"This book is an investigation of the role of myth and creation of social identity in martial arts, looking at historical contexts and important movements in East Asia and the West, from ancient times to the present day"--
Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts: Creating the Dragon is a study of the role of myth and ideology in the formation of social identity, focusing on a variety of communities of practice involving the martial arts in East Asian and Western history. Alexus McLeod argues that myths of the martial arts should not be understood as “falsehoods” created as means of legitimizing modern practices, but should instead be understood as narratives that enable individuals and communities to formulate social identities and to accord meaning to their practices. This book covers six influential sources of myth and identity formation in the history of martial arts: early Chinese and Indian philosophy, the formation bushido thought in the Edo period of Japan, Republican-era Chinese conceptions of nationhood and physical culture, Western contributions and the innovations of Bruce Lee, African American conceptions of martial arts as a response to oppression in the twentieth century, and the contemporary ideologies of mixed martial arts.
This book is an investigation of the role of myth and creation of social identity in martial arts, looking at historical contexts and important movements in East Asia and the West, from ancient times to the present day.
Arvustused
Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts is a timely and welcome addition to the martial arts studies literature. Alexus McLeods engaging and accessible text provides a persuasive analysis of how martial arts mythologies feature in the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves. The broad scope of its analysis will appeal to readers across academic disciplines with a substantive interest in how myths provide vital fodder for the social construction of identity. -- Alex Channon, University of Brighton A must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of martial arts, philosophy, culture, and identity. Multidisciplinary, yet a work of serious philosophy. Encyclopedic, but still theoretically focused, McLeods writing is accessible to scholars, practitioners, and fans of martial arts culture. -- Steve Geisz, University of Tampa
Muu info
This book is an investigation of the role of myth and creation of social identity in martial arts, looking at historical contexts and important movements in East Asia and the West, from ancient times to the present day.
Introduction: Creating the Dragon
Chapter
1. I Want to Create a New Chamber Historical Foundations and
Development of the
Martial Arts
Chapter
2. A Finger Pointing to the MoonDance, Ritual, and the Arts of
War
Chapter
3. One Should Consider Himself as DeadMartial Arts and
Deconstruction of the
Self
Chapter
4. Whats Your Style?National, Ethnic, and Cultural Identity in
the Martial Arts
Chapter
5. Honestly Expressing Yourself Bruce Lee and the Idea of
Expression of the True
Self in the Martial Arts
Chapter
6. Whos The Master?Martial Arts Ideologies of Empowerment
Chapter
7. No MercyContemporary Martial Arts Myth of Real Fighting,
Control, and
Potency
Conclusion: Commitment and the Martial Arts as Way of Life
Alexus McLeod is professor of religious studies at Indiana University.
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