Whiteness and Leisure - (Leisure Studies in a Global Era) by K Spracklen (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The way in which leisure is used to construct whiteness and the way in which whiteness shapes leisure, is an important unanswered theme in sociological analyses of leisure. This book develops a new theory of instrumental whiteness and leisure, which draws in part on existing leisure theories and in part on the critical theorising around "race" and whiteness. In developing a new theory of whiteness and leisure, new primary and existing secondary empirical research is drawn upon to highlight whiteness across a comprehensive and internationally-grounded range of leisure practices. The book explores sports participation, sports media and sports fandom, informal leisure, outdoor leisure, music, popular culture and tourism. This book is grounded in Spracklen's development of leisure theory that uses a Habermasian framework of communicative and instrumental rationalities and actions to understand the tensions between utopian theories of individualized leisure and dystopian theories of increasing constraint and control. "--

Book Synopsis

This book develops a new theory of instrumental whiteness and leisure. Empirical research is drawn upon to highlight whiteness across a comprehensive and internationally-grounded range of leisure practices. The book explores sports participation, sports media and sports fandom, informal leisure, outdoor leisure, music, popular culture and tourism.

Review Quotes

"Spracklen's two [previous] books (both of which apply a Habermasian perspective to the study of leisure) are probably the most important contributions to leisure scholarship so far in the twenty-first century." - Ken Roberts, University of Chester

"Written in an engaging style, this original, astute and critical book will appeal to academics, researchers and students, and will likely become an important and well-read contribution to leisure studies." - Daniel Burdsey, University of Brighton

About the Author

Karl Spracklen is Professor of Leisure Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. He has published papers on leisure, sport, tourism and identity and his previous publications include The Meaning and Purpose of Leisure and Sport and Challenges to Racism. New Books in Critical Theory have recently released a podcast about Professor Spracklen's book Whiteness and Leisure . You can listen to the interview, between Professor Spracklen and Dr Dave O'Brien, here: http: //newbooksincriticaltheory.com/2014/09/12/karl-spracklen-whiteness-and-leisure-palgrave-macmillan-2013/