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The Essential SLP: Foundational Concepts

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Abstract

I have integrated eight essential properties called “first principles” in a lengthy definition of leisure presented in Stebbins (2012). All of them figure in the shorthand definition set out below. Five of them, however, are only alluded to there. These five are leisure as a unique social institution, as having unique geographic space, as the fulcrum for work/life balance, as what a person does in free time, and as having a unique image in the larger world.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Rojek , by the way, does not seem to accept this evaluation of the field of leisure studies, but merely reports on it in his discussion of its history and present-day situation.

  2. 2.

    The remainder of this section summarizes the evolution of my ideas on the definition of leisure, which began in Stebbins (2002) and continued through Stebbins (2005c, 2007/2015, pp. 4–5; 2012, p. 5; and 2017a, pp. 1–2).

  3. 3.

    I am aware that general sociological theory conceives of roles as dynamic and statuses as static. Compared with activities, however, roles are relatively static.

  4. 4.

    Based on qualitative research Arai (2000) developed a specialized typology consisting of three types of career volunteering that helps us understand the link between such activity and collective action, citizenship, and social capital.

  5. 5.

    These activities are inherently non-competitive, even while individuals might compete as to who reaches the mountain top first, catches the most fish or the biggest one, seen the greatest variety of birds, and so on.

  6. 6.

    This section is reprinted verbatim with permission from Stebbins, R.A. (2014, pp. 10–15) and Palgrave Macmillan.

  7. 7.

    Thrills defined as such have attracted little empirical attention among researchers in leisure studies.

  8. 8.

    This section is reprinted verbatim with permission from Stebbins, R.A. (2014, pp. 11–12) and Palgrave Macmillan.

  9. 9.

    This section is reprinted with permission from Stebbins, R.A. (2014, pp. 15–20) and Palgrave Macmillan.

  10. 10.

    This section is reprinted from Stebbins, R. A. (2005e, pp. 7–8).

  11. 11.

    Of the first 8 foundational studies 2 were of amateurs in theater and classical music, 2 of entertainment magic and stand-up comedy (amateurs and pros), 2 in amateur baseball and amateur/professional Canadian football, and 2 in amateur archaeology and amateur/professional astronomy. The hobbyists were readers, silo ice climbers, barbershop singers, river kayakers, snowboarders, mountain climbers, quilters, foodies, and roller derby enthusiasts. The volunteers were (a) key volunteers serving in the French communities in Calgary and Edmonton, Canada and (b) key volunteers in a small sample of non-profit grassroots associations in Calgary.

  12. 12.

    Data supporting the idea of occupational devotion come from research by Kuusi and Haukola (2017), Carnicelli-Filho, S. (2010), and Henderson and Spracklen (2014).

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  1. University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Robert A. Stebbins

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Stebbins, R.A. (2020). The Essential SLP: Foundational Concepts. In: The Serious Leisure Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48036-3_2

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