Sociologicalperspectivesonleisure,events,sport,tourismandhotel/hospitalityFoundationStudiesweek8SociologicalPerspectivesAssignment1feedbackThesociologicalimagination–understandingindividualsinsocietySociologicalconceptsSocialstructure&processesCapitalism&leisureconsumptionApplicationinmanagement-corporatesocialresponsibilitySocialinequality&socialchangeSocialisationandleisureidentitiesSocialinclusion/exclusion,egparticipationratesSocialcapital&communitydevelopmentVideos–‘KoreaLosesWorldCup’and‘HeartofGoldInternationalFilmFestival’FoundationStudiesFeedbackonAssignment1Assignmentswillbehandedbackintutorialsorconsultationtimes(markswillnotbepostedontheweb&willnotbeemailedbytutors)overall‘verygood’firsteffort&broadrangeofmarks–needtoreadquestionscarefullyCongratulationstothestudentsthatachieved100%orclosetoit!Althoughwemarked‘generously’markslostduetomanysmallmistakeswiththereferencingtechnique–usetheHarvardguidetoensureyouarecorrect!databasesearch

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journalarticletitleAnnalsofTourismResearchisaJournaltitle‘EcotourismasagrowingtrendinAustralia’isaJournalarticletitleConfusionbetweenreferencetypes,egjournalarticles,bookorchapterinaneditedbookAllassignmentsmustbetyped–seecourseoutlineFeedbackonyourworkReadyourassignmentthroughtoseewhatyoudidwellandwhereyouwentwrong–goandlookattheHarvardreferencingguidetocheckforyourselfClarifyanyfurtherquestionswithyourtutorIfyouwanttheassignmentremarkedyouneedtofollowthe‘Re-examination’processforthiscourseandcompletethewrittenapplicationformonthecoursewebsiteTheCourseConvenorswillconsidertherequestandifwarrantedwillre-examinetheassignment–marksmaygoupordownTutorswillnotre-examineassignments.DevelopingASociologicalImaginationTakingafreshlookatsocialformationsbasednoton‘commonsenseassumptions’butoncarefulandcriticalanalysisoftheinvisiblesocialforceswhichliebehindthem.(VanKriekenetal,2000,p.6)Applicationofsociologicalconceptsinmanagementwiththeleisureindustry–eg,corporatesocialresponsibilityandcommunitydevelopment‘Itisaqualityofmindthatseemsmostdramaticallytopromiseanunderstandingoftheintimaterealitiesofourselvesinconnectionwithlargersocialrealities

(WrightMills1959,p.15).Sociologyisasocialsciencedisciplinefocusedonidentifyingsocialpatterns,inequalitiesandchange

thestudyofhowsocietyisorganisedandhowsocialforcesshapeindividualandcollectiveleisureexperiences2levelsofanalysisareinterlinked;‘macro’structureofsocietythatexistsbeyondusasindividuals(eg,organisationofwork-leisure)‘micro’processesofeverydaylifethatshapemeaningandparticipationinleisure(egoursocialbiographies,identitiesand‘a(chǎn)gency’asindividuals)

Theoreticaltraditions:Conflict-critical(Marx),Functionalist(Parsons),Interactionist(Goffman),Post-modern/Post-structuralist(Foucault)MacrochangesinWesternsocietyovertime

massivetransformationoftheknownsocialworldfromatraditionalsocialordertoamodernsocialorderFrenchRevolution(1789)?DemocracytheIndustrialRevolution?CapitalismModernity?Post-modernityProfitabilitythroughleisureconsumptionTechnology,uncertainty,flexibilityFastpaceofchange,unsustainableSOCIALSTRUCTURE:OverallpatternofsocialorganisationproducedbythesocialpracticesofgroupsandsocialinstitutionsSocialorderisreproducedbythepracticesof:

Socialinstitutions:media,economicsystem,schools,governments,family,work,leisure,sport,businessAustraliaisanadvancedcapitalistsocietyandaliberaldemocracy(freedomiscentralandmarketforcesshapeoureconomy)“WHYDOESMODERNAUSTRALIANSOCIETYTAKETHEFORMITDOES"?WhatisaCAPITALISTsociety?

