Leisure in contemporary society (1999)

In Western societies, leisure has been the main force changing people’s lives in the twentieth century. The containment of working time and the rise in spending power have been long-term trends and are likely to continue over de next decades. While the growth of leisure may not have eradicated or even lessened differences by social class, gender or age, it has transformed how these differences are expressed, challenged or modified. In parallel, leisure studies has itself developed significantly as an academic descipline over the last three decades. This book is an introductory undergraduate text on leisure. It has a sociological perspective and discusses recent debates and research on topics such as postmodernity, consumer cultures and lifestyles. The author is recognized internationally as a major contributor to the development of the sociology of leisure over the last 30 years. While primarily directed at students of leisure, sport and recreation studies, as well as of sociology, the book will also interest lesiure industry professionals.