The emerging field of "Martial arts studies"

[GrahamB]

Interview in Kung Fu magazine with my erstwhile student and old friend Paul Bowman about this new emerging academic discipline:

http://martialartsstudies.blogspot.co.u ... azine.html

[jonathan.bluestein]

It seems to me that this field is not 'emerging' - it has been around for a few thousand years. Even with the 'modern' Academia, in China or Japan this is not new. I respect what Bowman is doing, though it seems to me that he and his colleagues present themselves sometimes as the spearhead of martial research, though they are neither the first nor alone in this field of study. Besides the prominent existence of this field in the Orient, I know that in Germany too there has been for quite some time a similar academic movement led by people such as sifu Keith Kernspecht. Also, let us not forget Stanley Hanning, Robert Smith and Donn F. Drager, who were doing this kind or similar work a few decades ago already.

Case in point:
http://seinenkai.com/articles/henning/il&t.pdf

What is really happening is that a new academic community has been founded around the subject, and they wish to stand out among the crowed. That is quite understandable.

My fear is that much of what I read from some academics is too detached from the reality of practice, and focused on trying to accommodate an 'academic writing style' and the professional demands for receiving titles and degrees. That is, instead of being focused on the practice. Nowadays, academics tend to all too often be people who write because the academia demands you write something. So they write with the professors and academic colleagues in mind - not with the average joe of martial arts in mind. Thus, though this 'academic emergence' will in many ways help promote the martial arts, it will also inevitably through them in the 'wrong' direction; or perhaps, a 'different' direction.

[Bao]

Seems much religion or philosophy for me. Every truth in TMA is hearsay and transmitted verbally. There's a challenge to sort things out all right. It will be an interesting task...

My fear is that much of what I read from some academics is too detached from the reality of practice, and focused on trying to accommodate an 'academic writing style' and the professional demands for receiving titles and degrees. That is, instead of being focused on the practice. Nowadays, academics tend to all too often be people who write because the academia demands you write something.

Well... It's not "nowadays" really. art studies and aesthetics has been around for a very long time and other subjects as film studies follows the same academic tradition of not creating, not doing the subjects, but study all other things about art, beauty and making. "Martial arts studies" should study the history and culture around martial arts. It doesn't matter if they practice anything. This is the way it is in the theoretical world of "higher studies.

[yeniseri]

It isn't really emerging but there have been the few like Messrs. Henning, Draeger, and others who have sought to distinguish the wheat from the chaff for better understanding of the societal background of said arts and possible errors on how or why they are as they are today, Nowadays, these authors are given a naming label/title (as in Martial Arts Studies, etc) as a gate upon which these studies will be examined and the alleged truth being 'standardized and corrected'

[Doc Stier]

Every serious, long term practitioner of any authentic martial art is ultimately a researcher in martial arts studies, imo. In many styles or systems, those who have achieved a basic mastery of their art are considered to be in a research phase of study and training in order to further their personal knowledge and skill beyond that which is acquired through merely learning the training methods and material included in their style or system to a level of basic expertise.

[Steve James]

Afaik, there aren't any departments of "martial arts studies," though there are plenty of martial arts students. Doug Wile used to work at my university while he was writing his books, but his department was "languages." Anyway, there are actual war colleges where what was meant by "martial arts" (to those who created those arts) are still taught. "Martial arts" as they are practiced today as a sport belong in "phys ed" and "philosophy" (maybe). "Martial art studies," however, is a much bigger and broader project that the practice of any particular ma or even of the history of any particular ma. For ex., it might consider the phenomenon of the lack of agreement among tcc practitioners. Or, it might consider the effect of capoeira on NY street culture. It might also be comparative, like a department of anthropology. However, when it comes to the specifics of almost any martial art discussed on RSF, academic studies that disagreed with preconceptions would simply be ignored. There's also the question of peer review. Everybody's an expert, so it all depends on who someone chooses to believe.

[KEND]

The project sounds very interesting. A while ago JAMA seemed to fill the gap, producing many articles of an academic nature on various MA's, sadly it is no longer around
MA has been a part of many academic studies, from Cinema to Anthropology, maybe it is time it stood on its own feet.

[Subitai]

Well, I have a student that just graduated from the University of Bridgeport (CT) with his (B.A.) in Martial Arts Studies:

http://www.bridgeport.edu/academics/und ... studies-b/


?? I know right??? At first I thought, "What in the world...? " but "Who Knows? " I hope he does something good with it.

[Steve James]

If the university offers a degree in ma studies, that'd be interesting. But, for ex., in NYS and NYC public universities, it's possible to obtain an "independent bachelor of arts/sciences" degree. The difference is that the independent degree is unique; in fact, it's offered because the university doesn't have a program that offers that particular degree. The advantage is that the student develops and proposes his or her own course of study.

[Taste of Death]

Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado offers a B.A. in yoga, tai chi and aikido.

http://www.naropa.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/traditional-eastern-arts-ba/index.php

[Steve James]

Hmmm, I looked through the Naropa description. Personally, I would recommend taking a degree in Asian philosophy and finding a good tcc or yoga teacher.

[Taste of Death]

Hmmm, I looked through the Naropa description. Personally, I would recommend taking a degree in Asian philosophy and finding a good tcc or yoga teacher.

I prefer Naropa's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics
http://www.naropa.edu/academics/jks/

[Steve James]

I just went to the page where the tuition costs are described.

Costs
Cost. Quality. Value. An affordable education for new leaders.

If you want to make a difference, Naropa can help you on your path to become the type of leader the world needs. We recognize that education at a private institution is an expensive investment. Naropa will help you and your family locate the financial resources (including student loans, grants, scholarships, work-study, and internships) that will enable you to attain your educational objectives.

Our graduates tell us the education they received at Naropa University is unlike the education they could have received anywhere else. Ninety-four percent of our recent graduates are working in their field, attending graduate or professional school, or engaging in other intentional activities.

The Real Deal

Here's what the average student pays at Naropa University:

Tuition & Fees Scholarship / Grant Award Federal Loan Total Cost*

Undergraduate

$30,580 $14,520 $7,000 $9,060

Graduate

$22,570 $4,500 $10,000 $8,070

*Does not include living expenses or textbooks.

http://www.naropa.edu/costs-aid/costs/index.php

[D_Glenn]

Apparently a degree in psychology from Naropa will bring one high accolades. Kind of funny given the sordid past of the naropa school.

Don't know about the other degrees though.

.

[Taste of Death]

I attended their summer writing program in 1987 when it was The Naropa Institute. Allen Ginsburg, William S. Burroughs, Anne Waldman, Diane di Prima, Peter Rowan, et al, made it well worth it. One of my roommates was studying dance therapy. To each his own.