“Conflict-Critical”sociologistsstudiestheproblemscreatedbycapitalism(egKarlMarx1818–1883‘Peoplemaketheirownhistory,butnotjustastheyplease’)Fourmajoraspectsofcapitalistsystemsofproduction:Privateownershipofcapitaltoproducegoodsandservices.Workers‘sell’theirlabourtocapitalistsforwagesConsumersusewagestobuyleisureMaximizingprofitsMarketcompetitionbetweencompaniescreateslowestmarketprice.GovernmentlaissezfaireorrefrainingfrominterferingintheeconomicsystemLeisureinthepost-industrialeraEarly1900’semergenceofthe8hourdaycreatedsocialstructureofwork-leisuretime(formen,womenhadhomeworktoo)EntitlementtoleisurewasstructuredbypaidworkThorsteinVeblen(TheoryoftheLeisureClass,1899)Wealthyclasseshadleisureanddisplayedtheirstatus/powerthroughconsumptionMiddleclassestoday‘KeepingupwiththeJones’leisurepurchasedforstatusvalueratherthanusevalue(commodification)Structuralchanges–advancedcapitalism&post-modernityRapidchangesinlabourmarkets,productsandpatternsofconsumptionReducedsecurityforworkers-expectedtobeflexibletoaccommodatechangingdemandsoftheiremployersPowerfulroleofmassmedia&rapidtechnologicalchangeProcessofcommodification:Leisureconsumptiondrivenbycorporationsmarketingnewwants,sellingofgoodsorservicestocreateprofitEg,watercanbeobtainedforfreefromatapbutmanypeoplebuybottledwaterIdeologymaintainsthesocialorderIdeologyofindividualfreechoicefuelsconsumptionandmaterialistvaluesIdeologyreferstoasetofideasproposedbythedominantclassofasocietythatappearnaturalandnormaltoothermembersofsocietyWhydon’tpeoplejustresistorrevoltagainstinequality?Criticaltheoristsarguethatleisurehasbeensiteofentertainmentofmasses,distractionfromunpleasantnessofworklife,asphereofescapeFunctionaliststhinkleisureofferscompensatorymeaningforunsatisfyingworkContemporarywork-leisurepatterns

Averagetimespentperday

onworkandleisureinAustraliaWorkingtoconsumeleisure?

Acultureofconsumptionhascontributedtoaspeedingupoflifeandadeclineinfreetime.Industrialcapitalismhasproducedanendlesscycleof‘work-and-spend’thathasresultedinpeoplegettingstuckonatreadmillofendlessworktosupportlifestylesthatarebasedontheconsumptionofmoreandmoregoods,butattheexpenseoffreetimetoenjoysuchacquisitions

(DeGrazia1962;Linder1970;Schor1991).

‘Theabilitytouseleisurewiselyisthefinaltestforcivilisation…..…Shouldwelivetoworkorworktolive.(BertrandRussell)

“Despiteanoutwardappearanceofdiversityandchoiceyoungpeoplecanincreasinglybeseenasconstrainedwithina‘neoncage’ofconsumerismwhichblindsthemtotheunderlyingrealities

whichconditiontheirsocialexistence”

FurlongandCartmel(1997:54)

Usingtheconceptofideologyhowcanweexplaintherelevanceofthisstatementtoleisureconsumptioninyouthculture?

