Du er ikke logget ind
Beskrivelse
Understanding the significance of adult play in the life of modern societiesWithin the social sciences, few matters are as significant as the study of human play--or as neglected. In Play Reconsidered, rather than viewing play simply as a preoccupation of the young and a vehicle for skill development, Thomas S. Henricks argues that it s a social and cultural phenomenon of adult life, enveloped by wider structures and processes of society. In that context, he argues that a truly sociological approach to play should begin with a consideration of the largely overlooked writings on play and play-related topics by some of the classic sociological thinkers of the twentieth century.Henricks explores Karl Marx s analysis of creativity in human labor, examines Emile Durkheim s observations on the role of ritual and the formation of collective consciousness, extends Max Weber s ideas about the process of rationalization to the realm of expressive culture and play, surveys Georg Simmel s distinctive approach to sociology and sociability, and discusses Erving Goffman s focus on human conduct as process and play as encounter. These and other discussions of the contributions of more recent sociologists are framed by an initial consideration of Johan Huizinga s famous challenge to understand the nature and significance of play. In a closing synthesis, Henricks distinguishes play from other forms of human social expression, particularly ritual, communitas, and work.