Women's Leisure Research Articles

Gendering the Iron Law of Oligarchy: Or how organizing an official football team became a strategy of “passive revolution”

AbstractThe ongoing debate in organization and management studies regarding the transformation of oligarchic structures through rank‐and‐file participation often overlooks gender dynamics. Drawing from the experience of Argentine women playing football independently, this article argues that promoting gender inequalities and reinforcing masculine stereotypes can preserve class disparities in trade unions. Additionally, it highlights how trade unions, by extending control into women's leisure, can perpetuate oligarchic structures, emphasizing the importance of politicizing leisure as a domain of gender inequalities. In turn, the patriarchal‐oligarchic organization represents a unique form of class and gender domination that reconfigures itself by co‐opting informal solidarity networks.

Girls play basketball too? A study of the mechanisms of traditional social gender consciousness on female participation in contact leisure sports.

With the development of women's sports, the mechanism of barriers to women's leisure sports participation has attracted extensive attention from the academic community. Despite its significant impact, there are few empirical studies on intra-personal barriers. Consequently, a structural equation model was established to examine the relationships between traditional social gender awareness, gender bias, gender stereotypes, and barriers to participation in leisure sports. In this study, a total of 508 questionnaires were collected and analyzed using AMOS 24.0 software for structural equation modeling. After model testing, the relationships between the variables were examined. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that traditional gender awareness could serve as an antecedent variable for barriers to participation in leisure sports, and that gender stereotypes mediated the relationship between traditional gender awareness and barriers to participation in leisure sports. The study also concluded that gender bias could not mediate the relationship between traditional gender awareness and participation barriers in leisure sports, but gender bias and gender stereotypes could act as chain mediators in the process of the influence of traditional gender awareness on barriers to contact leisure sports. This study emphasizes the need for women to break down the traditional social gender awareness, gender bias, gender stereotypes, and other intra-personal barriers when engaging in leisure sport participation. According to this study, the promotion of sustained and healthy development of women's sport requires the breaking down of traditional social gender awareness education and the creation of more gender-inclusive sports policies and environments. The significance of the study is that by proposing and confirming the internal participation barriers to women's participation in contact leisure sports, it will lead to the ideological liberation of women's gender perspectives, so that they can break down the participation barriers to contact leisure sports, participate in sports activities, and enjoy the right to play sports on an equal footing.

Young women's leisure time physical activity determinants: a mixed methods approach.

The aim of the study was to analyze the habits, motives and barriers related to Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) among young women of Gipuzkoa, from a mixed approach. A total of 526 women aged 18-29 (24.60 ± 3.30 years) responded to the Gipuzkoa Women's Physical Activity Questionnaire (GWPAQ), seven of which were later interviewed. The main motives for LTPA were intrapersonal - related to health and enjoyment - and to interpersonal networks. However, the main barriers facing LTPA were mostly intrapersonal, such as lack of time, tiredness, and laziness. Contextual factors such as the availability of safe spaces, previous negative experiences, or negative self-perception of motor competence also emerged as conditioning factors in young women's LTPA habits. This study may help to promote policies aimed at incentivizing LTPA for young women based on their needs and interests, by addressing the diversity of factors.

Досуговые сообщества в условиях Специальной военной операции (на примере посткроссинга)

Opinion polls show a high level of support for the Special military operation in Russian society. The main task is we have a rather limited knowledge about the peculiarities of social perception of changes in the everyday world which are the consequences of a Special military operation. The sphere of leisure takes a special place here because western sanctions changed the place and structure of vacation for Russians, restricted access to certain cultural products, sports events, and social networks. This article presents the results of a study of a hobby community of postcrossing - the swap of postcards. The purpose of the study was to determine the specifics of the perception of changes occurring in leisure practice under the influence of the Special military operation. The choice of the postcrossing community as the subject of research is determined by the fact that this type of leisure was originally formed as an international exchange of postcards, which is outside politics. After the start of the Special military operation, this hobby faced a significant restriction of postal communications between Russia and other countries and the politicization of participants in international swaps, which seriously affected leisure practices. The methodology of the study is quantitative and qualitative content analysis of posts and comments of thematic groups of the VK social network. According to the results, the peculiarities of the emotional perception of the changes taking place were established, three main models of leisure activities in new conditions were fixed, as well as the peculiarities of the semantic understanding of hobbies within each of them. The authors are sure that the information obtained on the postcrossing can be extrapolated to a wide range of other leisure social groups, both related to exchange, collecting (philately, philocarty, etc.), and mainly women's leisure groups (scrapbooking, embroidery, etc.). It helps us more adequately understand the specifics of the influence of the Special military operation on the leisure sphere in as a whole.

