Karl Spracklen is a Professor of Sociology of Leisure and Culture at Leeds Beckett University (UK). Until the end of 2019 he was the Principal Editor of the journal Metal Music Studies. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure. He is interested in leisure and identity and belonging and exclusion, and has published over a hundred papers, books, textbooks and book chapters in that broad area from sport to whisky tourism.