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ABSTRACT
Scholars have identified the need to study cases of leisure from wider social and political contexts so that existing Western perspectives on leisure theories can be challenged. This study responds to that need by exploring the sociological factors that inform the conception and practice of leisure in Nepal. This exploratory study applies the qualitative method and data is collected through in-depth interviews of the purposely selected samples of 25 individuals at three leisure sites in Nepal. The study finds that the Nepali concept of leisure is strongly informed by the belief in fatalism, where there is limited individual agency or free will, and that social time rather than free time is central to this concept. The findings suggest the existence of a new ontology of leisure and identifies the need for more critical debates on the cross-cultural comparisons of leisure.
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Kalyan Bhandari
Kalyan Bhandari (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Events and Tourism in the School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the West of Scotland. His research interests are on sociology of leisure and tourism, tourism at heritage sites, governments and tourism public policies, environment and regional development. He completed his PhD on Scottish tourism from the University of Glasgow and has published papers on Scottish culture, identity and nationalism. He maintains equal research interest on Scottish tourism and on society and culture of his native Nepal.