All in good fun: governing camp experiences through discourses of ‘good’ and ‘fun’

Abstract

Summer camps have been conventionally associated with the positive development of individual character through the promotion of recreational 'fun.' However, popular narratives obscure more critical questions concerning the power-knowledge relations that have shaped the provision of summer camp fun as a significant site of child development in Canadian culture. In this article we examine how camp counsellors mobilise particular discourses about the benefits, or 'good', and 'fun' of camp to govern themselves and the campers that are in their care. We draw on Foucauldian notions of governmentality to problematise that which is often assumed as the 'truth' of camp experiences. We discuss how the 'good' of camp often draws on psy-discourses and those of entrepreneurial selves to improve or add value to campers' lives. Additionally, 'fun' discourses and practices can work to produce manageable and docile campers. We conclude the article by identifying the implications of the research for developing a critical approach to the management of young staff who work to provide a broad range of recreational experiences where benefits and fun are promised.Camping Association, 2009). This may be an unrealistic promise. Adolescent staff are responsibilised to do this within a few weeks in a recreational setting. Such descriptions of camp experiences create idealistic, if not unrealistic, expectations for parent purchasers, child consumers, camp managers and camp counsellors. As the everyday authorities charged with managing campers conduct, camp counsellors are enmeshed in a complex web of powerknowledge relations (Foucault, 1980) and, as such, are required to negotiate discourses of 'good' and 'fun' camper experiences. A more critical understanding of how camp counsellors experience these discourses and power relations can offer insights for camp managers, camp organisation and, more broadly, child and youth recreational associations (i.e., sport, music, arts, dance, clubs) on how to support youthful leaders who are also responsibilised in the shaping of the conduct of their charges.Using analytics of governmentality (Foucault, 1980), we undertake an analysis of how discourses of 'good' and 'fun' are taken up by camp counsellors to shape camper experiences. We include insights into the tensions and dilemmas that arise as camp counsellors negotiate relations of power as they attempt to mobilise techniques that will produce the 'promised' camper experiences. We wish to disrupt assumptions of 'good' and 'fun' that shape camper experiences and open up the possibility for understanding and acknowledging diverse camp counsellor experiences. Our contribution seeks to extend the empirical research on camp experiences through a discursive analysis of power-knowledge relations that come to govern camper and camp counsellor experiences as well as their subjectivities. Considering camp experiences through governmentality

Service quality, satisfaction and behavioural intentions in sport child camps: participants and parents' perspectives

“…Regarding Fun, its positive effect in participants' BI supports the idea that sport child camps must be planned to be a positive and fun environment (Barlas et al. , 2011; Baker et al ., 2019). From a managerial point of view, it is crucial to consider new and different sport activities (Blo-Ball; Hammerfield; 4D Soccer), paralympic sports (boccia, wheelchair tennis, seated volleyball) or the most enjoyed sport activities in the previous camp edition (i.e.…”

“…Thus, considering the SFR's influence on RI among participants, camp managers must continuously develop recovery strategies such as listing the most common and the rarest service failures, preparing a plan B for each potential failure (failures in food, activities, or facilities). Regarding Fun, its positive effect in participants' BI supports the idea that sport child camps must be planned to be a positive and fun environment (Barlas et al, 2011;Baker et al, 2019). From a managerial point of view, it is crucial to consider new and different sport activities (Blo-Ball; Hammerfield; 4D Soccer), paralympic sports (boccia, wheelchair tennis, seated volleyball) or the most enjoyed sport activities in the previous camp edition (i.e.…”

“…Similarly, previous literature highlights the importance of attributes such as opportunities to have fun (Barlas et al. , 2011; Baker et al ., 2019), quality and variety of food (Costa et al ., 2004; Lehto et al. , 2020), Rules (Chavez et al ., 2014), communication of the events (Costa et al ., 2004; Lehto et al.…”

“…Considering that parents often value event organization (Lehto et al, 2020), the inclusion of related attributes when measuring SQ in sport child camps should be considered. Similarly, previous literature highlights the importance of IJSMS 25,1 attributes such as opportunities to have fun (Barlas et al, 2011;Baker et al, 2019), quality and variety of food (Costa et al, 2004;Lehto et al, 2020), Rules (Chavez et al, 2014), communication of the events (Costa et al, 2004;Lehto et al, 2020) and the sense of safety (Klunk et al, 2021;Omelan et al, 2018) as important features of the overall SQ in sport child camps.…”

“…Considering that parents often value event organization (Lehto et al, 2020), the inclusion of related attributes when measuring SQ in sport child camps should be considered. Similarly, previous literature highlights the importance of Consumer perspectives of sport child camps attributes such as opportunities to have fun (Barlas et al, 2011;Baker et al, 2019), quality and variety of food (Costa et al, 2004;Lehto et al, 2020), Rules (Chavez et al, 2014), communication of the events (Costa et al, 2004;Lehto et al, 2020) and the sense of safety (Klunk et al, 2021;Omelan et al, 2018) as important features of the overall SQ in sport child camps. Despite the general agreement that multi-dimensional models are crucial for measuring SQ (Biscaia et al, 2021), there is a dearth of research on the dimensionality of SQ in sport child camps, particularly when considering the perceptions of both parents and participants and its effects on subsequent responses among these two groups.…”