Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts

Creating the Dragon

Alexus McLeod

$223

Hardback

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English

Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
15 November 2024

Asian history; Oriental religions

Series: Sport, Identity, and Culture

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. 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, including 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 response to oppression in the 20th century, and the contemporary ideologies of mixed martial arts.

By: Alexus McLeod
Imprint: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781666944600
ISBN 10: 1666944602
Series: Sport, Identity, and Culture
Pages: 362
Publication Date: 15 November 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Alexus McLeod is professor of religious studies at Indiana University.

Reviews for Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts: Creating the Dragon

""A must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of martial arts, philosophy, culture, and identity. Multi-disciplinary, yet a work of serious philosophy. Encyclopedic, but still theoretically focused. McLeod's writing is accessible to scholars, practitioners, and fans of martial arts culture."" --Steve Geisz, University of Tampa ""Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts is a timely and welcome addition to the martial arts studies literature. Dr. 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."" --Alex Channon, University of Brighton