Leisure and health: conjoined and contested concepts

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the various ideas, notions and conversations that underpin the leisure/health nexus and focuses on identifying the interrelatedness and synergies between these concepts. There are competing understandings of ‘health’ that underpin the domains of leisure. Within these disciplines there are contrasting discussions involving biological, economic, environmental, historical, medical, political, psychological and sociological ways of constructing meaning. These occur in the domains of bio-medical treatment and health promotion framed within embodiment and embodiment practice. The bio-medical domain frames ‘health’ as the prevention of disease/illness/injury and views ‘leisure’ as a tool through which to reduce risk. While 21st century health promotion posits ‘health’ more holistically, ‘leisure’ still often focuses on issues related to individual’s physical ‘health’. In reality leisure and health are complex concepts that exist within a system of ebbs and flows that impact each other in different ways depending on your point of view.

KEYWORDS:

• Bio-medical
• embodiment
• health
• leisure
• salutogenesis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicole Peel

Nicole Peel is a lecturer in the School of Science and Health at Western Sydney University. Her research and teaching focus on the leisure and health outcomes of marginalised individuals. Including people in foster care, people with a disability, ageing populations and those incarcerated. She has been exploring intersectionality and social capital through a systemic approach.

Hazel Maxwell

Hazel Maxwell is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania (at the Sydney campus). Her research and teaching focuses on physical activity, community sport, social inclusion and diversity management. She has been exploring social capital and diversity in non-for profit organisations in sport and health promotion contexts. Most recently she has been investigating the physical activity and sporting experiences of Indigenous women in Australia using a strengths based approach. Her PhD from the University of Technology, Sydney considered issues around the involvement of Muslim women in physical activity. Prior to this, she has worked for over 20 years in a variety of community development, health promotion and education settings in Australia and the UK.

Richard McGrath

Richard McGrath is a lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia, focusing on the sociological aspects of health and wellbeing. His current research involves exploring the impact of creative arts on the health and wellbeing of youth and the use of sporting reminiscence programs to support older people at risk of social isolation.