Martial Arts Studies

In this episode, John Clements and Daniel Jaquet reflect on the reconstitution of European martial forms that have been preserved in fight books. One of the topics covered is the value of balancing scholarship and embodied practice in order to best understand these texts. Clements and Jaquet also discuss the appeal of these martial arts to modern-day practitioners and the future of the scholarly f...

In this episode, Dr. Anne Tjøndal discusses her research on gender, social inclusion, and methodological challenges in the study of Norwegian boxing. As an athlete, coach, and former vice president of the Norwegian Boxing Federation as well as a sociologist, Tjøndal has a unique perspective on the experiences of women in the sport. This conversation addresses the persistent association between box...

In this conversation, Dr Christopher Matthews of Nottingham Trent University discusses his immersive approach to research. By participating fully in the life of the boxing gym, Dr Matthews not only came to understand the norms and practices of boxing but also developed a carnal intersubjectivity. In this episode, we discuss the need to communicate clearly in our writing rather than use theory as a...

In this episode, Emily Dobrich, Carlos Gutiérrez, and Martin Minarik join Lauren Miller in discussing their work on the MASA Board. Topics of interest include the association’s plans for supporting early career scholars, the benefits of having global representation within our association, and plans for promoting members’ public-facing projects, particularly those with applications for the broader...

In this episode, Alex Channon, Wayne Wong, and George Jennings join Lauren Miller in discussing the formalization of our research network into an academic association. What started as a loose affiliation of likeminded scholars has blossomed into a robust academic organization, and becoming an association legitimizes the interdisciplinary field of martial arts. This conversation highlights the coll...

In this conversation, Dr. Marc Theeboom—professor of physical education and physiotherapy at VUB in Brussels—discusses the vast benefits of martial arts for youth development. Importantly, it is not that some martial arts have more benefits for children than do others, but that some pedagogical approaches are more beneficial than others. Theeboom explores the challenges of keeping martial traditio...

In this episode, three scholars from the varied disciplines of classics, history, and English come together to discuss the connections between Ancient Greek philosophers and modern-day BJJ and MMA. Foregrounded is the concept of agon, which is often translated as competition, but can perhaps be better conceptualized as striving for excellence. Perhaps most provocatively, this episode asks listener...

In this episode, Dr. Noah Johnson of Cornell College shares insights from his multi-sited ethnography on karate. His innovative approach to fieldwork took him to dojos in Okinawa as well as many different regions in the U.S. He concludes that the rituals of karate serve as a means for individuals to reinvent themselves. It also provides resources for individuals to protect themselves not just agai...

In this episode, Raúl Sánchez-García—researcher at King Juan Carlos University—reflects on the use of the sociological concept of habitus in martial arts studies. Sánchez-García demonstrates the utility of both Elias’s and Bourdieu’s formulation of the concept, and discusses how the martial arts scholar benefits from acquiring a fighter’s habitus. Sánchez-García also discusses his newer work on th...

In this facilitated dialog, Dr. Peter Katz and Dr. Martin Meyer discuss their backgrounds in academics and the martial arts before turning their attention to their interests in joining the editorial team of Martial Arts Studies. From their positions on the uses (and abuses) of artificial intelligence in academic writing to their hopes for how the field will continue to grow, this conversation char...

In this episode, Dr. Tom Green, professor emeritus of anthropology at Texas A&M University, shares his experiences with the field of Martial Arts Studies. It wasn’t until after establishing himself as a professional anthropologist and folklorist that Green, a lifelong martial arts practitioner, came to realize the potential for studying the martial arts through an academic lens. Green presente...

This podcast episode features Dr. Ben Penglase, a cultural anthropologist from Loyola University Chicago. The conversation delves into his background and research, particularly his long-standing fascination with Brazil, Brazilian culture, and social issues.

In this podcast episode, Paul Bowman reflects on the origins and community of Martial Arts Studies, discusses the transformative impact of his diverse martial arts practices like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and eskrima which he theorizes through concepts like affect and Deleuze, and details his research into orientalism, the sublime, and the resurgence of traditional strength training practices.

What Comedy Can Teach Us About Self-Defence, by Professor Paul Bowman (Cardiff University). Presentation given at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, Cardiff University, 6th November 2024

On the Self-Defence Scenario, by Dr Francis Dodsworth (Kingston University). Presentation given at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024

Can A Rear Naked Choke Be Chinese? Presentation by PhD researcher John Tasker at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, Cardiff University, 6th November 2024

Self-Defense, Power and the Epistemology of Ignorance, by Dr Peter Katz (California Northstate University), presented at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University, 6th November 2024

Presentation on Kung Fu Movies, Feminism, and Self-Defence in the 1970s, by Dr Luke White (Middlesex University). Talk given at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024.

On Movement Inspired by Martial Arts, by Dr George Jennings (Cardiff Met), presentation given at the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024

Presentation on women, guns and violence in the work of contemporary female artists, by Dr Bernadette Buckley (Goldsmiths College), a talk given during the conference The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024

Presentation on Kendo, self-defence and spirituality, by PhD researcher Jiongyan Huang, at the conference, The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence, at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024

Professor Paul Bowman's Introduction to the conference, 'The Ethics and Ideologies of Self-Defence', held at Cardiff University on 6th November 2024

Guangdong-Hong Kong Martial Arts Fiction, by Petr Vrána. Talk given at the 2024 Martial Arts Studies Conference at Cardiff University. See also: https://www.facebook.com/kungfufiction/  

Playing out violence as an act of responsibility, by Sarriy Anani. Paper given at the 2024 Martial Arts Studies Conference at Cardiff University.

'In Defence of Self-Defence', by Professor David Stevens (University of Nottingham). Presentation given at the 2024 Martial Arts Studies Conference at Cardiff University. Also available as a video on the Martial Arts Studies YouTube Channel.