Sociology Of Leisure Research Articles

The great third place for the greatest third half-time tavern and the veteran's football

This paper analyzes the significance of a tavern in the organizational culture of veterans' football clubs as well as veterans' football in Belgrade. The role of the tavern as 'The Great Third Place' (in which socializing after the game takes place - the 'Third Half-Time') is studied, as well as the hypothesis that the 'Third Half Time' itself is the most important purpose for the organization of particular clubs, as well as competitions in general. Fundamental sociological concepts of such organisations have been used as a theoretical framework for the research - the concepts of organization, organizational culture, their content and types. In this interdisciplinary endeavor, the contributions of leisure sociology and tavernology have also been considered.

26. Idleness, Indolence and Leisure in English Literature

List of illustrations Notes on the Contributors Introduction Monika Fludernik and Miriam Nandi 1. Otium, Negotium and the Fear of Acedia in the Writings of England's Late Medieval Ricardian Poets Gregory M. Sadlek 2. The Dangers and Pleasures of Filling Vacuous Time: Idleness in Early Modern Diaries Miriam Nandi 3. The 'Sweet Toyle' of Blissful Bowers: Arresting Idleness in the English Renaissance Abigail Scherer 4. Idleness, Apprentices, and Machines in Deloney and Dekker Emily Anglin 5. Idleness, Class, and Gender in the Long Eighteenth Century Sarah Jordan 6. The Performativity of Idleness: Representations and Stagings of Idleness in the Context of Colonialism Monika Fludernik 7. Dramas of Idleness: The Comedy of Manners in the Works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Oscar Wilde Kerstin Fest 8. Idleness and Creativity: Poetic Disquisitions on Idleness in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries Richard Adelman 9. Versions of Working-Class Idleness: Non-Productivity and the Critique of Victorian Workaholism Benjamin Kohlmann 10. Against Busyness: Idling in Victorian and Contemporary Travel Writing Barbara Korte 11. Tramping: The Cult of the Vagabond in Early Twentieth-Century England Simon Featherstone 12. Englishness, Summer, and the Pastoral of Country Leisure in Twentieth-Century Literature Leonie Wanitzek 13. Sociology of Leisure and the Wars of the Lifestyle Gurus Ken Roberts Epilogue: Remember that Time is Knowledge, Health and Happiness: On the Mysterious Disappearance of Leisure Hartmut Rosa Bibliography Index

The crisis in sociological leisure studies and what to do about it

In recent years, social philosophers such as Zygmunt Bauman, Agnes Heller, Jacques Rancière, Richard Rorty and Peter Sloterdijk have generated tremendous excitement by offering some revolutionary and radical ways of thinking about human life in the twenty-first century that present some fundamental challenges to sociology as it is normally conducted. Responding to this trend, this article argues that we need to not only fundamentally re-think what we mean by theory in the sociology of leisure but also how we carry out research in leisure studies. The first part of the article argues that orthodox sociological ‘Theory’ is dead and it offers some good reasons why this is so. It is subsequently argued that there is a crisis in leisure theory which has its roots in the central tenets of sociology. Taking its cue from Jacques Rancière's classic study The Philosopher and His Poor, the article develops the argument that if social inequality was once upon a time the fundamental issue in the discursive formation known as the sociology of leisure, today it urgently needs an alternative cognitive framework for thinking outside this paradigm. In order to substantiate this critique the discussion considers two leading theoretical perspectives in leisure studies: the sociology of Pierre Bourdieu and feminist sociology, and in particular, the emphasis currently placed on the idea of intersectionality. It is argued thereafter that sociologists of leisure, and others who carry out research in leisure studies, generally have a particular activity in view: methodological uniformity of both the employment of research methods and the philosophical study of how, in practice, researchers go about their business. But there are some different ‘rules of method’ when we engage in thinking sociologically after ‘Theory’. As will be demonstrated in the final part of the article, analysis of this second kind of activity does not rely on the tools, epistemological frameworks and ontological assumptions generally used to make sense of leisure. Instead it develops its own new ‘rules of method’ which turn out to be radical, because they are not ‘rules of method’ at all.

