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Encyclopedia of Play in Today′s Society
Contributor(s): Carlisle, Rodney P. (Editor)
ISBN: 1412966701     ISBN-13: 9781412966702
Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc
OUR PRICE:   $435.60  
Product Type: Hardcover
Published: April 2009
Qty:
Temporarily out of stock - Will ship within 2 to 5 weeks
Annotation: The Encyclopedia of Play: A Social History explores the concept of play in history and modern society in the United States and internationally.a Its scope encompasses leisure and recreation activities of children as well as adults throughout the ages, from dice games in the Roman empire to video games today.a As an academic social history, itaincludes the perspectives ofaseveral curricular disciplines, from sociology to child psychology, from lifestyle history to social epidemiology.a This two-volume setawill serve as a general, non-technical resource for students in education and human development, health and sports psychology, leisure and recreation studies and kinesiology, history, and other social sciences to understand the importance of play as it has developed globally throughout history and to appreciate the affects of play on child and adult development, particularly on health, creativity, and imagination.
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Games & Activities | Reference
- Sports & Recreation | Reference
- Crafts & Hobbies
Dewey: 790.1
LCCN: 2008054639
Physical Information: 2.8" H x 8.8" W x 11.4" (7.20 lbs) 1032 pages
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:

CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title for 2009

This ground-breaking resource is strongly recommended for all libraries and health and welfare institutional depots; essential for university collections, especially those catering to social studies programs.
--Library Journal, STARRED Review

Children and adults spend a great deal of time in activities we think of as play, including games, sports, and hobbies. Without thinking about it very deeply, almost everyone would agree that such activities are fun, relaxing, and entertaining. However, play has many purposes that run much deeper than simple entertainment. For children, play has various functions such as competition, following rules, accepting defeat, choosing leaders, exercising leadership, practicing adult roles, and taking risks in order to reap rewards. For adults, many games and sports serve as harmless releases of feelings of aggression, competition, and intergroup hostility.

The Encyclopedia of Play in Today′s Society explores the concept of play in history and modern society in the United States and internationally. Its scope encompasses leisure and recreational activities of children and adults throughout the ages, from dice games in the Roman Empire to video games today. With more than 450 entries, these two volumes do not include coverage of professional sports and sport teams but, instead, cover the hundreds of games played not to earn a living but as informal activity. All aspects of play--from learning to competition, mastery of nature, socialization, and cooperation--are included. Simply enough, this Encyclopedia explores play played for the fun of it!

Key Features

  • Available in both print and electronic formats
  • Provides access to the fascinating literature that has explored questions of psychology, learning theory, game theory, and history in depth
  • Considers the affects of play on child and adult development, particularly on health, creativity, and imagination
  • Contains entries that describe both adult and childhood play and games in dozens of cultures around the world and throughout history
  • Explores the sophisticated analyses of social thinkers such as Huizinga, Vygotsky, and Sutton-Smith, as well as the wide variety of games, toys, sports, and entertainments found around the world
  • Presents cultures as diverse as the ancient Middle East, modern Russia, and China and in nations as far flung as India, Argentina, and France

Key Themes

  • Adult Games
  • Board and Card Games
  • Children′s Games
  • History of Play
  • Outdoor Games and Amateur Sports
  • Play and Education
  • Play Around the World
  • Psychology of Play
  • Sociology of Play
  • Toys and Business
  • Video and Online Games

For a subject we mostly consider light-hearted, play as a research topic has generated an extensive and sophisticated literature, exploring a range of penetrating questions. This two-volume set serves as a general, nontechnical resource for academics, researchers, and students alike. It is an essential addition to any academic library.

Contributor Bio(s): Carlisle, Rodney P.: - Rodney P. Carlisle is Professor Emeritus at Rutgers University, where he taught in the History Department from 1966 to 2002. H received his undergraduate degree in history from Harvard College and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.