Publisher's Synopsis
The editors began work on Leisure from International Voices as a labor of love. The book highlights how important leisure is in the lives of people throughout the world and how it is universal in its value. Yet, leisure is also imagined and practiced in various ways based on geographic areas and their associated cultures. Chapters are presented from six continents, with 33 individual scholars from across the globe providing a broad perspective of leisure and its meanings. People are diverse in any given country/region. Leisure from International Voices, however, portrays the essence of leisure and how it is perceived, practiced, and studied in particular countries/regions. Challenges associated with advocating for leisure from diverse standpoints are also highlighted. Many similarities are noted in the epilogue, and at the same time, a rich range of interests and understandings of leisure is reflected in the diverse sociocultural perspectives shared within. Leisure from International Voices gives readers new ideas to think about beyond their own cultural or country of origin outlooks. The editors recognize that viewing each of these countries/regions as discrete chapters is not always possible. At the same time, the geographic divisions provide a starting point for examining a collective leisure in the past, present, and future, and will help to emphasize the importance of leisure to individuals and communities throughout the world.
