in representation of human rights concerns around mega sport events 
  • Building effective remedy measures into the accountability and operational structures of mega sport events 
  • Leadership representation and impact on policy and practice, especially in terms of gender, race, LGBTI+ and other marginalized groups 

• Protest and activism related to sport and events. In this research area we are interested in the ways civil society engages with sport and events, from grassroots community groups to international NGOs and coalitions like the Sport & Rights Alliance, to create pressure for change, particularly around human rights related areas. This research focuses on effective strategies for action, including in relation to communications with sports fans and/or the public, as well as exploring social movement perspectives on events as a way of thinking beyond sport mega-events as they currently exist. 

• Sportswashing, soft power and cultural diplomacy. In this research area we are interested in investigating the role sport mega-events play in the projection of soft power and how this meshes with discourses of human rights. This builds on extensive previous research on soft power and cultural diplomacy approaches to understanding events. We are interested in how the soft power strategies of hosts address (or elide) issues with human rights and the potential for change through the hosting of events. We are also interested in ways sport organizations and other actors have resisted or can resist sportswashing, particularly in terms of investments and financial takeovers. Relatedly, we are also interested in assessing the validity of the critique that sportswashing is an orientalist label applied by western media to Middle Eastern hosts, in particular. 

• Sport events and disability rights. In this research area we are interested in investigating what event owners, event managers, and host cities are doing to ensure that policies and practices around their events improve the experiences of persons with disabilities. We are also interested in how various forms of ableism are limiting event stakeholders and owners from recognising disability in their own event context and in exploring what event owners, organising committees and host agencies can do to foreground a disability rights perspective in future events. 

• Gender based violence in sport. In this research area we are interested in exploring the prevalence, mechanisms, and experiences of gender-based violence within sport contexts through an intersectional approach, and how sports and sporting events seek to address gender-based violence. We are also interested in how sport and sporting events can be conducted in ways that are empowering for survivors of gender-based violence. 

• Menstruation and sport. In this research area we are interested in menstrual justice within sports contexts: what access do athletes, spectators, employees and others within sports contexts have to suitable, and hygienic menstrual products? How do social stigmas surrounding menstruation impact menstruation experiences within sports contexts? How can dignified menstruation experiences be created within sporting contexts? 

• Athlete activism and the media. In this research area we are interested in the rights of athletes in sport and sporting events to express their views on human rights and related social issues. We are interested in restrictions imposed by the Olympic Charter, sporting federations and mega sport event rights holders to restrict freedom of expression, especially when related to competition spaces and environments (e.g. the podium). Finally, we are interested in how athletes make use of different media platforms, especially social media to participate in forms of athlete activism.   

2. Tourism  

• Cultural Heritage and Tourism: We invite research proposals that explore the relationship between cultural heritage and tourism, focusing on how tourism influences the preservation of cultural traditions and practices. Research should address both the challenges and opportunities tourism presents for safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage. We encourage studies that examine authenticity in cultural heritage tourism, the role of education in fostering appreciation among visitors, and community-led initiatives aimed at preserving cultural identity.  

• Inclusive Strategies for Tourism Development: We invite research proposals that explore participatory tourism planning, highlighting the significance of community engagement in developing tourism initiatives.  Research should focus on strategies for involving local stakeholders such as residents, businesses, and government in the planning process to ensure their voices are heard.  

CCSE UWS expertise and experience 

Staff and PhD student members of the CCSE have expertise and experience in investigating the relationship between sport and human rights, including leading research projects on the topic, publishing academic articles, supervising PhD students and participating in media communications. In the following sections we outline our existing work, including current projects, publications (academic and media) and ongoing PhD research.   

Existing funded research projects  

Professor David McGillivray, Deputy Director of CCSE is the UWS Principal Investigator on the European-funded EventRights project. This is an EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange project which seeks to explore, and share knowledge, on the extent to which the landscape of major sport events (MSEs) can be improved to ensure a progressive, rights-focused agenda is pursued by awarding organisations, host governments and implemented in the formal institutions tasked with organising these events. The project seeks to produce recommendations as to how MSE organising committees, awarding bodies, and the local/national state can be mandated to ensure that opportunities to address inequality, enhance diversity and facilitate greater dialogue are enshrined in the planning, delivery, and legacy plans for the events themselves. Staff mobilities form the main component of this project, from European institutions (circa 5) to partners in the US, Canada, Japan and Brazil. In 2023, 10 UWS staff members and PhD students attended the EventRights International Research Training School hosted at Western University, Ontario, Canada, along with scholars from across Europe and internationally. This project continues until the end of 2024 and we are currently in dissemination mode. We anticipate a follow up funding application in 2025. 

