Slow nature-focused leisure in the days of COVID-19: repressive myths, social (in)justice, and hope
Mary Breunig
Abstract
This paper offers a tri-fold contribution. The original intent for this special issue paper was an investigation into outdoor recreational experiences that place 'nature' at the forefront of the activity, including Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing); Friluftsliv; Uitwaaien; Gökotta; and Green-Care Farming. These nature-first approaches exemplify 'slow' leisure, offering a counter-narrative to highly structured and overly-engineered outdoor experiences. As the writing unfolded and with the passage of time, the World suddenly came to its own 'slowing' down – almost to a halt – as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement gained Worldwide prominence. As a result, the final version of this paper offers autoethnographic and theoretical insights into 'slow leisure' relevant to some of the challenges imposed by COVID-19 and societal (in)justices. This exploration advances an ideology of hope as life continues to shift, evolve, and reveal emergent potential(s).