First published in 1971. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship which exists between the education services and the leisure time of the people they attempt to serve. The author explores education and provision for leisure and the problems of schools, youth services and adult education in relation to this. The case study of the leisure lives of young adults in a small industrial village provides some illustration of the difficulties of providing for leisure in non-urban areas. This title will be of great interest to policy-makers and to students of Sociology and Leisure Studies.

This volume, first published in 1975 with a new introduction by Ziona Strelitz, marked a pioneering contribution to family and leisure studies. The study includes empirical material collected in the form of biographical case studies. The case studies are not only rich in detail and well presented, but they provide a meaning of leisure within the pattern of life of the individuals studied. This book will be of great interest to students of leisure and family studies.

First published in 1989. Understanding Leisure is a readable introductory analysis of the key elements in the study of leisure. This includes leisure concepts and dimensions of leisure, its activity forms, participants, provision, and leisure futures, leisure and social theory. A collaborative work of six authors, Understanding Leisure is a textbook which introduces the reader to the interrelated dimensions of leisure in contemporary society and aims to provide them with guidelines for further study. Exercises and discussion topics are included at the end of each chapter to enable the reader to apply general theory to particular examples. The text contains seven chapters covering all aspects of the study of leisure. Starting with a critical evaluation of different concepts of leisure it progresses through an analysis of the relationship between leisure both to play and work and the diverse forms of leisure such as recreation, hobbies, crafts and education. There then follows a perspective on leisure participation, an analysis of the spatial dimensions of leisure and how relative land values can affect access to leisure. The historical context of leisure provision and the changing relationship between public and private sector is then examined which provides insights into the future of leisure, based on forecasts and theories of social change. The book ends with a discussion of how contemporary social theory contributes to an understanding of leisure. Understanding Leisure will be valuable reading for undergraduate degree courses in Leisure Studies. It will also be useful background reading for post graduate study in Leisure and Recreational Management and Tourism as well as for leisure professionals in both the commercial and public sectors.

First published in 1987. In the context of the debate about the changing structure of modem economies, the growth of leisure, and the place of work and leisure in society, this book reviews the 'state of the art' of leisure forecasting and the study of leisure futures. It traces man's concern with future leisure from classical and utopian writings to science fiction and 'futurology'. Contemporary issues such as attitudes towards work and leisure, the 'work ethic', education for leisure and measures to share scarce jobs and increase leisure time are discussed in an objective and comprehensive manner. The more technical approaches to leisure forecasting are presented in an accessible and readable form. This book will be of value to students of leisure studies, recreation studies and public policy, to policy makers and planners working in the field, and to all those who have an interest in understanding what is happening to leisure and work in our society.

First published in 2001. This book provides a socio-legal analysis of disasters by setting out two sport and leisure disasters (the 1989 Hillsborough and Marchioness disasters) and considering them in their broader legal/political/economic and policy contexts. It bases the analysis on in-depth examinations of the legal responses to these disasters. The foundations for the case studies are laid by reviewing critiques of relevant contemporary legal problems. These include the concepts and contexts of disasters; the law in a liberal democracy; negligence, mass actions and policy in PTSD cases; statutory regulation of and safety; the laws of corporate reckless manslaughter and the contemporary legal problems of inquests and public inquiries into disasters. The theoretical and policy chapters are followed by the presentation of the two case study disasters, drawing on documentary sources and interviews with academics, policy makers, key legal practitioners and campaigners for legal reform, involved in these post-disaster legal processes. The analysis returns to the critical themes of the earlier chapters and ends with conclusions and recommendations for further research and legal reform arising out of this area of 'disaster law'. Students in sport and leisure courses will be required to tackle legal and ethical issues. Law modules and courses in sport and law are developing an increasingly socio-legal, if not multi-disciplinary approach. This book takes account of this, taking a critical, multi-disciplinary approach to sport, leisure and the law. However, it will be useful to a broader group of readers who study, practice or work in the law or legal reform and apply their work to disasters.

First published in 1974. Leisure has come to be a vital force in our lives, a part of self-discovery, essential for our well-being. With increased amounts of leisure time, there has been rapid growth in the demand for diverse recreational facilities and their subsequent overuse. With this in mind, it is clear why the planning, managing and administration of recreational resources, particularly in urban areas, is of personal interest to everyone. Land and Leisure introduces the student to all aspects of recreational land use - spatial, economic, behavioural and physical. This second edition is designed to demonstrate some of the basic up-to-date ideas and issues of the last decade and a half that have been influential in shaping decisions, and is concerned both with urban recreation and the uses of resources within metropolitan areas and with the role of the private sector in providing facilities. The book is divided into five parts with discussions ranging over topics such as the individual's recreational needs, recreational land-use evaluation, regional planning and the problems of decision-making and the provision of recreational resources. Its interdisciplinary approach will enable students to understand the problems, concepts, methods and approaches helpful in furthering and integrating their knowledge of recreational resources.

