Analysis of Women's Leisure, What Leisure by Eileen Green, Sandra Hebron and Diana Woodward - Book Report/Review Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Book Review Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Studies of leisure have tremendously developed over the years in a variety of fields, such as from the study of the leisure-work relationship to what is now commonly being investigated, the leisure-culture relationship. The role of gender in this subject has however been neglected, and the experiences of women have largely remained barely noticeable. This makes Women's Leisure, What Leisure? By Eileen Green, Sandra Hebron and Diana Woodward (1990, M acmillan) a must-read and very relevant in having a more knowledgeable understanding of women’s leisure. The following is a review of this great book; a summary of the chapters and main themes has been provided variety of issues have been examined, and the strengths and weaknesses of the themes and points mentioned chapter by chapter in comparison with other books of relevant content. Further, general strengths and weaknesses of the book will be provided and importantly, an indication of whether it is interesting and useful to a student developing their understanding of this field as well as an indication of its relevance for the development of a sociological approach to the field of sport and/or leisure studies. The first chapter of the book deals with the various concepts of leisure: Conceptualizing Leisure. The authors examine an important theme in the conceptualization of leisure; the role of gender, where they write that leisure has different meanings for both men and women, and criticize conceptualizing leisure as gender blind, whereby women have been reviewed as deviant cases. They also assert that the conceptions of leisure behavior have traditionally had a strong gender bias, and that they have reflected the power of male influential groups to describe the factors of leisure in various historical settings. One of the major strengths of this book is revealed in this chapter; the use of studies carried out to confirm research ideologies and literature ideas. Green et al review a study carried out to show constraints that impact women accessing experiences of leisure, a study that found that more than half of the women interviewed were worried about being out after dark and sees it as a big hindrance for them. However, the chapter also has a relative weakness of not being clear in describing concepts of leisure as has been identified by, for example Haywood and Henry (1986) who clearly criticize the traditional categorization of leisure in the following three categories: leisure as residue time, meaning the reverse of work time; leisure as activities, whereby people choose to play a part during their free time; and leisure as functional, whereby, leisure is conceptualized as a significant means of achieving socially desired and approved ends. The other chapter is Capitalism, Patriarchy and Ideologies of Leisure, whereby they recognize the value of structuralist investigations of capitalism and patriarchy as well as patriarchal capitalism in determining the power relations that legitimize leisure and gender relations. Green et al (1990) assert that leisure is a field of patriarchy, and define it in the main as the control of men to women. Further, the authors affirm that the go-ahead of this control is naturally obtained from patriarchal capitalist ideas. In this chapter, they have also examined the theme of critical feminism, which is indeed a key strength of this book, considering the role of critical feminism in rediscovering the place of the feminine voice and her contribution to social development. Importantly, Green et al have defined men as oppressors and examine ways through which men put into effect power and control over the biological reproductive capacity of women as well as their sexuality of their bodies. Using this approach, the subject of patriarchy has been examined as an important component of social relations, asserting that power and politics are significant in policy making and, more importantly, in the private context within sexual relationships, particularly within the family sphere. Another very important ideology of leisure examined is that the general model of providing leisure in women does not take into consideration the view of gender in social relations, and patriarchy is one of the important ideologies that provide that the essential sexual division between males and females allows life and living. Therefore, human sexuality is a fundamental issue, because it determines the opportunities as well as constraints in leisure. This chapter has clearly examined the major ideologies of leisure. However, there is a significant given that they have not provided recommendations concerning how patriarchal relations of work function. One of the ways through which other related literature has tackled this issue is by developing ways through which can create an effective environment for women’s leisure. Shaw (1994) write that one of the most important ways and most effective ways of preventing the marginalization of women’s leisure and related inequality is by doing away with the ideology of patriarchy that is for the most part a natural source of discrimination, inequality, sexual harassment and the division of domestic labor on sexual lines. So as to achieve the end, this can be done by disseminating and cultivating the ideologies and equal opportunity in employment, domestic labor and more importantly, leisure activities through the mass media and education institutions. In the subsequent two chapters, Green et at look at an important issue in embracing and understanding: the trends of women’s leisure. The chapters are entitled: A Social History of Women's Leisure, and the second is Women's Leisure Today. In A Social History of Women’s Leisure, the authors examine a number of social issues that have influenced the growth and development of significant ideologies in women’s leisure. A number of issues have been examined, for example the gradual change in the social factors that have confined leisure for women, showing how women’s leisure has over the years been marginalized in the present-day patriarchal society and the significance of this in appreciating the function of women’s leisure (Woodward et al, 1988; Wimbush, 1988). In both of the chapters, the authors seek to clearly identify the transformation in social issues and add a significant strength to the book in helping one understand how women’s leisure has transformed over the years. The book would have however been more comprehensible if it provided a comparison of various issues as has been done by Kenneth Roberts in the book Leisure in contemporary society. In his text, Roberts has identified various stereotypes of women’s leisure compared with men’s leisure, which he has tabulated and it provides that in today’s contemporary society, (p. 116): women’s leisure is a kind of experience, while men’s or masculine leisure is a type of an activity (for example sport) or time; feminine leisure is also embedded in other daily activities whereas masculine leisure is a separate part of life; and that feminine leisure is based on a relationship, while men’s leisure is based on an activity. In addition, other stereotypes are that women’s leisure is: task oriented, while men’s leisure is time oriented; tries to find quality experience, while men’s leisure tries t