Current Debates in Martial Arts Studies

Current Debates in Martial Arts Studies: Inter- and Transdisciplinary Approaches to Combative Movement Cultures

(Summer Semester 2024, Winter Semester 2024/25)

Centre for Modern East Asian Studies / Institute of Sports Science (Institute of Sports Science) / University Sports (University Sports)

 

Martial arts and combat sports, particularly from East Asia, have now secured a prominent place in global leisure and media culture. Government-affiliated organizations in East Asian countries have recognized this trend, and today, East Asian martial arts and combat sports are often used as elements of so-called soft diplomacy strategies, having already been successfully utilized as methods of national education in these countries in the past.

Such movement cultures are also playing an increasingly prominent role in social, cultural, and media studies research, especially as education sciences have long shown an interest in this area. Over the past 10 years, scientific associations in different contexts have been founded with the aim of concentrating and promoting interdisciplinary research in this field, including the Commission on Martial Arts and Combat Sports of the German Association for Sports Science and the international Martial Arts Studies Research Network.

The goal of the lecture series Current Debates in Martial Arts Studies: Inter- and Transdisciplinary Approaches to Combative Movement Cultures is to provide students and researchers at the University of Göttingen (as well as external interested parties) with an overview of this internationally oriented research field. To this end, internationally recognized experts from various disciplines will be invited to present and discuss selected issues related to (East Asian) martial arts and combat sports, either via Zoom or in person. One objective is to strengthen the University of Göttingen’s national and international profile as a center for research and teaching on (East Asian) martial arts and combat sports.

 

13. Jun 2024 @ 18:00 – 19:00

Lecture: Sitting in a Well, Looking at the Sky

Daniel Mroz, PhD