As the chapters in this edited volume explore in further detail, leisure myths and mythmaking involve complex relations in the gaps between reality and imagination—from the shared myths of musical legends to myths of placemaking and communities, as well as from origin myths of sport practices to fantasy and festivals, to the importance of storytelling as mythmaking in tourism. In different ways, each of these chapters alerts the readers to the “absent presence” of myths and mythmaking in leisure research.
The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Leisure Sciences.
Brett Lashua is Lecturer in Sociology of the Media and Education at University College London, UK. Brett’s interdisciplinary research spans cultural sociology, youth leisure, popular culture, and media studies, underpinned by interests in cultural histories and cultural geographies.
Simon Baker teaches Architecture at the University of Sheffield, UK, and is Founder and Director at Group Ginger Architects.
Troy D. Glover is Professor and Department Chair of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada.