Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts

Creating the Dragon

AvAlexus McLeod

Häftad, Engelska, 2026

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Beskrivning

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.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2026-07-23
Mått:152 x 229 x 25 mm
Vikt:454 g
Format:Häftad
Språk:Engelska
Serie:Sport, Identity, and Culture
Antal sidor:342
Förlag:Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN:9781666944624

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Alexus McLeod is professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University.

Recensioner i media

“Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts is a timely and welcome addition to the martial arts studies literature. Alexus McLeod’s 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.”

Innehållsförteckning

Introduction: Creating the DragonChapter 1. “I Want to Create a New Chamber”— Historical Foundations and Development of theMartial ArtsChapter 2. “A Finger Pointing to the Moon”—Dance, Ritual, and the Arts of WarChapter 3. “One Should Consider Himself as Dead”—Martial Arts and Deconstruction of theSelfChapter 4. “What’s Your Style?”—National, Ethnic, and Cultural Identity in the Martial ArtsChapter 5. “Honestly Expressing Yourself”— Bruce Lee and the Idea of Expression of the “TrueSelf” in the Martial ArtsChapter 6. “Who’s The Master?”—Martial Arts Ideologies of EmpowermentChapter 7. “No Mercy”—Contemporary Martial Arts Myth of “Real” Fighting, Control, andPotencyConclusion: Commitment and the Martial Arts as Way of Life