Sociology of Leisure and Outdoor Recreation: From a Small Seed

Sociology of Leisure and Outdoor Recreation: From a Small Seed

Sociology of leisure

This article reviews the topics that have been investigated, the research methods that have been employed, the main theoretical perspectives, agreed conclusions and issues that remain unresolved since this sub-discipline was formed in the 1960s. We see that solid advances in knowledge have been accomplished through research into the relationships between uses of leisure and occupations, gender roles and life course stages. Meanwhile, grand claims about the role of leisure in society have yet to be developed into testable theories about the roles of particular kinds of leisure under specified circumstances. Also, it is only recently that the sociology of leisure has been forced to entertain the possibility that the western version may not be the sole form of modern leisure. keywords age ◆ gender ◆ leisure ◆ life course ◆ social class ◆ time ◆ unemployment ◆ well-being

Inspiring a generation? Young people's views on the Olympic Games’ legacy

British Journal of School NursingVol. 7, No. 6 ResearchInspiring a generation? Young people's views on the Olympic Games’ legacyRichard CottonRichard CottonSearch for more papers by this authorRichard CottonPublished Online:16 Aug 2013https://doi.org/10.12968/bjsn.2012.7.6.296AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References BBC (2007) Olympic budget rises to £9.3bn. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6453575.stm (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarBBC (2012) Media giant Walt Disney to ban junk food ads. www. bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18336478 (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarBocarro J, Kanters MA, Casper J, Forrester S (2008) School physical education, extracurricular sports, and lifelong active living. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education 27: 155–66 Crossref, Google ScholarCampbell D, Boffey D (2012) Doctors Turn On No.10 Over Failure To Curb Obesity Surge. www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/apr/14/obesity-crisis-doctors-fastfood-deals-ban (accessed 18th May 2012) Google ScholarCheng M (2012b) UK doctors blast McDonalds' olympic sponsorship. www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10221029 (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarCoca-Cola (2012) Why does Coca-Cola sponsor the Olympic Games? www.coca-cola.co.uk/faq/olympic-games/why-does-coca-cola-sponsor-the-olympic-games.html (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarDepartment of Health (2006) Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2006. http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4139058.pdf (accessed 1 June 2012) Google ScholarDonnelly L (2009) Childhood obesity revealed in fat map. www. telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5742749/Childhood-obesity-revealed-in-fat-map.html (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarEastside Educational Trust (2010) Olympic values. http://message-to-the-world.heroku.com/olympic-values (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarFarey-Jones D (2012) Medical body calls for olympic ban on Coke and McDonalds. www.prweek.com/uk/news/1126948/Medical-body-calls-Olympic-ban-Coke-McDonalds (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarGibson O (2012) London 2012 Olympics will come in under budget, government says. www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/13/london-2012-olympics-under-budget?newsfeed=true (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarHills AP, Andersen LB, Byrne NM (2011) Physical activity and obesity in children. Br J Sports Med 45: 866–70 Crossref, Google ScholarInterbrand (2012) Best Global Brands 2011. www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2011.aspx (accessed 15 June 2012) Google ScholarKjønniksen L, Fjørtoft I, Wold B (2009) Attitude to physical education and participation in organized youth sports during adolescence related to physical activity in young adulthood: A 10-year longitudinal study. European Physical Education Review 15(2): 139–54 Crossref, Google ScholarLondon 2012 (2012a) London and the UK. www.london2012.com/about-us/legacy/london-and-the-uk (accessed 20 June 2012). Google ScholarLondon 2012 (2012b) Inspire Programme. www.london2012.com/about-us/inspire/inspire-programme/ (accessed 8 June 2012). Google ScholarLondon 2012 (2012c) LOCOG. www.london2012.com/about-us/the-people-delivering-the-games/locog (accessed 15 June 2012) Google ScholarNHS Stoke on Trent (2009) Dental health. www.stoke.nhs.uk/health/dental_health (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarPennay P (2009) Beijing Olympics: Over budget but still profitable. www.eeo.com.cn/ens/Politics/2009/06/19/140880.shtml (accessed 15 June 2012) Google ScholarStoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust (2009) Health and behaviour in Stoke-on-Trent. www.stokepct.nhs.uk/pdfs/990.pdf (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarStoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust (2011) Health and Vulnerable Groups of People in Stoke-on-Trent. www.stoke.nhs.uk/pdfs/1015.pdf (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarThe Telegraph (2012) Visa accused of monopolising cash at games after switching off competitors' ATMs. www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9304942/London-2012-Olympics-Visa-accused-of-monopolising-cash-at-the-Games-after-switching-off-competitors-ATMs.html (accessed 15 June 2012) Google ScholarThe Sentinel (2012) £3m to be spent on Stoke-on-Trent sports facilities. www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/pound-3m-spent-sports-facilities/story-14412778-detail/story.html (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarYouth Sport Trust (2010) Future of school sport in jeopardy. www.youthsporttrust.org/news-media/news/2010/future-of-school-sport-in-jeopardy.aspx (accessed 8 June 2012) Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byOlympic Planning, Profit, and Participation: Towards a Children’s rights-based Approach to Sport mega-event Research?15 October 2022 | International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure, Vol. 5, No. 4Towards a conceptual definition of intangible Olympic legacy27 September 2021 | International Journal of Event and Festival Management, Vol. 13, No. 1Schools’ engagement with the Get Set London 2012 Olympic education programme: Empirical insights from schools in a non-hosting region21 July 2017 | European Physical Education Review, Vol. 25, No. 1London 2012 (Re)calling: Youth memories and Olympic ‘legacy’ ether in the hinterlandInternational Review for the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 52, No. 1Rhetoric and realities of London 2012 Olympic education and participation ‘legacies’: voices from the core and periphery6 January 2015 | Sport, Education and Society, Vol. 21, No. 8 1 July 2012Volume 7Issue 6ISSN (print): 1752-2803ISSN (online): 2052-2827 Metrics History Published online 16 August 2013 Published in print 1 July 2012 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedAcknowledgments: Many thanks are due to the following for their participation in this study: Mrs. Garrity and the Co-operative Young Leaders at The Co-operative Academy at Brownhills, Tunstall; Mr. Boughey and the Student Council at Haywood Engineering College, Tunstall.PDF download