The Promotion of Women's Leisure Sports Behavior Based on Improved Decision Tree Algorithm

In women's daily leisure choices, sports is an important content that cannot be ignored. In this context, this paper studies the promotion of women's leisure sports behavior based on improved decision tree algorithm. Based on the simple analysis of the research progress of leisure sports and decision tree algorithm, a female leisure sports behavior model based on decision tree is constructed. Based on the decision tree algorithm, the calculation method of information gain rate is optimized to avoid logarithmic operation, and the continuous attributes are discretized. Simulation results show that in terms of classification accuracy, the improved decision tree algorithm is significantly higher than the classical decision tree algorithm, and can significantly shorten the running time, which has high application value in the realization of accurate classification analysis of female leisure sports behavior.

Gender-leisure nexus through a social justice lens: The voice of women from Iran

Leisure is recognised as offering individuals a chance for relaxation, self-development, social interaction, and wellbeing. However, women's participation and experience of leisure in many developing countries are constrained by gender stereotypes and gender-based inequalities. This study aims to investigate the interrelationship of gender, leisure and issues of social justice and equity in the developing country of Iran. This study also demonstrates how constraints to access and participation in leisure activities can further reinforce Iranian women's socioeconomic disadvantage. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted to explore women's narratives of leisure activities and their perceptions of leisure in/equality. The findings reveal that issues such as society norms, cultural mythology and traditions, household and parental responsibilities, personal safety, and crises can restrict women's leisure in Iran. The implications of this study focus on transitional steps for societal changes to reduce marginalisation and bring into being a more inclusive and just society for women.

Factors determining women's participation in leisure activities in Türkiye

ABSTRACT Women's participation in leisure activities is affected by many constraints, such as gender roles expected from women, the cultural structure of society, society's perspective on women, religious beliefs, traditions and customs. A woman's free will to participate in the activity she wants is only possible if the constraints to participation are removed. For this reason, it is critical to determine the leisure constraints of women. This study aims to determine women's leisure constraints within the cultural framework of Turkish society. A qualitative research method was used, and data were collected from 26 regions representing Türkiye. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 52 women. Socio-cultural, economic, and demographic diversity was ensured among the participants. The constraints that emerged in the findings were examined under structural, intrapersonal, and interpersonal constraints. The most frequently mentioned constraints were fear of violence and harassment, family pressure, and social pressure. Theoretical and practical implications are presented to eliminate women's leisure constraints in Turkish society.

Gender differences in leisure: from the relationship between leisure type-time and time use satisfaction in Korea

ABSTRACT This study aims to find out gender differences in leisure by examining the relationship between time and time use satisfaction(TUS) for each leisure type. As a result of analysing the Korean Time Use Survey, sports/leports and rest for men and hobbies and leisure learning for women showed a positive correlation with TUS, and for women, the more diverse the leisure types, the higher the TUS. I found that the gender norms imposed on women reduced their leisure time as well as their satisfaction, and that women’s labour market participation significantly constrained the quantity and quality of leisure compared to men. Gender differences in leisure are explained by resource availability, and women's leisure activities are more influenced by time resources and men’s financial resources. The nonlinear relationship between leisure repertoire or time and satisfaction shows gender differences in the combination of leisure diversity and time that increase the positive influence of leisure.

Women and leisure on the agendas of Brazilian social movements

ABSTRACT This paper results from an investigation aiming to map possible relations between women and leisure on the agendas defending Brazilian women's rights inside Brazilian social movements. Using Deleuze and Guattari's terms, we establish connections between literature review, document analysis, and narratives provided by Brazilian social movements’ leaders, which pointed to macro and micropolitical aspects that generate difficulties and possibilities for women's leisure to be part of the Brazilian social movements’ agendas. Some of those difficulties are the place and the role of women in society, the breadth of women's identity markers, women's working hours, public spaces not equally perceived between men and women, subjectivity surrounding the definition of leisure, and commercialization of leisure, interfering in the possibilities of access and the non-recognition of leisure as a right. The findings also provide lines of escape as directions about the future of feminist leisure.