First published in 1983. Leisure has too often been approached as a set of activities that people do when everything important has been completed. This text provides a different analysis demonstrating the centrality of leisure to human development and to important relationships. In Leisure Identities and Interactions the author analyses leisure in the context of role changes through the life course, but also as a social context in which we work out the identities that express who we really want to be. His focus is on the kinds of leisure that are both most common and most significant face-to-face encounters, family interaction, and episodes found in the midst of our roles and routines. Varieties of leisure styles are found to be developed out of available opportunities and in relation to cultural values, but also are chosen to express and negotiate our self-definitions. Leisure is both social and existential and can best be understood in the dialectic of role expectations and decision. Kelly utilizes symbolic interaction, interpretive, and dramaturgical metaphors to develop a different sociology of leisure one that brings together the concepts of role and identity. Expressive identities and intimate communities are as essential to leisure as they are to life.

First published in 1938. This study examines various aspects of leisure in the early twentieth century. The author observes the differences in leisure between the various echelons of society, as well as the differences of leisure amongst children and adults. Durant also explores in depth several modes of leisure, including the cinema, sport, and gambling. This title will be of interest to students of history, sociology, and leisure studies.

Football is ubiquitously acknowledged as 'The Global Game' and/or 'The People's Game' - everyday all-encompassing terms familiar to anyone with an interest in football which illustrate, albeit nebulously, the game's international reach and popularity. Yet much academic and popular attention has been, and continues to be, narrowly centred on topics pertaining to the elite and professional aspects of the game. At a time when there appears to be an ever-widening gap between the grassroots and elite levels of the sport, this book brings together, for the first time, a collection of research articles dedicated solely to youth and junior grassroots football. The intention is to generate future inquiry, encourage theoretical debate and stimulate empirical research on topics and issues within the relatively marginalised area of the game that is youth and junior grassroots football. The collection represents a preliminary consideration of what is already currently known about grassroots football and, no less importantly, point towards what remains unknown and under-researched but which deserves much more attention than has been given hitherto. As such, the collection includes contributions from practitioners and researchers alike. Topics included range from the provision, organisation and development of grassroots football in one national association, to broader issues such as the sources of enjoyment in participation, the lived experiences of junior players and coaches, to the causes of youth dropout from football. In addition, the significance of social stratification and various forms of social division which structure children's participation in grassroots football are discussed. These include female participation and the role of elite female role models, and issues relating to the participation of immigrant youth. The book is intended to appeal to practitioners, academics and football enthusiasts alike. This book was originally published as a special issue of Soccer & Society.

Packed full of essential tools and tips, this second edition is your quick-start guide to undertaking research within real world of sport. Using clear, accessible language, Smith maps an easy-to-follow journey through the research process, drawing upon the most up-to-date evidence and resources to help you select the most appropriate research approach for your project. Throughout the book you will discover: Key points that highlight important definitions and theories; Reflection points to help you make connections between key concepts and your research; Learning activities to put your newfound knowledge into practice; Further reading to explore the wider context of sport research in the real world. Featuring over thirty-five case studies of students' and academics' research in practice, this book is the perfect guide-by-your-side to have during your own sport research.

There is developing interest in the use of sporting settings as a channel to connect people to health improvement services and an emerging body of research highlights football as being associated with positive motivational and social elements that support the maintenance of a physically active lifestyle. This text provides insights into a range of issues surrounding the role of football as a vehicle for health improvement for different groups. The contributors to this volume share some of the challenges and the benefits of using professional football settings as a channel for connecting people to health improvement opportunities. These chapters will be of interest to a range of stakeholders involved in research, policy and practice who stand to benefit from building partnerships with colleagues with expertise in (I) conducting evaluation and (II) reporting evaluation and research outcomes in peer-reviewed mediums, reflecting the value of partnerships between football-led health improvement and evaluators. This book was previously published as a special issue of Soccer & Society.

