The present chapter contains the theoretic foundation of this book. Here, I set out the Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) in detail sufficient to explain occupational devotion. The spotlight will be primarily on amateurs and hobbyists. Consequently, comparatively little will be said about casual leisure and project-based leisure. Volunteering will be considered to the extent that it is a precursor to certain liberal and consulting professions.

The Serious Leisure Perspective

The SLP is the theoretic framework that synthesizes three main forms of leisure, which is accomplished by showing their distinctive features, similarities and interrelationships. Those forms have been labeled serious leisure (recently renamed as serious pursuits to include devotee work), casual leisure and project-based leisure. They are also shaped by a variety of psychological, social, cultural and historical conditions.

Many of the roots of the Perspective date to late 1973, even though the concept itself was only formally introduced and elaborated much later in Stebbins (2007/2015). It takes its name from serious leisure, mainly because that form was the first to be studied. Research began in 1973 on the first of these (it examined amateurs in classical music and was reported in, among other publications, Stebbins [1976]). Work continued from thereon, consisting of more studies of other amateurs, then various hobbyists, career volunteers, casual leisure participants and enthusiasts attracted to project-based leisure. Within each form, numerous types and subtypes have also emerged over the years. The SLP and the research backing it are discussed in greater detail in Stebbins (2012, 2020).

Additionally, the Perspective considers how the three forms serve as conceptual umbrellas for a range of types of related activities. My research findings and theoretic musings over nearly 50 years have nevertheless evolved, coalescing into a typological map of the domain of leisure. That is, as far as is known at present, all leisure (at least in Western society) can be classified according to one of the three forms and their several types and subtypes. Figure 1.1 portrays the typological structure of the SLP. Note that this is a map, since the reader must go to Stebbins (2012, 2020) to learn what terms like hobbyist, casual leisure and career volunteer mean. In other words, this typology is a theoretic rather than a descriptive construction. The same holds for Table 1.1, which sets out a typology of volunteers anchored in the SLP.