Leisure, activism, and the animation of the urban environment

This editorial sets the conceptual frame of reference for the special issue. It examines key themes at the intersection of activist leisure and critical event studies. Drawing on a wide range of social and leisure theory, we establish the critical lens of the Disrupt! project. Funded by Leeds Beckett University, Disrupt! used a variety of innovative methods to interrogate how activism could animate urban spaces

The 2015 UK General Election and the 2016 EU Referendum Towards a Democracy of the Spectacle

This book brings together the established field of political communication and the emerging field of critical event studies to develop new questions and approaches

The coalescence of the LGBTQI+ neo-tribes during the pride events

Pride events have transformed from being protests to becoming celebrations of diversity. As a social phenomenon, such events represent the collective interests of the LGBTQI+ communities and the individual agendas of the gender and sexually diverse groups that are part of the LGBTQI+ acronym. This chapter examines pride events by applying a neo-tribal theory perspective based on the four characteristics of neo-tribes being: fluidity in membership; shared sentiment; rituals and symbols; and space. It is argued that while the LGBTQI+ communities together represent a neo-tribe with a unified purpose, the individual communities form sub-tribes and provide a unique interpretation based on their sexual and gender identity. Using a participant observation approach, this chapter presents a discussion on the interplay between sub-tribes and the overall neo-tribe that coalesce together to construct a pride event, its holistic message and the experiences therein

Event studies: progression and future in the field

Interest in events is unquestionably at an all-time high, fueled by the profile ofmajor cultural, religious and sporting occasions that are subject to increased commodification and, consequently, growing media coverage. Capitalising on this interest, event studies has emerged in recent decades as the new kid on the block, an addition to the leisure, tourism and hospitality fields of study. The growth path of event studies has been documented in a number of reviews and summations of the extant literature (Harris et al. 2001; Getz 2000, 2008, 2010, 2012; Kim et al. 2013; Lee and Back 2005; Mair 2012; Mair and Whitford 2013; Yoo and Weber 2005). These reviews, whilst invaluable in identifying the scope of event studies and gaps in current knowledge, have yet to be explored in relation to their contribution to future event studies and education. With greater freedom to test the waters compared to an empirical paper, this conceptual piece provides an opportunity for some much needed critical introspection (Thomas and Bowdin 2012) as to progress in the field