Dr Amie Matthews

Dr Amie Matthews

Lecturer, Sociology

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• Biography
• Qualifications
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Selected Publications

Biography

Amie Matthews is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Western Sydney. Before joining the University of Western Sydney in a full-time capacity (in February 2010), Amie had worked as a casual lecturer/tutor and research assistant in the School of Social Sciences (2008-2009). She has also taught at the University of Newcastle (2004-2007), where she completed both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Amie’s PhD (awarded in 2008) examined the role of independent travel or backpacking in the lives of young people and the impacts that this contemporary rite of passage has on individual identity, relationships and world-self perceptions. She has taught in sociology, social research methods and social theory, media and cultural studies, and tourism and leisure studies. Her research interests include: youth tourism and backpacking; volunteer and socially responsible tourism; tourism impacts; youth cultures; spirituality and meaning making in contemporary Western societies; contemporary rites of passage; and transnationalism.

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Qualifications

BA, Sociology and Anthropology and Law (2001); BA (Hons) Sociology and Anthropology (2003); PhD, Sociology (2008) (University of Newcastle)

Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

Sociology of Tourism namely, backpacking and independent travel; youth tourism.

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Selected Publications

Book Chapters:

Matthews, A. (2008) Negotiated Selves: Exploring The Impact Of Local-Global Interactions On Young Volunteer Travelers.(opens in a new window) In: Lyons, K & Wearing, S. (eds.) Journeys of Discovery in Volunteer Tourism: International Case Study Perspectives. CABI, Wallingford, UK.

Matthews, A. (2008) Backpacking as a Contemporary Rite of Passage: Victor Turner and Youth Travel Practices.(opens in a new window) In: St John, G. (ed.) Victor Turner and Contemporary Cultural Performance. Berghahn Books, New York & Oxford.

Journal Articles:

Stevenson, D. and Matthews, A. (forthcoming, 2010) ‘Editorial: Culture, Policy and the City’. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events,(opens in a new window) 2 (3).

Matthews, A. (2009) Living paradoxically: understanding the discourse of authentic freedom as it emerges in the travel space.(opens in a new window) Tourism Analysis, 14 (2): 165-174.

Conference Papers:

Matthews, A. (2008) Bringing the world home: understanding young backpackers' adaptations and appropriations of 'local' knowledges, spiritualities and world views.(opens in a new window) ASA 2008: Ownership and Appropriation. University of Auckland, New Zealand. December 8-12.

Matthews, A. & Young, T. (2008) Tripping Around the World: Unpacking backpacker discourses on drug use in the context of International Travel.(opens in a new window) International Tourism and Media Conference, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. November 25-28.

Matthews, A. (2007) Negotiating ‘home’ and ‘away’: the impacts of long-term travel, time and distance on identity, belonging and sense of place. ASA 2007: Thinking Through Tourism, London Metropolitan University, UK. April 10-13.

Matthews, A. (2007) ‘Here for a good time, not a long time’: sexual freedom, desire and intimacy in the international backpacking community. ASA 2007: Thinking Through Tourism, London Metropolitan University, UK. April 10-13.

Matthews, A. (2006) Transience and connection in the travel space: exploring the impacts of authenticity and freedom on identity and interpersonal relationships. Annual Conference of the Australian Sociological Association (TASA), University of Western Australia, Perth. December 4-7.

Matthews, A. (2006) To be authentically free and free authentically: an analysis of the interplay between discourses of authenticity and freedom in the travel space.(opens in a new window) International Tourism and Media Conference, Melbourne, Australia. November 28-December 1.

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