The Serious Leisure Perspective: An Introduction

The "Serious Leisure Perspective" (SLP) is a theoretical framework that can help us understand the complexities of modern leisure as both an activity and an experience. Bringing together the study of serious leisure, casual leisure and project-based leisure, it is an essential component of the Leisure Studies curriculum and an invaluable tool for exploring the significance of leisure in contemporary society. This book is the first of offer a comprehensive introduction to the Serious Leisure Perspective, from fundamental principles and key concepts to in-depth and wide-ranging case studies of serious leisure pursuits.

The book introduces the history of the SLP and its position alongside other social theories that attempt to explain the nature and function of leisure. It explores important themes such as consumption, gender relations, social capital and quality of life, and delves deeply into the leisure of amateurs, hobbyists, career volunteers and occupational devotees. Every chapter includes a range of useful pedagogical features, such as review questions and group exercises, to help the student to grasp the importance of understanding leisure as a way of understanding contemporary social life and society. Combining cutting-edge theory and method with an engaging and practical interface, this is an essential text for all Leisure Studies courses and illuminating reading for any student working in Tourism, Events, Sport, Recreation, Sociology or Cultural Studies.

Sam Elkington is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Management at Northumbria University, UK. Sam's research reflects his interests in phenomenology and pedagogy, namely the social psychological dimensions of sport and leisure experiences and the nature, policy and practice of sport and leisure education. He is the co-editor (with Sean Gammon) of Contemporary Perspectives in Leisure (Routledge, 2013).

Robert A. Stebbins is Faculty Professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary, Canada. He specializes in theory and research on various aspects of the serious leisure perspective. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1999) and Senior Fellow of the World Leisure Academy (2010).