Work and leisure in higher education

Higher education is commonly described as offering combinations of work and leisure, but the implied relationship is often limited. Different conceptions of leisure, especially leisure as pleasurable experience, raise new possibilities for seeing academic activity itself as leisure in several important senses. The importance of identifying pleasure as a necessary component of work and politics is discussed. Several more specific approaches to try to understand such pleasures are reviewed: Cultural Studies approaches, the work of Bourdieu on taste, and some recent work in the Sociology of Leisure.

The Man from Leisure: An Interview with Chris Rojek

This article is an interview with the eminent British sociologist, theorist of leisure and stardom, publisher and critic of cultural studies Chris Rojek. It begins with an introduction that outlines his career trajectory and key publications, and puts some flesh on his particular way of doing sociology. The interview itself falls into three broad parts. First, Rojek answers some questions about the source of his sociological imagination, his formative work on the sociology of leisure, and the relationship between his academic and publishing work. The second and third parts intersect one another. The second concentrates on Rojek’s key ideas and how these relate to some important themes and issues in cultural sociology and the study of leisure. The third part of the interview explores some shifts in Rojek’s work and how these are connected to major currents in cultural sociology and the demise of leisure studies. The interview concludes with reflections on the function and responsibilities of sociology today.

Personal Decisions in the Public Square: Beyond Problem Solving into a Positive Sociology

This book looks into how, why, and when people pursue those things in life that they desire, the things they do to make their existence attractive, worth living. Robert A, Stebbins calls this 'Positive Sociology', the study of what people do to organize their lives such that they become substantially rewarding, satisfying, and fulfilling. For most people in Western society, there is much more to life than eliminating or adequately controlling crime, drug addiction, urban pollution, daily stress, domestic violence, and overpopulation. Significant levels of success in these areas bring a noticeable measure of tranquility to people substantially affected by them, but they do not, in themselves, generate positiveness in daily life.The principal wellspring of Personal Decisions in the Public Square is, in large part, the sociology of leisure, a 'happy science'. It is focused on the attractive side of life. Among the basic concepts in the sociology of leisure are activity and human agency. The centrality of positive activity is one of its hallmarks and separates it from other social science specialties. The examination of Stebbins' new kind of positive sociology centers on conceptual roots found in the approach known as the serious leisure perspective. This theoretical framework synthesizes three main forms of leisure (serious, casual, and project-based) showing their distinctive features, similarities, and interrelationships. Notwithstanding the importance of leisure, positive sociology must also consider the two other domains of life: work and non-work obligation.This new approach focuses the pursuit of 'that which makes life worth living'. In this way, this project explores ideas which are important to all people, such as, negotiating the right work/family or obligation/leisure balance and the tricky relationship between money and happiness. For research scientists or the general public the arguments presented may lead toward a better understanding of negotiating situations in a way that would be more positive then approaching them as 'problems' which need to be solved.

Can employment policies improve a society's leisure?

Yes, of course. The work–leisure relationship was the midwife of the sociology of leisure. In sociology, leisure first began to be studied seriously as a sub‐branch of ‘the long arm of the job’ (Me...