This volume argues for a more quantitative, economic and theoretical approach to sports history. The author notes that sport can have peculiar economics as in no other industry do rival businesses have to cooperate to produce a sellable output. He also demonstrates, via a case study of early gate-money football in Scotland, that sports producers were not always seeking profits, and often put winning games and trophies ahead of making money. Another analysis examines how industrialisation affected sport, how sport became an industry in its own right and how the workplace became a major provider of sports facilities. A look at third sector economics highlights how the popularity of football provided an ideal vehicle for charity fundraising. The book observes that most sports participants are amateurs but at the elite level the paid player has a key role, and this is assessed through case studies of the jockey and the golf professional. Finally, the author discusses and evaluates various theories relating to the historical development of the sports club. This book was originally published as a special issue of Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics.

How do the class and gender inequalities found in horseracing affect the working practices of women within the industry? Drawing on the work of Bourdieu and his concepts of field, capital and habitus, this book shows the inequalities that are prevalent within the world of racing, both historically and currently, by illustrating the classed and gendered nature of racing and how it has developed since the eighteenth century when it was the sport of the aristocracy. Using research obtained through her year-long ethnographic study of a racing yard, Deborah Butler demonstrates that the racing field is an arena of power conflicts, and that men and women who work in racing acquire a contradictorily gendered racing habitus. This is achieved by learning certain elements in a formal setting but mainly informally, by 'doing', developing practical skills and participating in a (gendered) community of practice. For female stable staff this means adapting their behaviour and working practices in order to be accepted as 'one of the lads'. This book will appeal to both scholars and students of the sociology of sport, the sociology of work and gender studies.

Looking at the communities of Central and West Harlem in New York City, this study explores the locus, form and significance of socioeconomic differentiation for African American professional-managerial workers. It begins by considering centuries of New York City history and the structural elements of class inequality to present readers with the larger context of contemporary events. The primary objective of this study is to examine the everyday lives of black professionals in Harlem and determine what bearing income-generating activities have on ideology, consumption patterns and lifestyle, among other factors.

In many countries, particularly in the Global North, established forms of solidarity within communities are said to be challenged by the increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of the population. Against the backdrop of renewed geopolitical tensions - which inflate and exploit ethno-cultural, rather than political-economic cleavages - concerns are raised that ethnic and cultural diversity challenge both the formal mechanisms of redistribution and informal acts of charity, reciprocity and support which underpin common notions of community. This book focuses on the innovative forms of solidarity that develop around the joint appropriation and the envisaged common future of specific places. Drawing on examples from schools, streets, community centres, workplaces, churches, housing projects and sporting projects, it provides an alternative research agenda from the 'loss of community' narrative. It reflects on the different spatiotemporal frames in which solidarities are nurtured, the connections forged between solidarity and citizenship, and the role of interventions by professionals to nurture solidarity in diversity. This timely and original work will be essential reading for those working in human geography, sociology, ethnic studies, social work, urban studies, political studies and cultural studies.

How do migrant youth negotiate their role in society through sport and leisure practices? How can political theory and qualitative critical research work together to make sense of these processes? These are among the questions that led to a long-term investigation of young males' sport practices in Ireland, possibly the most fertile contemporary setting for the analysis of questions of sport and identity. Youth Sport, Migration and Culture emphasises the epistemological and ethical urgency of doing research with rather than on young people. Engaging with the social changes in Irish society through the eyes of children of immigrants growing up in Ireland, the book looks closely at young people's leisure practices in multi-ethnic contexts, and at issues of inclusion in relation to public discourses around 'national identity' and immigration. Offering compelling analysis of how ideas of race and racism are elaborated through sport, this book is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in the sociology of sport, sport development or youth culture.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. How has globalization impacted on sports media? What are the economic ramifications? And what is the future of sports media? In order to answer these questions, this book investigates the constituents, dimensions and implications of the flows of media sport from the Global West to the Global East, and in the reverse direction. At an historical moment when the relative stability of the Western media sport order is under challenge, it analyses a range of key structures, practices and issues whose ramifications extend far beyond the fields of play and national contexts in which sport events take place. The book will appraise and analyse the state of sports television, rise of new sports media, emergence of hybrid sport cultural forms, eruption of sport-related political controversies, scandals and power struggles, mutations of forms of global sport fandom, and projections of the future of global media sport. In bringing together the latest research from across a number of disciplines, this book offers an exciting contribution to the emerging field of global sports media.

