Family Events

An unprecedented exploration of the intersection of events and family studies, Family Events uses events as a lens through which to explore the concepts of families, family practices, family displays and family intimacies. Family Events explores the idea that how families come to be and, moreover, come to be defined as 'families' relies on events: whether that be via 'family events' - those which serve to celebrate being part of 'my' family - (e.g., birthdays, weddings, funerals), 'events experienced as a family' (e.g., a holiday or day trip) or 'events which impact families' (e.g., recession, war, global health emergency). Family Events brings together contributions from the social sciences, leisure and event studies which focus on a variety of different event contexts, including the life cycle, death and illness, sport, holidays, and community and religious festivals. Family Events offers a multitude of insightful perspectives on the intersection of events and family studies, and is a valuable resource for academics and students with a research interest in events, leisure and the family.

Thomas Fletcher is a Reader in the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. His primary research interests are in equality and diversity, social justice and families within the contexts of sport, leisure and events. He is the author of Negotiating Fatherhood: Sport and Family Practices. Tom was Chair of the Leisure Studies Association between 2017 and 2021.

0.Introducing family events: practices, displays and intimacies. Section 1: Family events, display and identity. 1.Community events as a context for displaying family practices and identity. 2.Pinterest perfect picture: The relationship between family events and social media. 3.Appraising parkrun as a family event. Section 2: Family events, memories and memory making. 4.Memories of family events and their resonance in a Lancashire park space. 5.Local event, family and music: The rootedness of cultural heritage. 6.Local community events as 'Balance leisure activities': Creating and enhancing family well-being. Section 3: Family events, culture, religion and heritage. 7.Religious events: Celebrating Eid-al-Fitr as a family. 8.Faith, family and tradition: Fifty plus years of the Annual Cochran Go-Around. 9.Family events as sites for racism and anti-racism. Section 4: Family events and the life course. 10.Life course events as a tool to make sociology relevant to everyday life. 11."I'm a widow, not a sports widow. Negotiating families, grief and loss through sports charity events. Section 5: Family events and extended families. 12.Grandleisure events: Grandparents and grandchildren spending special time together. 13.Family life and Celtic Football Club: A site of connection. 14.Agricultural shows, connectivity and families of choice. 15.Childhood cancer as a family event and the professional surrogate family.