Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure

Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
ISBN: 0773563342
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
Throughout this project Stebbins has built on the work of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss and their notion of "grounded theory." First, Stebbins extensively observed the routine activities of amateurs and professionals in each field studied. Then, as he became more familiar with the life-styles of the participants, he conducted lengthy, unstructured, face-to-face interviews with, in most cases, thirty amateur or professional respondents. Each field demanded special methods of observation, analysis, interviewing, probing, and reporting. As much as possible, however, Stebbins asked similar questions of all respondents in all fields so as to permit generalizations across these diverse fields. The result was a "substantive grounded theory" of each field studied. In Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure, Stebbins has developed a "formal grounded theory" of amateurs and professionals based on the research accumulated in all eight substantive fields. By transcending a variety of contexts, he argues, one can gain a more enduring appreciation of the elements that affect peoples' experiences in work and leisure pursuits. A thorough review of the findings across this wide range of activities, including his findings and ideas on hobbyists and career volunteers, enabled Stebbins to derive better definitions of the main concepts of the project, such as "amateur," "the public," and "serious leisure" -- as well as "professional," where he distinguishes between client-centred and public-centred professionals who, while sharing numerous ideal-typical attributes, vary as to the power and control they have over their work in a democratic society. He presents inductive conclusions about careers and the costs and rewards in the eight amateur-professional fields considered. He examines the external world of amateurs and professionals in the light of such issues as family ties, relations among amateurs and professionals and among amateurs and their employers, public images, critics and journalists, community contributions, and the question of marginality for amateurs who are caught between the work world of the professional and the casual leisure world of the majority of the population. He concludes with an exploration of the future role of serious leisure in relation to predictions of greater unemployment and increased leisure time and longevity.

Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure

Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
ISBN: 0773563342
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 188

Get Book Here

Book Description
Throughout this project Stebbins has built on the work of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss and their notion of "grounded theory." First, Stebbins extensively observed the routine activities of amateurs and professionals in each field studied. Then, as he became more familiar with the life-styles of the participants, he conducted lengthy, unstructured, face-to-face interviews with, in most cases, thirty amateur or professional respondents. Each field demanded special methods of observation, analysis, interviewing, probing, and reporting. As much as possible, however, Stebbins asked similar questions of all respondents in all fields so as to permit generalizations across these diverse fields. The result was a "substantive grounded theory" of each field studied. In Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure, Stebbins has developed a "formal grounded theory" of amateurs and professionals based on the research accumulated in all eight substantive fields. By transcending a variety of contexts, he argues, one can gain a more enduring appreciation of the elements that affect peoples' experiences in work and leisure pursuits. A thorough review of the findings across this wide range of activities, including his findings and ideas on hobbyists and career volunteers, enabled Stebbins to derive better definitions of the main concepts of the project, such as "amateur," "the public," and "serious leisure" -- as well as "professional," where he distinguishes between client-centred and public-centred professionals who, while sharing numerous ideal-typical attributes, vary as to the power and control they have over their work in a democratic society. He presents inductive conclusions about careers and the costs and rewards in the eight amateur-professional fields considered. He examines the external world of amateurs and professionals in the light of such issues as family ties, relations among amateurs and professionals and among amateurs and their employers, public images, critics and journalists, community contributions, and the question of marginality for amateurs who are caught between the work world of the professional and the casual leisure world of the majority of the population. He concludes with an exploration of the future role of serious leisure in relation to predictions of greater unemployment and increased leisure time and longevity.

Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure

Amateurs, Professionals, and Serious Leisure PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
ISBN: 9780773509016
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
A synthesis of Stebbins' (sociology, U. of Calgary) previous published studies of professionals and dedicated amateurs in eight specific fields of entertainment, science, and sport. Having constructed a theoretical framework for behavior in each field, he presents a general theory of leisure. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Serious Leisure

