Leisure space and quality of life. An approach to their relationship: the case of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Since geography, scientific approach to the leisure space is still emerging in connection with its incorporation and importance within the range of values characteristic of postmodern society. In turn, the evaluations on quality of life of the population also has advanced both with respect to leisure and other traditional dimensions (health, education, housing) since only within the environmental domain have incorporated some able socio-spatial indicators to allow an approximate spatial distribution of space leisure reading. In this sense, we find fertile ground on which contribute to the construction of knowledge about the overall treatment of leisure space and quality of life. Therefore, the first objective of this chapter is to present the state of the art relevant to both concepts trying geographical study retrospectively investigate the possibilities of applying the empirical level. To do this, methodologically it will work with the literature review and critical analysis of literature.Since the needs or requirements in leisure and recreation vary according to socio-demographic variables such as age and socio-economic level, and at the same time that the quality of life conditions and is conditioned by the socio-demographic dynamics places, it arises as a second goal deepen, as a first approach to the problem, on the imbalances that are evident from the cartographic overlay types of leisure areas, levels of quality of life and socio-demographic variables a specific space. Therefore, it is selected as a case study to the highest intermediate city Mar del Plata, located in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this instance the information come from secondary sources provided by the general population censuses, specifically relieved in 2010 by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC), as well as satellite images.Through the results are expected to contribute to the conceptual and methodological corpus based on the leisure space and quality of life, as well as contribute to the territorial visibility of mismatches that can be established at local level between the types of leisure space, levels of quality of life and socio-demographic variables.