Gender differences in consumption of leisure in Korea: Revisiting the concept of ‘cultural voraciousness’

This study explores gender differences in leisure activity, applying the concept of “cultural voraciousness”, using data from the 2014 Korean Time Use Survey. Drawing on 26,972 diaries kept by adults aged 35-64 years, we measured two aspects of leisure activity: 1) the total daily minutes spent on outdoor leisure, and 2) the sequential complexity index capturing cultural voraciousness (the variety and distribution of leisure activity) within a day. Results showed that Korean men consumed more leisure than women in terms of daily minutes spent on leisure and had more complexity in their leisure activities. The gender gap in leisure time and the complexity score remained large even in later life, when leisure time increased overall, compared with earlier life stages. Another important finding is that socioeconomic factors appear crucial in shaping the leisure consumption of men and women, but the impact of those factors on leisure differed according to gender. Men and women's leisure complexity was associated with current household income. Education was as a significant factor associated with women's leisure time and complexity for all age groups of women.

Leisure Behaviors among Mothers and Fathers in Korean Transnational Split Families

The study explored the leisure behaviors and factors affecting leisure among mothers and fathers in Korean Transnational Split families (KTSF). Transnationalism served as the theoretical framework in this study. Data were collected with the use of 19 individual in-depth interviews with KTSF mothers residing in the U.S. and fathers residing in Korea. The leisure of women in the U.S. involved participating in similar activities as in Korea, yet the motivations for participation were different in the new environment. Their leisure was shaped by family separation, immigration status, and the family life stage. Fathers in Korea engaged in active leisure pursuits such as exercising, golf, and tennis, as well as socializing and home-based activities, to distract themselves from loneliness and family separation, and to address health issues caused by overwork.

Rethinking Incarcerated Women's Leisure as Subjected to Coercive and Normative Prison Missions.

Leisure is commonly understood as contributing to well-being; this is especially appealing when considering multiply marginalized populations such as incarcerated women. However, leisure is not impervious to cooptation by less benevolent social processes. In this conceptual analysis, I argue that incarcerated women's leisure must be rethought as a component of its environment and by extension, as subjected to coercive and normative prison missions. After broadly delineating incarcerated women's leisure, I determine that some characteristics of leisure can be compatible with these prison missions. I then examine individual, organizational, and social benefits and issues with leisure in women's prisons. I link these practices to reduced coerciveness and increased normativity. I conclude by suggesting that ensuring incarcerated people's well-being through leisure is not in itself an end, but a means to achieve prison's coercive and normative ends. I discuss implications for scholars, practitioners, and advocates.

Антропология досуга женщин в ГДР

The article discusses the anthropology of women's leisure activities in the German Democratic Republic. Women's free time in a totalitarian society is defined as quasi-leisure, conventionally divided into public leisure, associated with state mass events, and personal leisure, the content of which was mainly determined by women. Factors that determine the amount of time free from labor and social activities were identified. An analysis of high informative sources, such as women's periodicals and family documentaries of the GDR, allowed to identify aspects of rationing leisure practices by the state and the nature of public response to propaganda methods. The female press is considered as a mechanism for transmitting the normative image of a woman; the content and specifics of publications on free time in various magazines are revealed. The study of family documentaries published on the Internet within the «Open Memory box» – a GDR-specific project, allowed to identify the most common and significant forms of women's leisure activities. Among them there is a unique German tradition of «Freikörperkultur», a free-body culture preserved under socialism. Such forms of leisure activities as external and internal tourism, as well as spending time in the countryside, is analyzed in the context of submission and willfulness strategies within restrictions on freedom of movement under the SED dictatorship. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of the traditional German festival culture, as well as the introduction of «new» socialist holidays, including alternative forms of life cycle rites (for example a widely-used rite of passage for youth). Components of the international image of GDR, such as the «reading country» or the «sports nation», are analyzed based on women's periodicals and family documentaries..

