Arai – Moving beyond individualism in leisure theory: a critical analysis of concepts of community
and social engagement
Today’s leisure field is bounded by consumption and individualism, and the social aspect, the
community and the common good is neglected. Three interrelated crises are apparent – the crisis of
the identity or self, a social crisis, and a political crisis. How to solve those, without returning to
traditional ways of thinking about leisure? In this study social capital is used. The answer is to
develop a community that can provides space for the social self, and civic engagement to emerge. A
communitarian approach to leisure is shown in this article, in contradiction to the privatization of
leisure of the last decades.
“Focal practices” = those pursuits which bring an engagement of mind and body and a centering, and
the way in which such practices created shared meaning and communities of celebration.
Introduction
In the past the connection between democracy and recreation as a public good and broader social
concerns was already recognized. Nowadays it has moved to an individual good and selling the
benefits of leisure.
A communitarian perspective
Therefore, we deal with three crisis: crisis of identity, a social crisis in which alienation results from a
loss of trust, loss of familiarity and loss of relationships in society, and a political crisis as decision-
making and power move increasingly to the global level. Globalization puts community at risk, which
threatens individual rights and freedoms. In this paper we use the communitarian view, and
attempts to go back to community. Individualism fails to acknowledge interdependence and
obligations in society communitarianism tries to overcome this. Community is the context of
social relationships, in which trust, mutuality and cooperation are important. Today’s
communitarianism combines individual rights and freedom with collective responsibility and duty.
They emphasize leisure that brings people together around practices of shared meaning, also
referred to as: focal practices. These bring an engagement of mind and body, so that among a group
of individuals there is an immediate and centering power of the focal thing they are devoted to. The
means should be connected to the end (singing in a choir) and individuals are connected to
community.
Leisure practice
Leisure as consumption (1) is linked to individualism and the exercise of individual rights and choice.
Little concern is noted for the broader social, political or environmental consequences of their
actions. The presence of technology has also changed the nature of leisure choices. It decreases the
involvement in the creation of the leisure experience.
An alternative is leisure as shared meaning. Leisure is not a commercial activity, it is not consumable,
but is something everyone shares. The shared leisure pursuit becomes the common good. Through
citizenship we can achieve what we cannot achieve through consumership. Borgmann notices that
people do not find satisfaction in activities without personal interaction.
Focal realism refers to the encounters each of us has with things that of themselves have engaged
mind and body and centered our lives. Commanding presence, continuity with the world, and
centering power are signs of focal things. It provides the starting point or center for communal
celebration. Leisure as shared meaning is inseparable from the practice of leisure in a community of
celebration, in which the social self emerges. Focal realities cause individuals to ‘look up’ from self-
interest to areas of shared meaning.
Connectedness and the nature of community
and social engagement
Today’s leisure field is bounded by consumption and individualism, and the social aspect, the
community and the common good is neglected. Three interrelated crises are apparent – the crisis of
the identity or self, a social crisis, and a political crisis. How to solve those, without returning to
traditional ways of thinking about leisure? In this study social capital is used. The answer is to
develop a community that can provides space for the social self, and civic engagement to emerge. A
communitarian approach to leisure is shown in this article, in contradiction to the privatization of
leisure of the last decades.
“Focal practices” = those pursuits which bring an engagement of mind and body and a centering, and
the way in which such practices created shared meaning and communities of celebration.
Introduction
In the past the connection between democracy and recreation as a public good and broader social
concerns was already recognized. Nowadays it has moved to an individual good and selling the
benefits of leisure.
A communitarian perspective
Therefore, we deal with three crisis: crisis of identity, a social crisis in which alienation results from a
loss of trust, loss of familiarity and loss of relationships in society, and a political crisis as decision-
making and power move increasingly to the global level. Globalization puts community at risk, which
threatens individual rights and freedoms. In this paper we use the communitarian view, and
attempts to go back to community. Individualism fails to acknowledge interdependence and
obligations in society communitarianism tries to overcome this. Community is the context of
social relationships, in which trust, mutuality and cooperation are important. Today’s
communitarianism combines individual rights and freedom with collective responsibility and duty.
They emphasize leisure that brings people together around practices of shared meaning, also
referred to as: focal practices. These bring an engagement of mind and body, so that among a group
of individuals there is an immediate and centering power of the focal thing they are devoted to. The
means should be connected to the end (singing in a choir) and individuals are connected to
community.
Leisure practice
Leisure as consumption (1) is linked to individualism and the exercise of individual rights and choice.
Little concern is noted for the broader social, political or environmental consequences of their
actions. The presence of technology has also changed the nature of leisure choices. It decreases the
involvement in the creation of the leisure experience.
An alternative is leisure as shared meaning. Leisure is not a commercial activity, it is not consumable,
but is something everyone shares. The shared leisure pursuit becomes the common good. Through
citizenship we can achieve what we cannot achieve through consumership. Borgmann notices that
people do not find satisfaction in activities without personal interaction.
Focal realism refers to the encounters each of us has with things that of themselves have engaged
mind and body and centered our lives. Commanding presence, continuity with the world, and
centering power are signs of focal things. It provides the starting point or center for communal
celebration. Leisure as shared meaning is inseparable from the practice of leisure in a community of
celebration, in which the social self emerges. Focal realities cause individuals to ‘look up’ from self-
interest to areas of shared meaning.
Connectedness and the nature of community
