Paul Bowman. 2019. Deconstructing the Martial Arts. Cardiff: Cardiff University Press. 165 pages. Free to Download. Introduction Summer is typically the time when scholars get caught up on their reading. Yet judging from the pile of books, manuscripts, dissertations... Continue Reading →
Interpreting Bruce Lee We may debate lists of the 20th century’s most influential martial artists,* but when it comes to written texts, there is simply no question. “Liberate Yourself from Classical Karate,” Bruce Lee’s 1971 manifesto, first appearing... Continue Reading →
Barnum’s Daughter I was recently watching the news when I saw a brief segment on “the last” Japanese swordsmith. The whole things is a little overwrought as there are lots of individuals making swords in Japan today,... Continue Reading →
The Master Said: “I transmit, I do not create. I trust and love the ancients…” -Confucius, The Analects 7.1 I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to... Continue Reading →
***The following guest post has been generously provided by Paul Bowman. It is significant in a number of respects, providing us with both a summery and commentary on the ongoing debate over the definition of "martial arts." Bowman... Continue Reading →
Greetings from Germany! I am current attending the 5th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Sport Science's Martial Arts Commission at the Sports University of Cologne. I will soon be delivering my keynote address (titled "Creating Wing... Continue Reading →
By Stanford Chiou This post is my contribution to the recent discussion at Kung Fu Tea on the place of theory in martial studies (see here and here). There is no escaping the assumptions—or “theories”—on which perspectives are built, and... Continue Reading →
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