Casual Observers, Connoisseurs and Experimentalists: A Conceptual Exploration of Niche Festival Visitors

Although “amateur spectators” as a growing segment is mentioned in a number of special interest event studies, our understanding of their behaviour is still limited to case‐specific descriptions, and convenience explanations. This paper attempts to conceptualize and explore further the segment of “casual observers” by integrating several non‐adjacent theoretical areas. This endeavour intersects festival and event motivation studies, sport marketing literature and sporting subcultures from leisure sociology. Following a mixed method methodology, the paper presents both qualitative and quantitative data to illuminate attendee characteristics of a special event, namely, the world’s largest extreme sports festival. Results indicate that beyond two previously documented motivational inclinations directed at the sport or the event respectively, there exists a third type of visitor (experimentalists) who are mostly motivated by attaining intrinsical goals, such as identity construction by consuming “fetish” items at a niche festival. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the marketing potential of this group and discusses the implications for event sport event segmentation.

Adherence to exercise in later life: how can exercise on prescription programmes be made more effective?

A broad consensus has emerged in relation to the desirability of promoting exercise among a variety of 'at risk' groups via 'exercise on prescription' (EoP) schemes, as an alternative to orthodox, biomedical approaches to the management of health problems. Underpinning the rationale for such schemes is the notion that they can act as vehicles for encouraging long-term adherence to exercise. Whilst there is a common sense appeal to using EoP schemes to promote exercise, research to date suggests that evidence of their impact is limited. This paper attempts to make sense of these findings in the light of recent debates about adult lifestyles and exercise. More specifically, it brings work in the sociology of leisure to bear on the topic, on the premise that any study of adults' propensity towards sustainable physical activity needs to be viewed as an aspect of their lives 'in the round'. Such an analysis points up the value of synthesizing perspectives from across the disciplinary divide in order to shed light on particular 'problems', which obviate the necessity for further empirical work. The paper concludes by identifying a number of implications for public health policy and practice with respect to the matter of encouraging lifelong participation in sport and exercise in general, and via EoP schemes in particular. One such implication is the development of a model for understanding participation that shifts the emphasis away from a focus on motivation and behaviour change per se towards satisfaction and enjoyment through the development of skills and relationships. Reconceptualizing the matter of participation in this way is likely to lead not only to a more realistic appreciation of what can be expected from EoP schemes, but also a more adequate understanding of adherence to exercise in later life.

Rojek, the sociological imagination and leisure

This article traces the historical development of Chris Rojek's writing and documents his distinctive contribution to contemporary debates about postmodern culture. Rojek has consistently sought to develop a coherent sociology of leisure and has sought to apply his sociological imagination to develop leisure studies as a field of study. However, there seems to be an ambivalence or reluctance to engage with Rojek's work on leisure theory. From the outset, his work is both critical and subversive as he challenges ‘conventional wisdom’, which associates leisure with free time and freedom. He argues that both concepts need to be contextualized and any quest for a universal theory of leisure is both illusory and idealistic - one cannot dislocate free time or quality of experience from the social and historical context in which it occurs. Rojek also takes to task critical paradigms of feminism and cultural studies, whilst favouring the contribution that postmodern perspectives can make to understanding leisure practices. The article traces the development of his ideas theorising about leisure by reviewing his seminal texts, Capitalism and Social Theory (1985), Ways of Escape (1993), Decentring Leisure (1995) and most recently, Leisure and Culture (2000).

Playing With Things

The sociology of leisure traditionally focuses on human relations, treating any material objects used as marginal to the activity. This article argues that some recreational activity is realized through interaction with material objects and uses the example of windsurfing to show how. Three approaches to understanding the sociological features of the human-object interaction are considered. The first looks at playing as a distinctive type of social activity; how playing with a windsurfer involves 'ilinx' type play (Caillois, 1961) and how it may lead to 'play-excitement' (Elias and Dunning, 1986). The second argues that consumption, through the exchange of value and signs in a variety of discourses, socially locates the play activity of wind surfing. The third approach looks at the way that the user interacts (Mead, 1962; 1980) with the objects of the windsurfer to engage in play. These three approaches together show that playing with things like wind surfers provides a particular type of emotional outlet, situates the sailor in particular social contexts and shapes particular lines of action, including imaginative and discursive action.

