The serious leisure perspective is a way of looking at leisure activities and how people experience them. This website contains a page describing the basic concepts and propositions of the Perspective. It also contains a biographical page on Robert A. Stebbins, who coined the term serious leisure and pioneered, through exploratory research, this form of leisure as well as two other forms: casual and project-based leisure. The serious leisure perspective bridges and synthesizes these three. Other features of the website include: Researchers (names, addresses, interests of people studying the Perspective) Bibliography (list of publications bearing on the Perspective from 1976) Digital Library (collection of full-text publications) Leisure Education (bridging the gap between theory and research and leisure provision) Illustrations of the Perspective (shows the perspective in action) Conferences (notices and programs of relevant conferences) New Works (list of publications over past 2-3 years in the area) History of the Perspective (a chronological sketch since 1973) Related Links (links to some relevant associations, programs, and personal sites) Contacts (how to reach the developers of this site) Homo Otiosus (leisure man) is a fascinating creature and an increasingly important figure in our time. These pages - the serious leisure perspective - show why this is so. This site, launched in April, 2006, was built by Robert A. Stebbins ( University of Calgary ) and Jenna Hartel ( University of Toronto ). It will be revised frequently as need be. In this regard both of us welcome comments, suggested additions, and recommended changes to it. This invitation signals our intention to make this a community site for researchers, practitioners, and the interested lay public, a site where all who are interested in serious, casual, and project-based leisure can find stimulation in their approach to leisure. Thanks for taking time to visit The Serious Leisure Perspective.

What's New Outreach in amateur science: a new avenue for leisure education... Articles at Citizendium (The Citizens' Compendium): Serious Leisure The Serious Leisure Perspective Casual Leisure Leisure A scale for measuring serious leisure is now available. See SLIM The SLP diagram has been updated to include a typology of volunteers. Stebbins, R.A. (2009). Leisure and consumption: Common ground, separate world. Houndsmills, Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Stebbins, R.A. (2009). Personal decisions in the public square: Beyond problem into a positive sociology. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publications.   Stalp, M.B. (2007). Quilting: The fabric of everyday life. New York: Berg. NOW AVAILABLE: Andrews, W. L. (2008). Amateur hockey coaches: Careers and lifestyles. Amateurs: On the Margin Between Work and Leisure (Stebbins, 1970), Tolerable Differences: Living with Deviance (Stebbins, 1996), and The Connoisseur's New Orleans (Stebbins, 1995) are available in PDF from the Digital Library.