Leisure Studies

The subject of leisure has deep, long standing roots in the history of the social sciences. Classical political economy, as represented in the writings of John Locke, celebrated individual freedom as a characteristic of leisure. The Enlightenment took over the idea and redefined it as civic virtue. The good society valued the public provision of rest, relaxation and play as marks of progress. The industrial revolution enabled the development of state funded public forms of recreation. But it also refined and extended the work ethic. Leisure Studies is now part of the core curriculum. This 4 volume work seeks to reflect the origins, history and key issues in the discipline. The structure of the four volumes is as follows: Volume One: Origins and Theories: Classical Tradition, Contemporary Thinkers Volume Two: Forms and Practices Volume Three: Central Variables Volume Four: Key Debates