Whatcritiquecanwealsomakeofconceptslikeideology?CorporateSocialResponsibilityandSustainableEnterprisesSociologicalconceptscanbeusedinmanagementtoimprovethebenefitsandreduceharmstoindividualsandsocietyEgCSRinthehotelindustry–businessestakingresponsibilityfortheimpactoftheiractivitiesonconsumers,employees,communities,environmentwithaimofimprovingqualityoflifeCriticalinitiativestocreatechangeormarketingspin?http://www.apexhotels.co.uk/corporate-social-responsibility/Ecopoliciestoimproveenvironmentalsustainability,ensuringaccessibilityforpersonswithadisability,stafffundraisingforcharitiesShortbreakSociologicalBiographies:Howdoesoursocialpositionshapeourleisureopportunities/inequalities?Individualleisureexperiencesandsocialidentitiesareshapedinwayswechooseandinwayswedonot(inequalitiesanddiscriminationcanoccur)Classposition(socio-economicresourcesofworking&middleclasses)Genderidentity(masculine/feminineexpectations)Ethnicidentity(culturalaffiliation,egwhite,black)Sexualorientation(heterosexual,gay,lesbian,bisexual,transgender)Age,ruralanddisabilitydifferencesWhatdoparticipationstatisticstellusaboutsocialinequalities?Eg.2005/6sportandphysrec.statistics:Age:25-34yrs&15-17yrs>partcip.rate(75%)65+yrslowestpartcip.rates(49%)Ethnicity:Englishethnicity>participthannon-EnglishspeakingbackgroundsClass:Employed(72%)>thannotworking(55%)Gender:Morewomenconstrainedbyfamilyreasons(14%women/5%men)Socialisation–developingone’sselfincontextofsocietyWedevelopidentitiesandleisurechoicesthroughtheprocessofsocialisationaswegrowintoadulthood.Peoplelearntofollow(andchallenge)socialnorms(orrulesforhowtoact)Howwereyousocialisedintoparticularleisureexperiences,tastesandidentities?InteractionistperspectiveonhowouridentityisshapedineverydaysocialrelationshipsCreatingCommunity&Identity

(Leisure&Wellbeing,ABS2001)Leisurepursuitsareconnectedtothecreationofanationalidentity(Australian)CreateconnectionviacommunitynetworksCommunitycanbe:Geographic–whereweliveRelatedtoacommoncharacteristic–egmigrants,olderpeople,thedeafcommunityRelatedtoacommoninterest–egtheenvironment,rapmusic,sportSocialCapitalRelationshipsoftrustbetweenpeoplethatcontributetosocialcohesionExtentofvolunteeringinacommunityisonemeasure‘Bonding’socialcapital–connectionswithpeopleinsimilarcircumstances/interests‘Bridging’socialcapital–connectionswithdifferentpeopleacrossdifferentsocialpositionsConnectionshapedbygeographiclocation,commoncharacteristics(egage,gender)orcommoninterest(egsport,environment,thearts)Sportandcommunityeventscanhelptobuildsocialcapital–connectionandidentityVideo–‘Korealoses’SoccerWorldCupCommunityDevelopmentasa‘wayofworking’tocreatesocialchangecommunitydevelopmentcanbedefinedas"...theparticipationbypeoplethemselvesineffortstoimprovetheirleveloflivingwithasmuchrelianceaspossibleontheirowninitiative,andtheprovisionoftechnicalandotherservicesinwayswhichencourageinitiative,self-helpandmutualhelp..."

Vasoo(1984,p.18)Communities,businessesandgovernmentworktogethertoidentifyissuesandfindsolutionstocreatechangePrinciplesofrespectfordifference,identifyinginequalities,realisingindividualandcollectivecapacities,involvingpeopleindecisionmakingprocesses–communitydrivenratherthanGovt/businesscontrolledEg,HeartofGoldInternationalFilmFestival,GympieMission:

showcaseswell-craftedfilmsthatfeeduswiththeirthought-provoking,upliftingorsimplyfunnytakeonlife.Whenafilmnourishesus,itimpactshowwethink,makesussmile,changeshowwetreatpeople.Weareseekingfilmsthatmakeapositivecontributiontotheworld

Communitydrivenwithsponsorshipfrombusiness,Govt(QLDEvents,QLDArts)andindividuals.au/festival-trailer.html.au/austory/specials/lett