The idea of a 'leisure society' was in its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was predicted that the pattern of falling working hours which had been experienced in Western societies in the first half of the twentieth century would continue indefinitely. The leisure society has clearly not been realised. On the contrary: contemporary industrial societies seem to be characterised by a shortage of time, experienced as 'time squeeze' and stress. The leisure society idea can be seen as the modern version of the age-old dream of a 'life of ease and plenty'. This analytically and empirically rich book traces the idea in history, through biblical, classical Greek, medieval and nineteenth century utopian writings and into twentieth century concerns with dystopia and the impact of rapid technological change. The 'leisure society' concept turns out to have been an elusive and short-lived phenomenon. For a variety of reasons, the trend towards shorter working hours ran out of steam in the last quarter of the twentieth century. However, while leisure scholars have deserted the topic, a diverse range of activists, including environmentalists, economists and feminists, continue to make the case for reducing working hours. Whatever Happened to the Leisure Society? concludes that the on-going 'struggle for time' should be supported, for the sake of human health and well-being and for the sake of the planet. This is a valuable resource for students and academics in the fields of leisure studies, cultural studies, history, economics, sociology and political science.

The roles and impacts of planned events within tourism are of increasing importance for destination competitiveness. Tourism Events in Asia is a unique contribution to the understanding of the impacts of events in the development planning, promotion and marketing of destinations in the rapidly growing tourism market of Asia. Balancing theory and practical examples, the book analyses the tools and techniques of branding, marketing and media involvement as well as visitor motivations for successful tourism events in Asia. It reviews a range of different event types from dark tourism festivals, film tourism festivals, cultural heritage tourism festivals, food tourism festivals, business events, sports events; and meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and much more. Written by an international team of authors, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the Asian tourism events market and will be a valuable resource for students and researchers of events, tourism, marketing and branding.

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aAt a time when childrenas play seems under siege, Howard Chudacoffas history--the first of its kind--arrives to tell us what we are letting slip away. . . . His history demonstrates that the topic of play is anything but trivial. And by showing us where weave been, he can help us decide where, as a culture, we want to go.a
--"Wilson Quarterly"

aA fascinating and provocative survey. . . . Chudacoff builds up a scathing critique of modern parentsa intrusion in childrenas play.a
--"New York Times Book Review"

aIn this wonderfully polished, scholarly treatment of children and play from Colonial times to the present, Chudacoff uses excellent historical methodology and perceptive psychological insights, putting primary sources to good use, as he presents an illustrated, chronological history of children at play from ages six to 12.a
--"Library Journal" (starred review)

aIn tracing the history of play over the American centuries, Chudacoff makes the mid-seventeenth century sound like our own time, only better.a
--"Slate.com"

a[Chudacoffas] history demonstrates that the topic of play is anything but trivial. And by showing us where weave been, he can help us decide where, as a culture, we want to go.a
--"The Wilson Quarterly"

aThe tension between how children spend their free time and how adults want them to spend it runs through Chudacoffas book like a yellow line smack down the middle of a highway. His critique is increasingly echoed today by parents, educators and childrenas advocates who warn that organized activities, overscheduling and excessiveamounts of homework are crowding out free time and constricting childrenas imaginations and social skills.a
--"The New York Times"

aChildren at Play is a strong addition to the growing literature on childhood, but itas also good reading for adults seeking a fresh perspective on their own kids.a
--"American Heritage"

aChudacoffas work gives historical depth to debates that continue to rage over what constitutes appropriate childas play.a
--"Publishers Weekly"

"Shrewd, balanced, witty, and important. Chudacoff has written a sweeping history that encompasses boys and girls, black children and white, rich and poor, children on farms and in cities. He shows how children play alone and with each other, and how they use their imaginations to create a world apart from their parents. This is historical synthesis at its finest, and instantly becomes an essential text in this new and dynamic area of inquiry."
--Paula S. Fass, author of "Children of a New World: Society, Culture, and Globalization"

a"Children at Play" is a brilliant, richly researched study that foregrounds childrenas voices, offering a message that could not be more timely or profound: That the history of childrenas play consists of an ongoing struggle between adults who seek to improve and safeguard the young, and kids themselves, who have sought to create worlds of play that are truly their own.a --Steven Mintz, author of "Huckas Raft: A History of American Childhood"

"In this beautifully written book, Howard Chudacoff lets us peer into the diverse playworlds of America's children across time and place. Informed by deep historical research and balanced with the best sociological and psychological theory, Chudacoff shows us how children (often in spite of adults) used play to express their freedom and themselves."
--Gary Cross, author of "The Cute and the Cool: Wondrous Innocence and Modern American Children's Culture"

If you believe the experts, "child's play" is serious business. From sociologists to psychologists and from anthropologists to social critics, writers have produced mountains of books about the meaning and importance of play. But what do we know about how children "actually" play, especially American children of the last two centuries? In this fascinating and enlightening book, Howard Chudacoff presents a history of children's play in the United States and ponders what it tells us about ourselves.

