Dr Gayathri (Gee) Wijesinghe |
||
| Position: | Lecturer - Tourism |
|
| Division/Portfolio: | Division of Business | |
| School/Unit: | School of Management | |
| Campus: | City West Campus | |
| Office: | EM3-23 | |
| Telephone: | +61 8 830 20263 | |
| Fax: | +61 8 830 20512 | |
| Email: | Gayathri_dot_Wijesinghe_at_unisa_dot_edu_dot_au | |
| URL for Business Card: | http://people.unisa.edu.au/Gayathri.Wijesinghe | |
Hello, I am Gayathri Wijesinghe, known as Gee for short. Welcome to my homepage which outlines some things about me and what I do. I am a Lecturer at the University of South Australia in the Tourism and Hospitality programs that are attached to the School of Management.
I was born in Sri Lanka, but I am now an Australian citizen, having lived in Australia for nearly 20 years. I started my career working in the hospitality industry in Australia and Sri Lanka while undertaking studies at the Regency Park Hotel School, in South Australia as an overseas student. I have seven years experience working in the hospitality industry in various capacities. I have also been undertaking further studies since then. My research and teaching interests focus on the philosophical, historical, anthropological, social, cultural and psychological dimensions of Tourism and Hospitality studies.
I have been teaching at the University of South Australia since 1998 in a number of core areas in Tourism and Hospitality Management. I am currently the Course Co-ordinator and Lecturer for the undergraduate course Managing the Hospitality Experience and the postgraduate course Festivals and Events. I love my work and my goal in teaching is to make a difference by facilitating learning in a caring, nurturing environment that encourage discoveries and incorporate respect, reflection and compassion, and prepare my students to the challenges of a ‘caring profession’.
I am also an active researcher. My PhD thesis explored the every day experiences and challenges of receptionist work. This then led to subsequent explorations of the cultural and emotional dimension of tourism/hospitality work, sexuality in host-guest relations, explorations of hospitality through the 'gaze' of the guest, and the pedagogy of tourism and hospitality experience.
I am a Hermeneutic Phenomenologist in the ‘expressive’ tradition with a preference for qualitative research, and attached to the Centre for Research in Equity, Education and Work (CREEW). I welcome any enquiries from prospective postgraduate students interested in research supervision as well as for research collaboration in these areas.
Apart from work, I keep myself busy by jogging and cycling. I also like to express my creativity through colour, and love to paint shoes and other fashion accessories to coordinate with my clothes :-)
Thanks for visiting, good bye.
For more information on research degrees please visit our Research degrees homepage or contact the Research Degrees Officer - Margaret Heslop. For more information on our Master of Tourism and Hospitality by course work program please e-mail the Program Director, Murray Olliver. For more information on the Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality program please e-mail the Program Director, Jenny Davies.
WEBSITES OF INTEREST
Managing the hospitality experience course website
Festivals, Events & Conventions course website
Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality program
South Australian Tourism Commission
Centre for Research in Equity, Education and Work (CREEW)
Teaching interests
-
Philosophical, anthropological, social, cultural and psychological dimensions of tourism and hospitality studies.
- Food and festivals
I teach the following courses
| TOUR 2005 | Managing the Hospitality Experience |
| TOUR 5002 | Festivals and Events |
Professional associations
Congress of Australian University Tourism & Hospitality Education (CAUTHE)
Australia & New Zealand Academy of Management(ANZAM)
South Australian Centre for Tourism
Research Centre for the History of Food & Drink (Adelaide University)
Centre for Research in Education, Equity & Work(CREEW)
Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy - University of South Australia
Bachelor of Management (Tourism & Hospitality)-University of South Australia
Diploma of Business (Hospitality)- Regency Institute of TAFE, South Australia
Research interests
-
TOURISM, HOSPITALITY & LEISURE
Concepts, philosophy, history, social, cultural & psychological dimensions associated with management of service
Issues in the management of services in the tourism & hospitality industries i.e. through a study of emotional, aesthetic, recognition & gendered labour concepts.
Tourism and hospitality teaching/pedagogy.
Cross-cultural studies - concepts & theories as applicable to services management.
-
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
Concepts, philosophy, history, social, cultural & psychological dimensions, management of events/festivals.
Research publications
REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES
*Wijesinghe, G. (2009). A display of candy in an open jar: portraying sexualised labour in the hospitality industry using expressive phenomenology as methodology. Tourism and Hospitality Planning and Development, 6(2) August, 129-139.
Wijesinghe, G & Lewis, M, (2005), 'The Australian tourism industry and cultural implications of global tourism', in Tourism, Culture & Communication, vol.5, no.3, pp139-147.
REFEREED CONFERENCE ARTICLES
Wijesinghe, G (2009), 'An Arts Based Hermeneutic and Phenomenological Framework for Researching 'Lived Experience' – an Example from the Hospitality Industry', paper to be presented at The 3rd International Critical Tourism Studies (CTS) Conference, Zadar, Croatia, 21-24th June 2009.
Wijesinghe, G (2009), 'Philosophical and Methodological Tradition of Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in Researching 'Lived Experience'', paper to be presented at The 3rd International Critical Tourism Studies (CTS) Conference, Zadar, Croatia, 21-24th June 2009.
