The present collection highlights the diversity and reach of global leisure studies and global leisure theory, exploring the impact of globalization on leisure, and the sites of resistance and accommodation found in local and virtual leisure spaces. This edited collection brings together the best papers delivered at the Research Committee Thirteen (Sociology of Leisure, RC13) sessions at the International Sociological Associationâs Third Forum of Sociology in Vienna. The editors are members of RC13âs executive board, and the lead editor, Spracklen, is RC13âs Secretary and Vice-President for Publications. This volume, endorsed by RC13, is the second coming out of RC13/ISA, published by Palgrave in Leisure Studies in a Global Era. The first collection in the series was edited by BenkĆ, Modi and TarkĂł (2017). Unlike other edited collections on leisure studies, this one focuses strongly on leisure as a form of popular culture; also unlike other such collections, it represents a large and diverse leisure scholarship, one that is growing beyond the Westâespecially in India and Japan.
There is a long tradition of leisure studies in academic circles around the world and a strong history of edited collections, monographs and textbooks about leisure. Historically, leisure studies has had a multidisciplinary lens and a strong socio-cultural theory running through it, in parts; but its dominant mode of inquiry and theorizing has been positivist, scientific, managerial and practical. The older form of leisure studies, that which is associated with leisure sciences, leisure management and active recreation, continues to operate in some areas of the world, but it has been sidelined by the rapid growth in offshoots of leisure studies such as events management, sport management and sport studies. Yet, in the last ten years weâve seen a renaissance of interest in critical leisure studies, drawing on interdisciplinary approaches owing as much to sociology, geography and cultural studies as to leisure studies. In July 2016, record numbers of delegates to the International Sociological Associationâs Third Forum of Sociology in Vienna attended sessions on the sociology of leisure. These were as likely to feature discussions of hyper-reality as physical fitness. New conferences are appearing, critiquing the notion of leisure vis-Ă -vis socio-cultural theory and historiography. Such a conference took place at the Sorbonne in November 2015. Despite once predicting the demise of leisure studies, Chris Rojek continues to write theoretical work on the intersections of leisure, sociology and culture, and, as an editor at Sage, he continues to publish such work (Rojek 2010, 2013; see also Bramham and Wagg 2014). Taylor and Francis run the highly successful journal Leisure Studies, which has a strong record of downloads and submissions; it has made a significant impact on the field. The T&F portfolio of leisure journals has increased in the last few years, taking on Annals of Leisure Research, Leisure/Loisir and World Leisure Journal. Additionally, Palgrave Macmillan publishes the interdisciplinary Leisure Studies in a Global Era book series, which, as mentioned, includes this collection.
Leisure studies, then, is expanding and growing even though the number of leisure studies degrees, courses and programs is falling: Leisure studies are now taught far beyond its original place in university structures. This collection captures the move from the discipline as being merely studies about recreation to those encompassing research on global, local and virtual leisure, shedding light on matters of philosophy, theology, anthropology, history, psychology, sociology and cultural studies. This drawing on leisure theory beyond leisure studies is happening at the same time as the increasing âcriticalizationâ of leisure studies degrees and related degrees in sport, events and tourism. Researchers in leisure studies and the related subject fields are applying complex theory to their work and to their teachingâas reflected in the present book.
After the Vienna conference, the editors of this volume invited each of the 120 presenters at RC13 sessions to submit an abstract to this collection. The result, seen here, demonstrates the strength of the sociology of leisure and leisure studies worldwide. This collection demonstrates the critical nature of the field and the growing maturity of theories of leisure in local, virtual and global spaces. The book concludes with a brief construction of a new theory of global, local and virtual leisure space in the ongoing counterhegemonic struggle for a better world. The thirteen chapters of the book serve as signposts for a new sociology of leisureâa new kind of leisure studies for a new century.
The book has three sections, loosely focused on local leisure (local leisure, meaning and resistance), virtual leisure (virtual leisure and pop culture) and global leisure (global leisure and responses). These organizing concepts run through each chapter, and the reader might view the structure as bringing similar research and theories close to one another, and not as a corset that constrains the book.
