This volume addresses the rich and varied thoughts concepts approaches and leisure practices
in sixteen countries of three continents---Australia Asia and Africa. The chapters showcase
the diversity in the forms and ways in which the idea and practice of leisure have developed
across space and time. However the common thread through the chapters is that concepts and
practices of leisure are found all over the world from pre-historic settlements to the
present-day consumer societies. Seemingly being at leisure is a capacity of the human species
present at birth and which develops in a variety of individual and societal contexts. Even in
situations where leisure gets little official recognition as being an aspect of life---such as
under colonial rule or in extremely work-centric societies---it needs to be contextually
understood. This is a welcome addition to the literature on leisure studies from a global and
comparative perspective.
