Leisure studies - Shaun Best

Electronic Inspection Copy available for instructors here

What is the place of leisure in societies where people complain of 'over-work'? How do personal freedom and choice relate to the inequalities of class, gender, disability and ethnicity?

This critical introduction to the field offers a systematic account of the meaning and structure of leisure today.

The book:

situates the student in the field

provides a comprehensive account of the leading approaches to leisure

explores the influence of class, race, gender, ethnicity, disability and age

discusses to role of the sate

examines leisure in the context of changing work relationships

locates leisure in the debate around globalization

In short, this is an indispensable, one-stop guide to understanding leisure.

Shaun Best is a Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Manchester, and author of Understanding Social Divisions, (2005) and A Beginner's Guide to Social Theory (2003, both SAGE).

'Drawing upon the best traditions of British and North American Leisure Studies, Shaun Best provides a synthesis of relevant social theory, presents thought provoking inquiry-driven examples and invites students to acquire a better understanding of leisure in today's world' - Professor David Botterill, University of Wales