The Structure of the Book
Section One, Local Leisure, Meaning and Resistance, maps out how leisure is experienced and constructed in local spaces and culturesâwhich are in turn shaped by trans-local and global forms. Section Two, Virtual Leisure and Pop Culture, explores how leisure is shaped by trends in virtuality and in wider forms of popular culture. The final section, Global Leisure and Responses, shows how global leisure is being constructed under new conditions in the world.
Section One: Local Leisure, Meaning and Resistance
Chapter Two: Sexlessness Among Contemporary Japanese Couples
Alice Pacher
Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan
The research in the second chapter of our book examines the current situation of the sexless phenomenon among Japanese couples. The chapter first reviews the previous range of studies that dealt with the topic of sexual consciousness and sexual behaviour of men and women in contemporary Japanese society. In the second part, the chapter aims at a deeper understanding of the sexless phenomenon by using interviews conducted with 35 young Japanese adults, of both sexes, in their 20s to 30s. Most of the younger adults show a tendency to avoid sexual expression, primarily for three reasons: previous negative experiences, such as pain during sexual intercourse, lack of physical contact with their partners, and disinterest expressed by their partner. Interviewees who are sexless do not regard sexuality as an important form of communication within the couple relationship. Pacher argues that in Japan sex among couples is not seen as a recreational time activity. Men and women prefer leisure activities that can be enjoyed alone to activities involving sexual intimacy. Some interviewees of both age groups prefer to have sex outside of the relationship, such as by dating another person or through the use of sexual services, which is understood to be a leisure activity. The interviewees had in common exposure to an overabundance of pornography and to sexual services, as well as a lack of education regarding sexual health or sexual satisfaction.
Chapter Three: Singing Group: The Playful Present in Health Promotion
MiraĂra Noal Manfroi1,2, Adriana Aparecida da Fonseca Viscardi2, Daliana Stephanie Lecuona2, Giandra Anceski Bataglion2, VerĂŽnica Werle2, Juliana de Paula Figueiredo1,2, and Alcyane Marinho1,2
1PPGEF/CDS/UFSC, Brazil
2LAPLAF/CEFID/UDESC, Brazil
The training, education and outlook of most health professionals does not collectively take into consideration educational and humanistic perspectives. However, through a more human-centred action, hospitals and other institutions whose focus is health promotion and rehabilitation may be able to produce knowledge, health and life quality improvement for the people they serve. This chapter is part of the authorsâ wider research aiming to investigate relations between the ludic component of health care and the rehabilitation process, treatment and health promotion. Their subject is a singing group made up of volunteers and professionals at a public health institution in FlorianĂłpolis (Santa Catarina, southern Brazil). As such, this study is configured as field research, presenting itself as descriptive and exploratory, with a qualitative approach. The participants in the study were responsible for the group, the assisted patients and their families. For data collection, the team used an array of systematic observation and semi-structured interviews. From the data, categories will be developed for content analysis. Preliminary data reveals that weekly visits by a group of social workers, nurses, volunteers and others to the homes of people with contributed to the recovery process. The group played instruments and sang. The effectiveness of this approach was evident in the grateful words, smiles and hugs by patients and family. In addition, the groups who performed this activity reported that they felt in a constant healing process. From this perspective, one sees the importance of reevaluating the educational process of professionals in health fields and the need to value a humanization of therapeutic initiatives.
Chapter Four: Celebration of Ramadan: The Case of Turkey
Zuhal Yonca Odabas1 and GĂŒnnur Ertong Attar2
1Cankiri Karatekin University, Ăankırı Merkez/Ăankırı, Turkey
2Department of Sociology, Mersin University, YeniĆehir/Mersin, Turkey
Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims around the world. During that month, Muslims aver that the God (Allah) is more forgiving than at the other times of the year. Among the many reasons for this belief is that the Quran, Islamâs holy book, was revealed during this month. Ramadan entails much more than abstaining from food and drink: it is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God and practice self-discipline and sacrifice. It aims to teach the practitioner self-control, and it provides an insight into the light of the poor. Ramadan is also the month of celebration. Because of its religious importance, in social life it is possible to find different kinds of events that tie Muslims to each other in the name of Allah. It is the time of creating and re-creating the idea and the feeling of âweâ in both public and personal spheres. In Turkey, the meaning of Ramadan has been changing since the beginning of 2000s. During the time of the AK Partyâs power, conservatism in both public and private spheres has started to become more visible. Religion and all kinds of religious activities are no longer âthe otherâ, different from past times of secular political power, when it was not accepted as normal in the public sphere but allowed in the private sphere. This transformation includes Ramadan. Its celebrations, which are in part taken from both Turkish and Islamic traditions, have been more legal in public than they were nearly 15 years ago.