Professor McGillivray is also a research partner to the project, Sports for the Planet, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. This project will develop a conceptual model and indicator framework for analysing sustainability in major sports events, including integrity and human rights. It will collect data to evaluate the sustainability of a broad range of these events from 1990 to 2022 and to investigate the factors behind differential outcomes. Building on a pilot project, the quantitative part will involve the creation of a database from official documents and public sources, containing some 60 indicators of 248 editions of 24 major single-sports and multi-sports events. This database will allow a systematic comparative analysis of the sustainability outcomes of major sports events over time. 

Since 2013, Professor Gayle McPherson and Professor David McGillivray have been working with Professor Laura Misener and colleagues in Canada on four large Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)and Sport Canada grants focused on Disability Rights & Sport Events. Since Darcy (2012) called for a more inclusive events research agenda that firmly embeds the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) ensures people with disability equality of experience in all areas of citizenship, there has been an increase in events and disability related research. Despite the proliferation of research on various aspects of sport events and disability events, even those focused on disability such as the Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games or Para Pan American Games remain firmly entrenched in ableist practices. Our most recent study builds upon our two previous SSHRC/Sport Canada Research Participation Initiative-funded projects where we examined the leveraging strategies of different major sport events for persons with disabilities (parasport events), and the impacts of these strategies at the individual and organisational level beyond the timeframe of the events. Our work examines how different types of sport events (sizes, scales and scope) integrate disability rights through their emphasis on inclusion, access and opportunity for persons with disabilities in all aspects of the event – from bidding, to delivery, to legacy for spectators and participants. The overall aim of the current study (2023-2027) is to develop a framework with a tangible mechanism for translating a ‘rights-based approach’ to inform policy action, practice and improve sport participation for persons with a disability. This also builds on a study by McPherson and others for the Peter Harrison and the Observatory for Sport in Scotland that examined the lived experience of those with a disability and their participation in sport, specifically examining the impact of the International Classification Framework and the impact of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in terms of societal changes to inclusion for people with a disability.  

Regenerative tourism and sustainable future for small heritage sites: Dr Masood Khodadadi, Reader in Tourism, Culture and Society is the Principal Investigator on a British Academy funded project focusing on how regenerative tourism can revitalise post-industrial towns – with a particular focus on Paisley – by focusing on their small heritage sites. The aim is to demonstrate how these sites can support sustainable development and bring cultural, social, and economic benefits to the community. By examining how heritage tourism can stimulate the local economy, create jobs, and foster stronger community ties, we plan to gather insights from key stakeholders through interviews and focus groups. The findings will identify the key elements of successful regenerative tourism and suggest strategies to enhance its positive impact, ultimately supporting the town’s sustainable growth. 

Dr Kalyan Bhandari is currently leading the British Academy funded project titled Covenanting heritage tourism in Scotland. Despite being one of the prominent historical resources in the southwest of Scotland, Covenanting memorials do not appear in the tourism imagery of Scotland. This project attempts to examine the dialogues that explain the invisibility of Covenanting memorials of the southwest region in Scottish tourism.   

The study will help enrich the conceptual understanding of the relation between death, atrocities, religion and tourism and explore the possibility of developing Covenanting memorials as heritage tourism attractions in Scotland. 

Academic publications by CCSE members 

Members of CCSE actively publish in the areas of sport (events), human rights, and community-focused tourism, including research on cultural heritage and its intersections with tourism. Most recent articles published by colleagues are: 

Sport events and human rights 

Talbot, A. (in press) Event coalitions after the event: legacies of mega-event activism. Contention. 

Talbot, A. (2024) Resisting Olympic Evictions: Contesting Space in Rio de Janeiro. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 

Koenigstorfer, J., Yaanxiang, Y., Bocarro, J.N., Brittain, I., Lundberg, E., McGillivray, D., Misener, L., Chalip, L & Duignan, M (2023) The State of Play Between Managing Major Sports Events and Human Rights: a Scoping Review, Event Management 27 (6), 823-849, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/152599522X16419948695323  

McGillivray, D., McPherson G., Bocarro, J & Heerdt, D (2023) Editorial: Foregrounding a rights-based agenda for sport events, Frontiers in Sport and Active Living, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1282492  

Talbot, A (2022) Human rights at the Olympic Games: policy, protest, progress? Event Management, 27 (6), 915-930, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/152599522X16419948391212  

Koenigstorfer, J., Kolbinger, O. & McGillivray, D. (2022) Athlete activism, human rights and the 2020 Olympic Games: A Twitter analysis of Raven Saunders’ activism. Event Management, https://doi.org/10.3727/152599522X16419948695125  

Aina, O., McGillivray, D., Carnicelli, S & McPherson, G. (2021). Embedding Child Rights Principles and Practises in Mega Sport Event Planning, Frontiers in Sport and Active Living, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.695666 

McGillivray, D., O’Donnell, H., McPherson, G., & Misener, L. (2021). Repurposing the (Super)Crip: Media Representations of Disability at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Communication & Sport, 9(1), 3–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479519853496  