Why Old Questions are the Right Response to New Challenges: The Sociology of Leisure in the 1990s

It is argued that, contrary to much current opinion within and outside the discipline, the sociology of leisure is a successful enterprise whose current problems arise from success rather than failure. The success of the project can be seen in the reliable methods of investigation, and the robust answers that have been delivered to all the basic questions about the role of leisure in modern societies. These questions are: how much leisure do people have, how might they use it, how do they actually use their leisure, why, and what are the consequences? It is also argued that related fields of enquiry—cultural studies, into consumption, the phenomenology of everyday life, and specific uses of leisure such as sports, the arts and tourism—complement but cannot be adequate replacements for the sociology of leisure. This leads to the conclusion that seeking new conceptual foundations and research methods for the sociology of leisure will be counter-productive. Rather, the challenge of the 1990s is to apply old questions and tried-and-tested methods in changing societies to explore the implications of changing gender and age roles, and changes in the social organisation and distribution of paid and unpaid work in First World, post-communist and developing societies.

1994 Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Award for Research Excellence

The story goes that, when told that average number of student contact hours for faculty at local state university was six, a legislator railed, Well, what do they do with other two hours? Freedom to work in a multitude of settings is, of course, one of chief benefits of academic life. But justification for noninstructional time and freedom to work away from classroom or office lies inevitably in productivity that follows.When I first encountered Jack Kelly in Leisure Behavior Research Laboratory at University of Illinois in 1977, I was quickly impressed with his diligence. He was a nine-to-fiver and apparently involved in a wide variety of projects. Then abruptly in 1982 he went home! This not to say he neglected his duties; he continued to teach effectively and brought along some fine masters and doctoral students. But other than meeting his classes, holding office hours, and working on a number of university committees, he generally made himself scarce on scene.During ten year period that followed, Jack Kelly was engaged in what arguably has been one of most productive period of scholarship ever by a person in field of leisure studies. From 1982 to 1992 he wrote nine books. He also completed numerous articles and chapters along way and maintained a research program with considerable outside funding; but books--covering a variety of topics in sociology of leisure and published by some of best publishing houses--are story.Perhaps most significant were Leisure Identities and Interactions (1982) and Freedom to Be: Toward New Sociology of Leisure (1987) because these volumes brought important currents in sociological thought to field of leisure studies and at same time have lifted study of leisure to a higher level within parent discipline of sociology. An Australian reviewer referred to former as the best developed and most cogent statement of interpretive perspective [on leisure] yet produced ... most important book to date on subject. Another noted that book is rich in scholarship (at cutting edge of interpretive sociology of leisure) and represents an important rhetorical strategy for justification/legitimization of practice and inquiry in leisure. A second nominator for this award, Roger Mannell, noted that in Freedom to Be, Kelly ably demonstrates how leisure behavior and important research questions can be viewed from different sociological traditions.Some of Professor Kelly's other work has had a somewhat more applied bent. Peoria Winter (1987) was an outgrowth of a three year grant from National Institute on Aging to study adaptation in later life and offers a fine example of how to bring a grant project to successful completion.These volumes in particular were basis of his being awarded NRPA Literary Award in 1988. But combination of empirical research, theory building and application that has characterized his academic career makes him a most deserving recipient of Roosevelt Award as well. …

Leisure in society: a network structural perspective

Leisure as an object of sociological enquiry traditional approaches in the sociology of leisure recent interprative approaches to leisure elements of structural sociology of leisure social networks research social networks research in leisure a critique of leisure networks research conclusions and consequences of a structural sociology of leisure.

Kelly, John R. & Geoffrey Godbey. The Sociology of Leisure

Kelly, John R. &amp; Geoffrey Godbey. <i>The Sociology of Leisure</i>

Counterpoints in the sociology of leisure

Abstract In this article I develop three themes in the contemporary sociological study of leisure: (1) Leisure is complex, despite the deceptive appeal of simplification. (2) Leisure is social, embedded in the roles and conflicts of a divided social system. (3) Leisure is contextual without being determined. Leisure should not be trivialized; it is important just because it is complex, social and contextual.

Leisure and Life-Style: A Comparative Analysis of Free Time.

Introduction, K.Roberts and Anna Olszewska Poland - the impact of the crisis on leisure patterns, Anna Olsewska Hungary - more work, less leisure, Gyorgy Fukasz Great Britain - socio-economic polarization and the implications for leisure, K.Roberts Belgium - old trends, new contradictions, France Govaerts Brazil - a new cycle of modernization, Renato Requixa and Luiz Camargo Puerto Rico - consumerism as a way of life, Nelson Melendez Japan - Homo Ludens Japonicus, Sampei Koseki France - leisure sociology in the 1980s, Joffre Dumazedier the USA - modern times and the new solidarity, Phillip Bosserman international tourism resists the crisis, Marie-Francoise Lanfant.