Martial Arts, Combat Sports, and Society: Interdisciplinary Approaches. Volume I

Martin J. Meyer (editor, author), Heiko Bittmann (editor, author), Uwe Mosebach (author), Henning Wittwer (author), Markus Klein (author), and Martin Minarik (author): Martial Arts, Combat Sports, and Society: Interdisciplinary Approaches. Volume I

March 25, 2023 / ISBN: 978-3980731669 / 313 pages / DIN A-5 / Paperback / 30 illustrations / Language: German

For information on the individual contributions by the authors, please refer to the table of contents and the foreword.

Authors:

Dr. Martin Meyer is a martial arts scholarand a lecturer at the University of Vechta. He is a founding member and former spokesperson of the dvs Commission on “Martial Arts and Combat Sports.” His research projects focus on interdisciplinary aspects of martial arts—particularly pedagogical, sociological, and motivational aspects—as well as foundational theory. In 2017, he received a fellowship from the “Japan Society for the Promotion of Science” (JSPS) for a research collaboration with Kanazawa University. He also gives lectures worldwide on the subject of martial arts and combat sports.

Heiko Bittmann: 1987–1993: Studied Japanese Studies and Sports Science at the Universities of Tübingen and Kanazawa, Japan. 1993–1998: Scholarship recipient at Kanazawa University. 1999: Completed his doctoral dissertation on the teaching of Karatedō. Assistant professor at Kanazawa University since 2001 and professor since 2009; teaches seminars on Budō, among other subjects. Primary research interests: Japanese culture and sports, particularly martial arts; author of several essays and monographs on Japanese martial arts. In addition to Iaidō (Kyōshi 7th Dan, Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei), he practices Jōdō (Kyōshi 7th Dan, Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei) and Karatedō (4th Dan).

PD Dr. phil. habil. Uwe Mosebach teaches at the Institute of Sports Science at the University of Erfurt in the areas of judo, the methodology and didactics of sports games, and training theory. He is also a visiting lecturer in the Department of Sports History at the University of Jena. Uwe Mosebach holds a 6th dan in judo.

Henning Wittwer began training in karate in the Shōtōkan style in 1992. Since 2005, he has been publishing his translations of ancient Japanese sources and his research on karate in English- and German-language academic journals. He also leads seminars and gives lectures. Wittwer is the author of several scholarly books on karatedō, particularly with regard to the Shōtōkan style.

Markus Klein: Ph.D. in Sports Science from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Research assistant at the Institute of Sports Science at Saarland University. Teaching and research in the fields of sociology of sport and sports education. Among other things, he has published on the feasibility of distance martial arts in school sports and serves as an instructional advisor for the Taekwondo Union Saar, e. V. 5th Dan in Taekwondo.

Martin Minarik earned his Ph.D. at the Institute of Human Movement Sciences at the University of Hamburg in the Culture, Media, and Society research group. His research focuses on performativity and theatricality, the sociology of the body and movement, and martial arts as cultural practices. In addition to his academic work, he is also actively involved in martial arts and performance. Among other achievements, he holds a 4th dan in Kukki Taekwondo.

Book Reviews:

– A must-read for anyone interested in the deeper meaning of martial arts and combat sports:

Fortunately, scholarly interest in the field of martial arts and combat sports is on the rise. Michael Calandra, host of the popular video podcast *Martial Truth* and himself a master of various martial arts, even speaks of a golden age of martial arts research. A growing number of research works are now available on the market. There is also a lot of activity in the area of anthologies. For their series “Martial Arts, Combat Sports, and Society: Interdisciplinary Approaches,” editors Martin J. Meyer and Heiko Bittmann have assembled a distinguished group of authors who are experts in their respective fields. Their contributions cover various topics within the anthology’s focus area and address historical, educational, and political phenomena related to martial arts and combat sports.

Martial Arts, Combat Sports, and Society: Interdisciplinary Approaches—Volume I was published in 2023 and features nine articles. In addition to the editors, Markus Klein, Martin Minarik, Uwe Mosebach, and Henning Wittwer, the book includes contributions from other authors.

Volume II was published in 2024 and contains ten articles. In addition to several authors from the first volume, the editors were able to secure contributions this time from Rita Nemeth, Andreas Niehaus, Sigrid Happ, Natalia Gyros, and Peter Kuhn.

Ultimately, both volumes are outstanding works that explore the multifaceted relationships between martial arts, combat sports, and society. The editors have compiled an impressive collection of articles that shed light on both scholarly and practical perspectives. I particularly appreciated the blend of tradition and modernity, which demonstrates how martial arts and combat sports continue to evolve without losing their cultural roots. These two volumes are a must-read for anyone interested in the deeper meaning of martial arts and combat sports. I’m already looking forward to the next volume and am eager to see what further insights and perspectives it will offer.

Ultimately, the only thing missing from the volumes are brief profiles of the authors (which are already available on the publisher’s website). Furthermore, the international research community will surely wonder with some regret why this outstanding contribution to scholarly discourse is not available in English.

(Amazon review by Thomas Feldmann, January 20, 2025)