McGillivray, D. Koenigstorfer, J., Bocarro, J.N. & Edwards, M.B. (2021). The role of advocacy organisations for ethical mega sport events, Sport Management Review, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2021.1955531 

McPherson, G; Oluwaseyi, A; McGillivray, D and Misener, L (2020) Disability and Events in Page, S; and Connell, J (Eds) Routledge Handbook of Events London:  Routledge ISBN 9780367236489 https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280993 

Smith, A & McGillivray, D. (2020). The long-term implications of mega-events for the provision of urban public spaces, Sport in Society, DOI: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17430437.2020.1826934 

Talbot, A (2019) Talking about the ‘rotten fruits’ of Rio 2016: Framing mega-event legacies, 56 (1), 20-35, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902198788  

McGillivray, D., Edwards, M.B., Brittain, I., Bocarro, J. & Koenigstorfer, J. (2019). A conceptual model and research agenda for bidding, planning and delivering major sport events that lever human rights, Leisure Studies, 38 (2), 175-190, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2018.1556724 

Misener, L., McPherson, G., McGillivray, D., and Legg, D (2018) Leveraging Disability Sport Events: Impacts, Promises, and Possibilities, London: Routledge 

McGillivray, D., McPherson, G. & Misener, L. (2018). Major sporting events and geographies of disability, Urban Geography, 39 (3), 329-344, DOI: 10.1080/02723638.2017.1328577 

Talbot, A (2017) Human rights abuses at the Rio 2016 Olympics: activism and the media, Leisure Studies, 77-88, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2017.1318162  

McPherson, G; O’Donnell, H; McGillivray, D; Misener, L (2016) Elite Athletes or Superstars? Media Representation of Parasport at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Disability & Society, 31:5, pps 659-675, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2016.1197823 

Tourism and heritage 

Campbell, F., & Khodadadi, M. (2024). Regulatory challenges and impacts on hospitality: a case study of Scotland’s self-catering sector. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024.2388793 

Amini, A., Khodadadi, M., Nikbakht, A., & Nemati, F. (2024). Determinants and indicators for destination competitiveness: the case of Shiraz city, Iran. International Journal of Tourism Cities. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-06-2023-0114 

Pezeshki, F., Khodadadi, M., & Bagheri, M. (2023). Investigating community support for sustainable tourism development in small heritage sites in Iran: A grounded theory approach. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2023.2220316 

Nematpour, M., Khodadadi, M., Makian, S., & Ghaffari, M. (2022). Future scenarios for improving Iran’s overall destination image and attractiveness: A supply‐side perspective. Futures & Foresight Science. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/ffo2.143 

Khodadadi, M., Pezeshki, F., & O’Donnell, H. (2021). Small but perfectly (in) formed? Sustainable development of small heritage sites in Iran. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 1-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2021.1933992 

Bhandari, K. (2023). Fatalism and Leisure in Nepal. Leisure Studies,DOI:10.1080/02614367.2023.2168031 

Bhandari, K. (2022). Tourism and Commercial Nationalism. Annals of Tourism Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2022.103443 

Bhandari, K. (2021). Social sanctions of leisure and tourism constraints in Nepal. Tourist   Studies, 21(2), 300-316. 

Bhandari, K. (2019). Tourism and the geopolitics of Buddhist heritage in Nepal. Annals of Tourism Research, 75(C), 58-69. 

Bhandari, K. (2018). International Development ideology and two tourism policies of Nepal. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(3), 558-576.   

PhD students (completed and existing) 

CCSE members have supervised the following PhD students to completion: 

• Aina Oluwaseyi (2023): Assessing child rights in mega sporting events: a case study of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Lead Supervisor, Professor David McGillivray) 

• Nasser Alkubaisi (2022): Mega Sporting Events and the influence of International Human Rights: A positioning case for Qatar (Lead Supervisor, Professor Gayle McPherson)  

• Solomon Ilevbare (submitted): Sport diplomacy as a soft power tool: a case study of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games  

Seven other students are currently pursuing their doctoral studies: 

• Callum McCloskey: Sports mega events, human rights, and governance: A case study of the United 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. 

• Stephen Mills: Reforming the Games: Securing sustainability in the Olympic Games bidding process 

• Rui Jin: Cultivating Sustainability within the Olympic Games via Endorsed Practices  

• Declan Downie: Embedding disability rights in sport participation frameworks  

• Nicoleta Ciubotariu: Promoting physical activity for survivors of violence against women in Scotland: needs, approaches and impacts 

• Emily Devine: Para-athletes’ negotiations of menstruation, disability, and their athletic identity: A qualitative investigation 

• Norman Duncan: Regenerative Tourism: A Community-Based Solution for Post-Industrial Scottish Towns 

• Weina Li: The role of CSR in Small Hospitality Businesses in China 

• Khrisnamurti: Exploring the Art and Techniques of Heritage Interpretation in Indonesia.