Maria Jesus Monteagudo Sanchez

Maria Jesus Monteagudo Sanchez is a PhD lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the University of Deusto, attached to Deusto Cities Katedra and member of the research team 'Leisure, Culture and Tourism for Social Transformation' (IT 1457-22). With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in the psycho-sociological study of leisure and its experience throughout life, examining its benefits and barriers in terms of human development and well-being. Currently, she is researching sustainability challenges for cities and citizens.

She actively participates in several national and international networks, including OTIUM. Asociación Iberoamericana de Estudios de Ocio, which she chaired from 2016 to 2021, and AEISAD. Asociación Española de Investigación Social aplicada al Deporte (Spanish Association of Social Research applied to Sport), which she has chaired since February 2024. Her academic work spans multiple continents, with collaborations across Spain, Latin America, and Europe.

Her research focuses on leisure studies across various populations, with particular attention to aging populations, youth, and family leisure dynamics. She has published extensively on topics including leisure geography, museum experiences, urban waterfronts, and the relationship between leisure and well-being. Her recent work explores the intersection of leisure, sustainability, and urban development, reflecting contemporary societal challenges.

Her research output reveals consistent productivity across decades, with publications spanning from 1996 to the present. The articles demonstrate an evolution from foundational leisure studies toward more specialized applications in urban contexts, aging populations, and sustainability challenges. Her work frequently employs qualitative and narrative methodologies to explore the subjective dimensions of leisure experiences.

Maria Jesus Monteagudo Sanchez has supervised numerous theses focusing on domestic leisure spaces, hybrid learning in leisure contexts, pedagogical approaches to leisure in Colombian schools, and intergenerational leisure dynamics. Her research has been supported through various institutional affiliations and collaborative networks across the Iberoamerican region.