Meaning and Purpose of Leisure

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/

• Introduction Part I: THEORY The Paradox of Leisure Habermas and Communicatove and Instrumental Rationality Habermas, Globalization and Postmodernity Reading Habermas on Leisure Part II: RESEARCH Applying Habermas to Sport Applying Habermas to Culture Applying Habermas to Tourism Conclusions References

'Spracklen's two 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, Leisure Studies