This content of the fourth chapter is at the intersection of various subfields of sociology, such as the sociology of religion, of leisure and of celebration. Symbolic interactionism is the basic theoretical perspective, which is well suited to aiding the understanding of the fluid relationships between religions and social structures religions and cultural change, and the personal transformations experienced by the individual moving between religious systems of meaning. In addition to this theoretical perspective, Victor Turnerâs arguments and concepts of festivals and liminality serve as an aide to understand the construction of identity at a personal level. This paper describes Ramadan as âa storytelling narrativeâ that helps people connect to their pasts, for example, to their own childhood. It is accepted that recent celebration activities of Ramadan in Turkey have an ideological face. Turning back to previous times through Ramadan celebrations fosters a feeling of âweâ and fills in missing roots, created and recreated by both AK (Justice and Development) Party. The personal mind has become a âcollective mindâ again with the help of leisure activities such as Ramadan celebrations.
Chapter Five: Youth Well-Being and Leisure Time: An International Perspective
Anju Beniwal
Government Meera Girls College, Udaipur, India
The fifth chapter explores leisure time and the well-being of youth. It is rightly said that while children are the future of the country, youth are its present. The energy, enthusiasm, dynamism, innovative ideas and creative thinking youth possess make this population an important asset for any countryâs accelerated development. With regard to youth resources, India has a distinct edge over developed nations, most of which will be facing the burden of a fast-ageing population in the coming decades. India is experiencing a youth bulge. Around the world, young people are proving that leisure represents a prime opportunity not only for individual development but also for societal contribution and change. The amount of leisure time available to young people varies considerably according to age, gender and culture. How young people spend their leisure time is also linked to pressing threats to their well-being and to issues of globalization and interdependence. Given these interconnections, it is critical leisure be discussed in the context of development of young people and their participation in the development of community and society.
Participation in organized leisure and recreation by young people is seen as having positive benefits for society since it reduces the amount of time available for engagement in anti-social behaviour. It is important we understand the ways in which young people think about leisureâtheir beliefs about and attitudes toward leisure, the meaning of leisure to them and the forces that influence and shape their involvement in leisure activities. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the empirical evidence and describe theoretical perspectives that address under what conditions and in what way leisure activities are essential to youthâs opportunities and well-being.
Section Two: Virtual Leisure and Pop Culture
Chapter Six: Japanese Idol Culture for Contents Tourism and Regional Revitalization: A Case Study of Regional Idols
Yuki Tajima
Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
The sixth chapter of our book explores idol culture in Japan. The popularity of idol culture in Japan is well represented by the Japanese media. Although idols in the past tended to focus their activities mainly on Tokyo, recent idols have become increasingly rooted in specific geographic areas. These modern idols differ from their predecessors in that they personify âregional characteristicsâ and âregional authenticityâ in the modern context. NHKâs wildly popular morning serial TV drama Amachan in 2013 illustrated this trend. This drama series received high audience ratings, and analysis of media reports related to Amachan revealed that the filming location for this series, Kuji-shi, as well as Iwate Prefecture, benefited economically from an increased number of tourists visiting the area. Research on this type of tourism, inspired by media content such as a TV drama series, is known as âcontents tourismâ; it has been evolving in Japan since 2010. Idols are indeed contents, and tourism and regional revitalization based on idol culture can be one focus area for important discussions in the field of contents tourism research. Contemporary Japanese idols in todayâs Japanese social context and media situation reveal that, starting from around 2010, many so-called regional idols have emerged whose activities focus on a specific geographical area. Most of these regional idols are groups of young females in their teens or early 20s that focu...