Wijesinghe, G (2008), 'Exploring the History and Continuities of 'Sexual Hospitality': Implications for Hospitality Management Education', paper presented at the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME) Research Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 14 - 16th May.
Wijesinghe, G. (2008). 'Showing what it's like: Expressive-phenomenology as a foundation method in tourism and hospitality research', paper presented at The Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME)conference, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 14 - 16 May 2008.
Wijesinghe, G. and Willis, P. (2002). 'How may I serve you? A slice of tourism and hospitality reception practice'. In proceedings of the 10th Annual International Conference on Post-Compulsory Education and Training, Surfers Paradise, Australia, 2-4 December 2002.
Wijesinghe, G. (2001) 'Taking cultural difference into account in the delivery of emotional labour in the tourism and hospitality industry'. In proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) Research Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, December 5 – 8.
Wijesinghe, G. and Davies, J. (2001). 'Time for intercultural communication training in the tourism and hospitality industry'. In proceedings of the Eleventh Australian Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference, Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) Research Conference, University of Canberra, Canberra, February 7 – 10.
BOOK CHAPTER
Wijesinghe, G. & Lewis, M. (2003). Can the Australian tourism industry handle the cultural implications of global tourism? Globalisation: Australian Regional Perspectives, eds. M. Shanahan and G. Treuren, Wakefield Press, Adelaide, pp 263-278.
BOOK REVIEWS
Wijesinghe, G. (2002). Book Review – Dignity at Work in Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 42 (3), November 2002
RESEARCH GRANTS
A grant for emerging researchers was secured through the Division of Business & Enterprise, at the University of SA to research food and wine tourism
REFEREED ABSTRACTS
Wijesinghe, G & Willis, P (2009), ‘A study of the hotel receptionist experience using ‘Expressive Phenomenology’: a pedagogical tool for reflective practice’, paper presented at The 28th International Human Science Research Conference Moldie, Norway 17 - 20th June.
Wijesinghe, G. and Davies, J. (1999). Intercultural communication and the tourism industry. Delighting the Senses, Proceedings of the Ninth Australian Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference, Council for Australian University Tourism and hospitality Education (CAUTHE), Adelaide, February10 - 13.
MEDIA STATEMENTS /INTERVIEWS
Hinter, G (2008), 'Real life stories from the front desk', The Researcher: UniSA News May 2008, p6.
Fernando, M (2001), 'A Meeting of Hearts in Adelaide - News', Daily News, Wednesday 1st August.
Wijesinghe, G (1999), Postgraduate Research in Tourism, International Links 9.Dec. 1999, 5 UV University Radio.
CONFERENCE PAPERS /SEMINARS
Wijesinghe, G (2008), How May I Serve You? Women Receptionists Lived Experience in the Hospitality Industry (Power Point & Online Video), University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Wijesinghe, G. (2001). Educating Australian tourism and hospitality workers about cultural differences, Group for Research Employment & Workplace Change (GREWC), University of South Australia.
Wijesinghe, G. (2001). Cross-cultural dimensions of emotional labour, Group for Research Employment & Workplace Change (GREWC), University of South Australia.
Gayathri Wijesinghe: Postgraduate Research in Tourism 1999, International Links, (Radio Program) 9.Dec. 1999, 5 UV University Radio.
SUBMITTED - UNDER REVIEW
Book
Wijesinghe, G (2010), Researching 'Lived Experience': Vignettes from Hospitality Reception Practice, Person Education, Parkside, South Australia.
Book Chapter
Wijesinghe, G & Willis, P (2009), 'Receiving and Shaping the Tourist Appraising Gaze: The Experience and Curriculum of Reception Work in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry', in Gazing, Glancing, Glimpsing? Tourists and Tourism in a Visual World: Unpacking the Images of Tourism, ed. P Burns, Routledge, Brighton, UK.
PUBLICATIONS IN PROGRESS
Book Chapter
Wijesinghe, G (2010), 'Researching Lived Experience - a Study from the Hospitality Industry', in Research Methods in Tourism, vol. 4, eds. C Megehee, A Ogle & A Woodside, Elsevier, Oxford (1st draft completed)
Journal article
Wijesinghe, G (2010), 'The Pedagogies of Welcome: Changing Favours and Benefits of Hospitality', Annals of Tourism Research (Final draft in preparation).
Wijesinghe, G., “Cross-cultural variability of emotions and display rules: implications for the tourism and hospitality industry” (1st draft completed).
Expertise for Media Contact
I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:
Discipline: Tourism
- Tourism & Hospitality Management
- Festivals & Events Management
- Gender Issues in Tourism and Hospitality Labour
- History of Tourism, Hospitality & Festivals
- Education and Training
Research Degree Supervisor
I welcome the supervision of Masters by research and Doctor of Philosophy by research students, in aspects relating to the sociology, psychology and culture of Management. These include areas of Tourism, Hospitality, Leisure, Festivals, Pedagogy, Gender Studies and Culture, and interested in using Qualitative reseach methodologies.Change | Staff home page help