find maximum activity; it is cooperative, while that of men is competitive; and lastly, it is self generate, while that of men is purchase (Roberts, 2001). The other chapter is Social Control in the Public and Private Spheres. Having examined the history and the current situation of women’s leisure, this is an essential chapter where Green et al (1990) provide that the research of women’s leisure in the postmodern society emerges to concentrate on conspicuous consumption, that is, the public world and the frenzied realities of Disney World. They also assert that importantly, there is the need to bring back the personal and political back on the research program. Although feminist research has always discarded the political disconnection of the public and the private, the private world is essential for women, considering the high gendered society. Thus, they importantly provide that the private sphere is fundamental in the control of women’s leisure and provide that issues such as sexuality, time, control, space, regulation and power are important and need to be examined. This is also an important strength as the authors assert that the society should not only focus their leisure gaze onto the public field since the gendered reality of the unseen private world will become more and more ignored. In today’s society, men and women are of the view that men have the right to some independent leisure as opposed to women. This is the theme examined in the other chapter, Women's Fight for Independent Leisure, whereby Green et al establish that because of children, the independent leisure expected to be experienced by women has always broken down. The view that women’s leisure is more children oriented is an important aspect that seeks to emphasize that women’s leisure is constrained by joint social expectations that favor men. Another significant chapter examined in the book is: Putting Women in Their Place. This is one of the most informative chapters in the book, and the authors assert that with regard to social control, the women roles as for example mother is a major factor significantly ties women to their homes limiting their access to public spheres of leisure. This air of mystery that surrounds the domestic role of women is empowered by existing norms that regard highly regarded female behavior (Wimbush, 1988). By stereotyping the mother, this establishes a background that helps understand the related stillness of the greater part of the women involved. The authors have identified several strategies that can help put women in their rightful place with regard to leisure, and one of the issues expansively discussed is ensuring that supportive machinery is provided of domestic labor with family as this will increase more and more opportunities for women to be involved in the ensure activities that they like. This can be achieved by for example providing childcare facilities for school age children after school and during holidays as well as underage children and this can significantly free mothers from their conventional obligation towards children and this way, they can enjoy their leisure at the time as children enjoy theirs. So as to further increase opportunities for women’s leisure, Green et al provide that reliable transport particularly in the night can help ensure that women feel safe using and this is very important because it s a major part of ensuring that women’s leisure in the community is enhanced. The last but certainly not least theme examined in the book is the feminist ideology of leisure examined in the chapter: Towards Feminist Sociologies of Leisure. In this chapter, Green et al seek to examine postmodern sociologies of leisure that contend traditional ideologies such as the ideology that women’s leisure is based upon the assumption that the ‘spare time’ of the women should be filled by detailing aspects of domestic principles such as ‘homemaking’, improving the physical appearance and caring and nurturing of others. This theme has been emphasized by an ethnographic research carried out on leisure experiences and showed that because of the universal acceptance of conventional divisions of tasks and responsibilities by the respondents, little perception was found that women would require leisure at the home to a degree as that of men. Therefore, men’s leisure out of home received high priority, with regard to its superiority over spending patterns and competing activities. On the contrary, women’s leisure was found out to be less significant, both by the women respondents and their partners. This book has powerfully conceptualized leisure with regard to feminist perspectives so as to provide a well informed perceptive of women's leisure. Green et al have argued that such an analysis unavoidably includes studying the daily lives of women in relation to their views on leisure. In addition, and most importantly, the authors review a chief study of Sheffield women's leisure as well as other sources and affirm that the processes of social control and negotiation are provides and established to be fundamental in determining the access of women to free time as well as their access to the resources that are needed to enjoy leisure. Eileen Green, Sandra Hebron and Diana Woodward have created a master-piece in their book Women's leisure, what leisure? (1990, Macmillan). Worth mentioning is that the language used in this book makes it not just an informative read but also a very interesting book to study; as opposed to many research books written in this subject, Green et al’s book has been written with a simple language that has a coherent analysis of the various issues studied. This is indeed one of the most valuable resources in developing a sociological approach to the field of leisure studies because of its relevance in the issues affecting women’s leisure. This review has looked at the various chapters and themes provided by these well informed authors and have critically reviewed them with regard to their strengths and in comparison with other books of relevant content. Many books written regarding research studies and analyses about sociology or related subjects tend to have detailed data provisions that are usually complex and not easy to read through and often require a lot of time to go through. However, while this book provides various issues affecting Women’s leisure as well as the relevant data and research studies carried out to verify the ideologies, it is also a very easy to read book that is not only interesting but also very useful to a student interested to develop their understanding of this sociological field of leisure studies. I therefore strongly recommend this book. References Eileen Green, Sandra Hebron, and Diana Woodward, Women's Leisure, What Leisure? London: Macmillan, (1990) Haywood, L. & Henry, I. Policy Developments in Community Leisure and Recreation, Part One. Leisure Management, July, 6 (7), 25-9. (1986)  Roberts, K. Leisure in contemporary society. Philadelphia: Open University Press. (2001) Shaw, S. M. Gender, leisure, and constraints: Towards a framework for the analysis of women’s leisure. The Journal of Leisure Research, (1994) 26, 8-22. Wimbush, E. and Talbot, M. Relative Freedoms: Women and Leisure. Milton Keynes and Philadelphia: Open University Press. (1988) Woodward, D.; Green, E. & Hebron, S. Bouncing the Balls Around...or Keeping Them in the Air? The Sociology of Women’s Leisure and Physical Recreation. University of Sussex, Brighton. (1988) Read More

