Transformations of the notion of leisure in Quebec
Based on interviews held between 1971 and 2010, this text traces the evolution of the popular notion of recreation, with an emphasis on transformations of the terms used and on changes with regard to the range of activities discussed. Over time, the terms became diversified, if not specialized, and the activities were increasingly described in more detail. As such, the interviews show that recreation had assumed its place in society, to the point even of being recognized as a “need” for the affirmation of values concerning individuality, personal growth and well-being. The interviews moreover reveal significant generational differences. The notion of leisure was more triumphant in meanings in the seventies, more centered on the importance of work during the economic crisis of the eighties, nowadays geared toward young parents’adolescents key activities and a presentation of self as a generation in full glory with the babyboomers.