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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 author argues that being a successful fighter entails not only sensitized awareness
and knowledge of one's body, but also a reconfiguration of the senses.
List of contents
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.
About the author
Lionel
Loh Han Loong has graduated from the University of Singapore (NUS) with a degree
and a masters in Social Sciences (Sociology). His areas of interests include the
sociology of the body, social memory, gender and sexuality, sports, and martial
arts. He is currently working as an educator and is interested in issues dealing
with pedagogy.
