The Body and Senses in Martial Culture [Hardcover]

This ethnographic study of a mixed martial arts gym inThailand describes the everyday practices and lived experiences of martial artpractitioners. Through the lived realities and everyday experiences of thesefighters, this book seeks to examine why foreigners invest their time and money totrain in martial arts in Thailand; the linkages between the embodiment ofmartial arts and masculinity; how foreign bodies consume martial arts andwhat they get out of it; the sensory reconfiguration required of a fighter; and the impact of transnational flows on bodily dispositions and knowledge.The author argues that being a successful fighter entails not only sensitized awarenessand knowledge of ones body, but also a reconfiguration of the senses.

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Methodology.- Chapter 3.- The Lived Realities at the Gym.- Chapter 4: Knowing your Body.- Chapter 5: The Global Martial Circuit and Globalised Bodies.- Chapter 6: Conclusion.  

LionelLoh Han Loong has graduated from the University of Singapore (NUS) with a degreeand a masters in Social Sciences (Sociology). His areas of interests include thesociology of the body, social memory, gender and sexuality, sports, and martialarts. He is currently working as an educator and is interested in issues dealingwith pedagogy.

This ethnographic study of a mixed martial arts gym in Thailand describes the everyday practices and lived experiences of martial art practitioners. Through the lived realities and everyday experiences of these fighters, this book seeks to examine why foreigners invest their time and money to train in martial arts in Thailand; the linkages between the embodiment of martial arts and masculinity; how foreign bodies consume martial arts and what they get out of it; the sensory reconfiguration required of a fighter; and the impact of transnational flows on bodily dispositions and knowledge. The aul³*