Karate as Personal Reinvention: A Conversation with Dr. Noah Johnson
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 against physical threats, but against the threats of precarity and social uncertainty.
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48:02
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48:02
From Habtius to the Specatularization of Violence: A Conversation with Raúl Sánchez-García
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 the spectacularization of violence in MMA as well as in bareknuckle fighting, especially as this pertains to masculinity in the current socio-political climate.
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42:25
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42:25
Turning the Page at Martial Arts Studies: A Conversation with Dr. Peter Katz and Dr. Martin Meyer
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 charts a new course for our association’s flagship journal.
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43:41
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43:41
Trojan Horses: A Discussion of How Martial Arts Studies became a Legitimate Academic Field with Dr. Tom Green (Texas A&M University)
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 presented the first ever paper on martial arts at the American Folklore Society and thereafter became a leading figure in the anthropology of martial arts. This conversation explores some of the methodological and epistemological approaches to what has become a legitimate, interdisciplinary field.
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48:58
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48:58
The Historical and Cultural Development of Brazil’s Martial Arts: A Conversation with Dr Ben Penglase (Loyola University Chicago)
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.
Conversations on the academic field of Martial Arts Studies, hosted by Professor Lauren Miller of Texas Tech University and featuring academics, scholars and experts from around the world.
Ireland