Thinking about leisure during a global pandemic (original) (raw)
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A People's Future of Leisure Studies: Leisure with the Enemy Under COVID-19
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To those of us who have been consistently critical of leisure, we have mapped our critique of leisure onto discussions of leisure as a concept, as a tool, or as a social construct in society that has had serious implications on the gendered, the racialized, and the classed as disposable. Leisure is a life-politic that hides: dominant lifestyles, harmful environmental engagement, and political regimes. But in the midst of pandemic, there are two enemies, at the mirco- and macro-level to the life of a person via leisure that are becoming exposed at this time: 1) Person to Person; and, 2) The State to Person. With the coronavirus pandemic, it reveals a need to depart from a happiness and titillation orientation of leisure, and more a collective life-giving requisite in our research, instruction, and advocacy. For with COVID-19, leisure (as it is predominantly conceived) is the enemy.
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Months after COVID-19 emerged as a newsmaker in Asia, a new strain of March Madness emerged in North America. Incredulity followed as leisure activities, hallowed as venues and expressions of individual and collective identity were closed. Freedoms, real and perceived, were curtailed. Like others, we sought to maintain social connections. For the first time in decades, our weekly on-line conversations became normative. Two authors remain working to sustain the academy's work during this crisis and the other is retired. Spatially we reside in a major metropolitan area of 6 million, a small west coast college town, and a Great Lakes region vacation community. Our discussion connects leisure research and the context of basic rights that North Americans have long taken for granted. This commentary emerged from integrated discussion regarding how the crisis affects and may change leisure behavior from multiple perspectives.
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This paper aims to present the leisure pursuits in South Africa as observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was hit by the pandemic as early as January 2020, South Africa recorded its first case on 5 March 2020. A five-stage lockdown was introduced to flatten the curve and prepare the heath system during the first level. Lockdown regulations were severe, with restricted movement only for essential services. The extreme lockdown measures had a visible impact on the leisure and tourism industry. Small businesses were devastated by the financial hardship and job losses have contributed to the already high level of unemployment and socialeconomic inequalities among citizens. Observations for this study were based on what people shared on social and popular media, including discussions with friends and family. The pandemic forced many people to revisit how they live, work and play. People change and adapt their leisure pursuits to fit the situation they find themselves in. Technology was embraced to connect with others and to pursue leisure activities. The future of leisure and recreation practices post-COVID-19 is not clear and will change indefinitely. The social and economic impact on the industry has been vast and will be far reaching.
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Slow nature-focused leisure in the days of COVID-19: repressive myths, social (in)justice, and hope
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This paper offers a tri-fold contribution. The original intent for this special issue paper was an investigation into outdoor recreational experiences that place 'nature' at the forefront of the activity, including Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing); Friluftsliv; Uitwaaien; Gökotta; and Green-Care Farming. These nature-first approaches exemplify 'slow' leisure, offering a counter-narrative to highly structured and overly-engineered outdoor experiences. As the writing unfolded and with the passage of time, the World suddenly came to its own 'slowing' downalmost to a haltas the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement gained Worldwide prominence. As a result, the final version of this paper offers autoethnographic and theoretical insights into 'slow leisure' relevant to some of the challenges imposed by COVID-19 and societal (in)justices. This exploration advances an ideology of hope as life continues to shift, evolve, and reveal emergent potential(s).
Cities in the shadow of pandemic and climate crisis. New quality of space and reality , 2024
The article discusses the patterns of the use of free time during the COVID-19 pandemic which the inhabitants of large cities in Poland devoted to active recreation. The analysis of changes – taking into account indoor and outdoor activities – was carried out in four time periods: before the pandemic, under the fi rst lockdown, during the summer holiday, and under the second lockdown. The study used results of a structured interview, including self-reporting, and a narrative interview. The research has shown an increase in interest in outdoor recreation during the pandemic and fl uctuations in recreational activities at home and in facilities. The respondents expressed varied opinions on changes in the possibilities of undertaking various activities in the fi eld of physical recreation. Changes in the scope of indoor recreation were assesses as negative, but some of the opinions on changes in the scope of outdoor recreation were positive, resulting from the adoption of the ‘sweet lemons’ rationalisation. Keywords: active recreation, leisure activities, inhabitants of large cities, pandemic, Poland
Leisure Styles in Adults Changes Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic
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This study explored changes in leisure styles among adults during the periods before (2019), during (2020–2022), and after (2023) the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and exploratory design was employed using a non-probabilistic sample of 300 participants aged 18–60 years (mean age = 31.7 ± 10.8). Data were collected via an online survey using the Leisure Practices Scale, which measures engagement in artistic, manual, physical activity, intellectual, social, touristic, virtual, and contemplative practices. The results showed a significant increase in intellectual activities between the pre- and during-pandemic periods (p = 0.05), with the level of engagement remaining high in the post-pandemic period. Similarly, virtual activities demonstrated a significant increase in engagement between the pre- and during-pandemic periods (p = 0.00), returning to pre-pandemic levels afterward. Artistic (p = 0.91), manual (p = 0.60), and contemplative (p = 0.52) activities showed no significant changes, remaining stable across the analyzed periods. Significant reductions were observed in physical (p = 0.00), social (p = 0.05), and touristic (p = 0.04) activities during the pandemic, with the latter two returning to pre-pandemic levels afterward. These findings underscore the pandemic’s differentiated impact on leisure practices.