The invisibility of women in legislations and National Conferences of sport and leisure in Brazil

ABSTRACT Based on the premise that effective public policies can contribute to combating limitations in women’s access to, and participation in, different sports and related management positions, the public policies on sports and leisure for women in Brazil were analysed. This research uses the five most relevant Brazilian laws on sport and leisure, namely, Decree-Law 3,199/41, Law 6,251/75, Law 8,672/93, Law 9,615/98 and Law 9.981/2000 as well as the resolutions of the National Sports Conferences held in 2004, 2006 and 2010. Data were analysed based on Content Analysis. It was observed that in Decree-law, women were prohibited from participating in sports considered masculine, but this prohibition was not mentioned in other laws. At the Conferences, women’s participation was verified, in a general way, through social inclusion and guaranteed access to sports, independent of gender. The results evidenced the few actions focused on gender equity and the low presence of the word ‘women’ in legislation on sport and leisure in the country, which may imply the absence of sports-oriented public policies for women in various modalities. Moreover, the analysed documents are circumscribed by the representations of femininity and the roles socially constructed for women.

An Analysis on Structural Model of Social Support, Leisure Skills and Life Satisfaction of Women Leisure Sports Participants.

An Analysis on Structural Model of Social Support, Leisure Skills and Life Satisfaction of Women Leisure Sports Participants.

Where are we now? A review of research on the history of women's soccer in Ireland

ABSTRACTIt is a common fact that women's sport and leisure history, especially in male dominated spheres, and more specifically football, have been ignored by many academics. However, in recent years there have been major developments in digital technology that have changed the nature of the type of research that can be done. Access to tools to facilitate field research are relatively cheap and with the high volume of digitisation projects that have taken place over the last few years as well as the increasing number of born digital resources that have been published, there are new opportunities. In relation to women's soccer in Ireland, this paper asks the question – where are we now? The argument will review the current literature on this subject and outline potential approaches for future research.

Gender Differences in Meaningful Leisure Among Older Adults: Joint Displays of Four Phenomena.

Vital events, such as widowhood and retirement, are broadly accepted as points of inflection in the lives of older adults that often differ according to gender. In this study, we analyzed the influence of gender on meaningful leisure among older adults through the integration of qualitative and quantitative findings. The use of joint displays revealed that in this sample of people from Northern Spain: (1) there were no significant differences in the influence of retirement and widowhood on the leisure of the two genders, (2) the ethic of care was a constraining factor in older women’s leisure, (3) women were more innovative in their leisure in older age, and (4) volunteer activities were highly segregated by gender. The use of joint displays helped illuminate these four phenomena in light of quantitative and qualitative data.

Leisure and the Life-Cycle Squeeze among Young Adults in North Africa Countries

This paper presents quantitative evidence from surveys of nationally representative samples of approximately 2000 15–29 year olds in each of four North Africa countries (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia). The aim is to test whether the life cycle squeeze on leisure time, money and activities, recorded in successive Western investigations, operates in similar ways in contrasting economic (relatively poor) and Arab-Islamic cultural contexts. The results show that there is a life cycle squeeze in North Africa, and as in the West, it affects women's leisure more powerfully than men's. The findings add to previous knowledge in showing that in North Africa contexts it is marriage rather than housing transitions that is responsible for the greater part of the life cycle squeeze. Finally, it is also proposed the similar socio-economic structures in modern and modernising societies will impose similar patterns (like the life cycle squeeze) on leisure in all such countries, but that the details of exactly how leisure is used will always be infused by traditional occidental, Arab-Islamic or Asian cultures.

Income Effects on Intra‐Household Time Allocation: Regression Discontinuity Evidence

AbstractWe examine the causal effect of income transfers on time allocations of household members into market work, domestic work and leisure, using primary data from rural South Africa. Female income decreases male leisure and increases male work, while men's income has opposite effects on women. Men's income is nurturing of women's time with salutary effects on both women's leisure and drudgery of domestic work. Adjustments in women's domestic work and leisure time remain missing links in the empirical literature on gender gaps. Our findings reveal significant gender‐based asymmetries in income effects that are critical for development policy design. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Constraints to Pickup Basketball Participation among Chinese American Women

ABSTRACTThis study examined Chinese American women's leisure experience within the context of male- and African/White American-dominated pickup basketball. Participants, who were serious basketball players, encountered numerous constraints unique to their identities as Asian females, and these were inexorably linked to how pickup basketball is organized in the United States. While some informants stopped playing basketball because of constraints, others developed ingenious negotiation strategies to combat constraints and to maintain participation.