Bringing together a wide range of material from a number of different disciplines, this book provides a historical and geographical approach to the field of recreation and tourism.

Bringing together a wide range of material from a number of different disciplines, this book provides a historical and geographical approach to the field of recreation and tourism.

This text, now in its fully-updated third edition, continues to offer a comprehensive synthesis of the key issues associated with tourism, leisure and recreation.

First published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Routledge History of American Sport provides the first comprehensive overview of historical research in American sport from the early Colonial period to the present day. Considering sport through innovative themes and topics such as the business of sport, material culture and sport, the political uses of sport, and gender and sport, this text offers an interdisciplinary analysis of American leisure. Rather than moving chronologically through American history or considering the historical origins of each sport, these topics are dealt with organically within thematic chapters, emphasizing the influence of sport on American society. The volume is divided into eight thematic sections that include detailed original essays on particular facets of each theme. Focusing on how sport has influenced the history of women, minorities, politics, the media, and culture, these thematic chapters survey the major areas of debate and discussion. The volume offers a comprehensive view of the history of sport in America, pushing the field to consider new themes and approaches as well. Including a roster of contributors renowned in their fields of expertise, this ground-breaking collection is essential reading for all those interested in the history of American sport.

Based upon a social science approach to understanding the significance of tourism in contemporary society, Andrew Holden’s fascinating book highlights tourism as a multidisciplinary area of study with rich and varied theoretical underpinnings. Here, Holden introduces social science disciplines and applies relevant theories to the understanding of tourism. He investigates how the economic and political structures of society influence the manifestation of tourism at a global level, and subsequently considers a variety of topical issues including citizenship and social exclusion, tourism as a form of trade, consumerism, the consequences of tourism, and feminism and ethics. Each chapter includes: a brief introductory summary of the discipline a critique of its main theories and concepts which have relevance to tourism a discussion of how the theories and concepts have been applied to tourism using cases and examples international case studies and examples. Punctuated with study and teaching aids, chapter summaries and ‘think points’ to encourage reflection, this excellent, broad-ranging textbook provides a wider understanding of tourism’s role in society.