Agency and Leisure

294 Words2 Pages
Compare and contrast the concepts of structure and agency and, using examples, show how each is useful for understanding work and/or leisure This essay aims to demonstrate how the concepts of agency (an individual’s ability to act on their own accordance in relation to society) and structure (societies guidelines on how to act and the moral compass of society which constrains and guides individuals with rules, regulations and laws that are set by society and legislation) can be utilised as a useful tool to understand work and leisure within society by comparing (examining) and contrasting (showing the differences) both. Agency within leisure demonstrates how and why we make choices regarding our leisure activities. For example why a person chooses to play golf or attend a gym. These leisure choices are influenced by agency by factors including our workplace environment and ambition which can be shown for example in deciding to take up golf or join a high end gym. This has been seen in society as way of enhancing our work-life and prospects by networking and building up relationships outside of work with colleagues. These activities however are not inexpensive. Therefore the ability for a person to take up this activity is not always a matter of agency but may be determined by structure and a person’s financial means. The structure which may influence a person’s ability to take up a costly leisure activity may include their gender (golf is view generally as male leisure activity); financial constraints (a lower paid manual worker is constrained by their financial situation ability to afford partaking in leisure activities as the ones mentioned). References M.Banks and C.Bennett, 2012. The Uses of Social Sciences DD206 :The Open University, Milton Keynes, Chapter 3 and
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