Green et al (1990) assert that leisure is a field of patriarchy, and define it in the main as the control of men to women. Further, the authors affirm that the go-ahead of this control is naturally obtained from patriarchal capitalist ideas. In this chapter, they have also examined the theme of critical feminism, which is indeed a key strength of this book, considering the role of critical feminism in rediscovering the place of the feminine voice and her contribution to social development. Importantly, Green et al have defined men as oppressors and examine ways through which men put into effect power and control over the biological reproductive capacity of women as well as their sexuality of their bodies.

Using this approach, the subject of patriarchy has been examined as an important component of social relations, asserting that power and politics are significant in policy making and, more importantly, in the private context within sexual relationships, particularly within the family sphere. Another very important ideology of leisure examined is that the general model of providing leisure in women does not take into consideration the view of gender in social relations, and patriarchy is one of the important ideologies that provide that the essential sexual division between males and females allows life and living.

Therefore, human sexuality is a fundamental issue, because it determines the opportunities as well as constraints in leisure. This chapter has clearly examined the major ideologies of leisure. However, there is a significant given that they have not provided recommendations concerning how patriarchal relations of work function. One of the ways through which other related literature has tackled this issue is by developing ways through which can create an effective environment for women’s leisure.

Shaw (1994) write that one of the most important ways and most effective ways of preventing the marginalization of women’s leisure and related inequality is by doing away with the ideology of patriarchy that is for the most part a natural source of discrimination, inequality, sexual harassment and the division of domestic labor on sexual lines. So as to achieve the end, this can be done by disseminating and cultivating the ideologies and equal opportunity in employment, domestic labor and more importantly, leisure activities through the mass media and education institutions.

In the subsequent two chapters, Green et at look at an important issue in embracing and understanding: the trends of women’s leisure. The chapters are entitled: A Social History of Women's Leisure, and the second is Women's Leisure Today. In A Social History of Women’s Leisure, the authors examine a number of social issues that have influenced the growth and development of significant ideologies in women’s leisure. A number of issues have been examined, for example the gradual change in the social factors that have confined leisure for women, showing how women’s leisure has over the years been marginalized in the present-day patriarchal society and the significance of this in appreciating the function of women’s leisure (Woodward et al, 1988; Wimbush, 1988).

In both of the chapters, the authors seek to clearly identify the transformation in social issues and add a significant strength to the book in helping one understand how women’s leisure has transformed over the years. The book would have however been more comprehensible if it provided a comparison of various issues as has been done by Kenneth Roberts in the book Leisure in contemporary society. In his text, Roberts has identified various stereotypes of women’s leisure compared with men’s leisure, which he has tabulated and it provides that in today’s contemporary society, (p. 116): women’s leisure is a kind of experience, while men’s or masculine leisure is a type of an activity (for example sport) or time; feminine leisure is also embedded in other daily activities whereas masculine leisure is a separate part of life; and that feminine leisure is based on a relationship, while men’s leisure is based on an activity.

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