Through expert investigation in primary sources-including dozens of children's diaries, hundreds of autobiographical recollections of adults, and a wealth of child-rearing manuals-along with wide-ranging reading of the work of educators, journalists, market researchers, and scholars-Chudacoff digs into the "underground" of play. He contrasts the activities that genuinely occupied children's time with what adults thought children should be doing.

Filled with intriguing stories and revelatory insights, Children at Play provides a chronological history of play in the U.S. from the point of view of children themselves. Focusing on youngsters between the ages of about six and twelve, this is history "from the bottom up." It highlights the transformations of play that have occurred over the last 200 years, paying attention not only to the activities of the cultural elite but to those of working-class men and women, to slaves, and to Native Americans. In addition, the authorconsiders the findings, observations, and theories of numerous social scientists along with those of fellow historians.

Chudacoff concludes that children's ability to play independently has attenuated over time and that in our modern era this diminution has frequently had unfortunate consequences. By examining the activities of young people whom marketers today call "tweens," he provides fresh historical depth to current discussions about topics like childhood obesity, delinquency, learning disability, and the many ways that children spend their time when adults aren't looking.

As the digital revolution continues apace, emergent technologies and means of communication present new challenges and opportunities for the football industry. This is the first book to bring together key contemporary debates at the intersection of football studies, leisure studies, and digital cultural studies. It presents cutting edge theoretical and empirical work based around four key themes: theorizing digital football cultures; digital football fandom; football and social media; and football (sub)cybercultures. Covering topics such as transnational digital fandom, online abuse, and gender, Digital Football Cultures argues that we are witnessing the hyperdigitalization of the world's most popular sport. This book is a valuable resource for students and researchers working in leisure studies, sports studies, football studies, and critical media studies, as well as geography, anthropology, criminology, and sociology. It is also fascinating reading for anybody working in sport, media, and culture.

The first long-term historical-sociological analysis of the development of Japanese martial arts. Uses the theoretical framework of figurational sociology and draws on rich empirical data. A new contribution to our understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics of state formation. Considers the neglected role of women in martial arts.

To understand play, we need a bottom-up phenomenology of play. This phenomenology highlights the paradox that it is the players who play the game, but it is also the game which makes us players. Yet what is it that plays us, when we play? Do we play the game, or does the game play us? These questions concern the relation between the playing subject and play as something larger than the individual - play as craft, play as rhythm, play between normality and otherness, even play as religion, as a sense of spiritual play between self and other. This goes deeper than the welfare-political or educational intention to make people play or play more, or to advise individuals to play in a correct and useful way. Exploring topics such as identity, otherness, and disability, as well as activities including skiing, yoga, dance and street sport, this interdisciplinary study continues the work of the late Henning Eichberg and sheds new light on the questions that play at the borders of philosophy, anthropology, and the sociology of sport and leisure. Play in Philosophy and Social Thought is a fascinating resource for students of philosophy of sport, cultural studies, sport sciences and anthropological studies. It is also a thought-provoking read for sport and play philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists, cultural studies scholars, and practitioners working with play.

The institutional relationship between sport and the military appears to be intensifying. In the US for example, which faced global criticism for its foreign policy during the "war on terror," militaristic images are commonplace at sporting events. The growing global phenomenon of conflating sport with war calls for closer analysis. This critical, interdisciplinary and international book seeks to identify intersections of sport and militarism as a means to interrogate, interrupt and intervene on behalf of democratic, peaceful politics. Viewing sport as a crucial site in which militarism is made visible and legitimate, the book explores the connections between sport, the military and the state, and their consequent impact on wider culture. Featuring case studies on sports such as association football, baseball and athletics from countries including the US, UK, Germany, Canada, South Africa, Brazil and Japan, each chapter sheds new light on the shifting significance of sport in our society. This book is fascinating reading for all those interested in sport and politics, the sociology of sport, communication studies, the ethics and philosophy of sport, or military sociology.

Lifestyle Sports and Public Policy is the first book to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between lifestyle sports and the public policy environment which frames and regulates them. Drawing on a wide range of lifestyle sports from across the globe, including parkour, skateboarding, mountain biking and climbing, it identifies the critical issues facing practitioners and policymakers as these sports become increasingly popular. Part I examines public sector bodies that provide lifestyle sports opportunities to the public, either through funding partners or by managing facilities themselves. Part II looks at the use of lifestyle sports to promote policy agendas such as improving public health, while Part III considers the impact of public sector regulatory actions on the lifestyle sports industry. Each part contains case studies which investigate a policy issue from the perspective of a different lifestyle sport, including some sports which have traditionally been under-represented such as rodeo and curling. This book is a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in lifestyle sports, leisure studies, sport tourism, leisure management or sport policy.