This Is My Park

Revision with unchanged content. This book documents women's physical activities in Prospect Park, a large urban park in Brooklyn, New York. Women's presence in the public sphere-and in the sphere of sport, fitness, and other physical activities-has been frequently problematized, but their experiences can tell us about the range of possibilities as well. What compels women to do what they do, and what do their activities mean to them? How does the park call out to them, and where do they stake their claims? What happens when they encounter others whom they perceive as different from them, particularly men and boys? Interviews with women and observations of activities in the park reveal that an urban park can afford opportunities for physical challenge, enjoyment, and feelings of support and caring. Safety and sociability are more complicated themes, closely connected to social constructions of race, class, gender, and space. Drawing from fields including psychology, geography, and leisure studies, this book explores all of these themes and discusses implications for theory and practice. It is directed toward students, researchers, and practitioners in urban planning, recreation, and the social science disciplines.