Serious Leisure PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: Transaction Publishers
ISBN: 1412809770
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
Serious Leisure offers a comprehensive view and analysis of the current state of the sociology of leisure. Defining and differentiating the way people use their free time, Stebbins divides such activity into categories of serious, casual, and project-based leisure that he further separates into a variety of types and subtypes. Together they comprise what he calls "serious leisure." In this perspective, serious leisure constitutes systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer activity sufficiently substantial and interesting in nature and requiring special skills, knowledge, and experience. Casual leisure, though immediately, intrinsically rewarding, is by contrast a relatively short-lived pleasurable activity, requiring little or no special training to enjoy it. Project-based leisure is a short-term, reasonably complicated, occasional creative undertaking carried out in free time. Stebbins sets out the basic concepts and propositions that make up the three forms, focusing on their essential elements. He takes stock of the serious leisure literature as well as that for casual and project-based leisure. Stebbins sees "serious leisure" realized by way of a set of foundational concepts--organization, community, history, lifestyle, and culture--and several of their component areas. He reviews the history and background of the concept of serious leisure and then adds historical commentary on, first, casual leisure and, then, project-based leisure. Finally, he examines the future and the importance of the serious leisure perspective in a globalizing world, and some of its critical links with other fields of knowledge and practice, notably the nonprofit sector and preventive medicine. Together with its original insights, Serious Leisure offers a single, handy, coherent, comprehensive resource. It will be of interest to sociologists, labor studies specialists, and economists.

The Serious Leisure Perspective

The Serious Leisure Perspective PDF Author: Sam Elkington
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317810414
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
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.

Serious Leisure and Nature

Serious Leisure and Nature PDF Author: L. Davidson
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230299377
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
Leisure activities undertaken in nature are immensely popular. This book examines the new serious leisure concept of nature challenge activity (NCA), exploring how NCA unfolds in an aesthetically appealing natural environment with implications for consumption and environmental sustainability.

A Handbook of Leisure Studies

A Handbook of Leisure Studies PDF Author: C. Rojek
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230625185
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 582

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Book Description
A unique, international resource for Leisure Studies: in one volume the history, organization and central debates in the field of Leisure Studies are defined, providing a one-stop-shop for students and an agenda for future debate and research academics.

Serious Leisure and Individuality

Serious Leisure and Individuality PDF Author: Elie Cohen-Gewerc
Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
ISBN: 0773588493
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
What does it mean to be an individual and how can an individual exist within society? Serious Leisure and Individuality examines the circumstances in the modern world that make for individual distinctiveness, and the role of these conditions in personal and social life. "The individual," said Friedrich Nietzsche, "has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Elie Cohen-Gewerc and Robert Stebbins explore the road to finding that privilege. They approach individuality by examining its relationship to freedom and being free, and by defining and elaborating on the concept of leisure space. They also look at individuality's place in community, citizenship, and globalization. The complex relationship between individuality and alienation is put under the microscope to highlight the negative side of being distinctive, which has adverse consequences for the individual and society. There are many studies on the modern individual that centre almost entirely on the person facing his local community and broader society. What is missing in the literature - and what Serious Leisure and Individuality provides - is a broad, comprehensive examination of individuality, particularly as it is rooted in leisure and the leisure-like areas of work.

Leisure and Positive Psychology

Leisure and Positive Psychology PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1137569948
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
This book explores, from a leisure studies perspective, the central role that leisure has to play in positive psychology, exploring themes such as flow, fulfilment, altruism, well-being, and interpersonal relationships.

Leisure and Consumption

Leisure and Consumption PDF Author: R. Stebbins
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230244866
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 190

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Book Description
The study of consumption has never seriously examined the role of leisure. This ambitious, agenda-setting study, provides the most in-depth examination of the relationship between the two to date, drawing on the serious leisure perspective and outlining a new conceptual framework for analyzing consumption for leisure.

The Idea of Leisure

The Idea of Leisure PDF Author: Robert A. Stebbins
Publisher: Transaction Publishers
ISBN: 1412846579
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 147

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Book Description
A range of thinkers in philosophy, religion, and the social sciences have argued that thanks to science, technology, and the organization of society, the human condition has improved and will continue to do so. People are becoming progressively happier and enjoying an ever-improving quality of life, they say, mostly because they are putting their skills and reason to work. The Idea of Leisure is based on the assumption that leisure also fits into the social order, and it provides a singular vector by which to measure progress, even though it is rarely mentioned in writings about the idea of progress. Robert A. Stebbins believes that leisure fosters positive development in both the individual and community. Progress through free-time activity may sometimes be hard to grasp because of the all-too-common manifestations of deviant behavior from schoolyard bullying to date rape. Despite these examples, the vast majority of leisure activities often have profound, positive consequences for participants and society. Stebbins makes a solid case for linking leisure with progress. Although leisure has huge importance for humanity, observations about the idea of leisure as part of the idea of progress have been sporadic. It is no accident that the World Leisure Organization promotes the motto: “Leisure: integral to social, cultural, and economic development.” Nor is it an accident that Article 24 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that: “Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.” For whole nations to find satisfaction and self-fulfillment based on leisure would be a true sign of progress. Stebbins’ book offers original insight into this basic human requirement.