Chapter Fifteen Sport and leisure

Objectives To explore the significance of the difference between ‘leisure’ and ‘work’.To explore the significance of the difference between ‘leisure’ and ‘work’. To examine how social rituals associated with sports contribute to the social construction of masculinity and national identity.To examine how social rituals associated with sports contribute to the social construction of masculinity and national identity. To discuss the ways in which local expressions of sport and leisure are connected to global processes.To discuss the ways in which local expressions of sport and leisure are connected to global processes. To discuss how social divisions of class, ethnicity, age, gender and ability are reproduced through sports and leisure activities.To discuss how social divisions of class, ethnicity, age, gender and ability are reproduced through sports and leisure activities. To compare the figurational and postmodern approaches to theorising sports and leisure.To compare the figurational and postmodern approaches to theorising sports and leisure.

Leisure and work Leisure and sport are vast and important areas of social and personal lifeLeisure and sport are vast and important areas of social and personal life Leisure and sport are activities that are considered distinct from workLeisure and sport are activities that are considered distinct from work –Distinction sometimes problematic People increasingly have more time and resources to put into sport and leisure activitiesPeople increasingly have more time and resources to put into sport and leisure activities

Models of sport and leisure Two different models of sport and leisureTwo different models of sport and leisure –‘Power and performance’ Extension of competitive, individualistic world of workExtension of competitive, individualistic world of work –‘Pleasure and participation’ Based on holistic perspective, need for relaxation, sociabilityBased on holistic perspective, need for relaxation, sociability

Sport, leisure & ritualism –Promotion of social values and ideologies in and through sport and leisure –Sport/leisure and other ‘sub-systems’ linked Occasions for social ritual and solidarityOccasions for social ritual and solidarity Variation related to social divisionsVariation related to social divisions –Examples of sport as ritual MasculinityMasculinity –Crucial importance of sporting image and success to men NationalismNationalism –Function of sport to ‘bind’ the nation together

Leisure globalisation –Sport and leisure have ‘gone global’ Multi-national corporations and sponsorship deals crossing state boundariesMulti-national corporations and sponsorship deals crossing state boundaries Global ‘mediafication’ of big sport and leisure eventsGlobal ‘mediafication’ of big sport and leisure events Tourism and travel as an example leisure globalisationTourism and travel as an example leisure globalisation De-differentiationDe-differentiation –Tendency in contemporary culture to blur boundaries such as the local and the global, representations and reality, the past and the present, politics and culture

Sport, leisure & social divisions –Class Leisure as a measure of success (‘the good life’)Leisure as a measure of success (‘the good life’) High culture/popular culture defined by those with economic and cultural capital (Pierre Bourdieu)High culture/popular culture defined by those with economic and cultural capital (Pierre Bourdieu) –Age and generation Largely determines preferences for leisure pursuitsLargely determines preferences for leisure pursuits –Ability/disability Increased visibilityIncreased visibility –Emergence of the Paralympic games But also serves to underline the greater advantage and visibility of the able-bodiedBut also serves to underline the greater advantage and visibility of the able-bodied

Sport, leisure & social divisions –Ethnicity Cultural differences produce different leisure patternsCultural differences produce different leisure patterns –Participation of Maori and Polynesians in some sports but not others Linked to classLinked to class –Gender The mis-attention and mis-represenation of women and sport (Clare Simpson)The mis-attention and mis-represenation of women and sport (Clare Simpson) –Women receive less media coverage than men –Women feminised and stereotyped by the media

Theorising leisure –‘Structural’ perspectives MarxismMarxism –Class as an explanation for the social division of leisure FeminismFeminism –Gender as an explanation for the social division of leisure –Figurational approach (Norbert Elias) The ‘civilising process’The ‘civilising process’ –Emotionally charged and ‘vulgar’ activities become regularised according to evermore redefined conventions Sport as a ‘ritualised quest for excitement’Sport as a ‘ritualised quest for excitement’ Forms of sport/leisure dependent on ‘figurations’Forms of sport/leisure dependent on ‘figurations’ –Class, ethnicity, gender

Theorising leisure –Postmodernism (Jean Baudrillard) Unnecessary to distinguish between ‘real’ social processes and their supposedly ‘superficial’ representations in contemporary societyUnnecessary to distinguish between ‘real’ social processes and their supposedly ‘superficial’ representations in contemporary society No simple division between work and leisureNo simple division between work and leisure World mediafied to the extent that it is difficult to tell what is ‘image’ or ‘reality’World mediafied to the extent that it is difficult to tell what is ‘image’ or ‘reality’ Hyper-realityHyper-reality –A clear distinction can no longer be made between communication about reality and reality itself

Summary It is often problematic trying to distinguish between leisure and work but more time and resources are being put into leisure activitiesIt is often problematic trying to distinguish between leisure and work but more time and resources are being put into leisure activities Social values and ideologies are promoted through sport and leisureSocial values and ideologies are promoted through sport and leisure Sport and leisure are reflective of both social solidarity and social divisionsSport and leisure are reflective of both social solidarity and social divisions Sport and leisure are becoming increasingly globalisedSport and leisure are becoming increasingly globalised There are different ways of considering the role of sport and leisure in contemporary societyThere are different ways of considering the role of sport and leisure in contemporary society –Postmodernism vs Figurational approach