The second edition of this innovative textbook offers students the ways in which society shapes our diverse forms of entertainment, and how society is entertaining. Entertainment and Society examines a wide range of entertainment we enjoy in our daily lives - covering new areas such as sports, video games, gambling, theme parks, travel and shopping, as well as traditional entertainment such as movies, television and print.

The focus is mainly on the impact of technological and cultural convergence on innovation and the impact of contemporary entertainment. The authors begin with an overview of the entertainment study, where readers are introduced to different ways of understanding leisure and play, and then move on to follow a brief history of the evolution of entertainment from its living forms through mediation technology. The following chapters describe a wide range of theories and research and provide focused discussions on the relationship between entertainment and key social factors including economics, trade, culture, law, politics, ethics, advocacy and technology.

The authors conclude by highlighting the emerging innovations and trends in live and intermediate entertainment and exploring their future effects. The new edition includes updated examples and educational features throughout, including text boxes, case studies, student activities, discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading..