The study of leisure (1994)

Leisure has become much more than what little time is left over after work. Both scholarly publications and popular opinion claim that leisure, at least in industrialized countries, will likely become one of the crucial components in people’s lives, eventually resulting in a future society of leisure. Leisure experience can be objective and/or subjective, long-lasting or brief, planned or spontaneous, an end in itself or therapeutic/compensatory, sociable or solitary. ‘The study of Leisure’ reviews all of these aspects. Part One gives a historical overview of leisure, while Part Two examines definitions, disciplinary perspectives, theories, and paradigms. Part Three looks at the inequitable allocation of leisure time among various population groups, leisure throughout the three stages of the life cycle, different kinds of leisure activities, and constraints and barriers to leisure. An extensive list of references supplement this comprehensive discussion of one of the most important components in people’s lives.