Martial Arts in Latin Societies

This is the first book to explore martial arts and combat sports in Latin societies. Covering well-known and rarely studied forms of fighting systems, it considers how the schools of thought, organisation, and stylistics of martial arts can shine new light on the culture, history, and social issues of Latin countries and postcolonial societies.

Featuring the work of leading international martial arts scholars from around the world - some of whom are experienced practitioners, some apprentices, and some cultural critics of the martial arts - the book adopts a multidisciplinary approach, including anthropology, cultural and media studies, history, physical education, and sociology. It includes fascinating and in-depth case studies of topics as diverse as Capoeira and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, martial arts in urban Argentina, traditional wrestling forms from the Amazon region and Spain, boxe popolare in Italy, armed combat in the Philippines, and women’s wrestling in Spain.

This book is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in the sociology, history, culture or politics of sport, exercise, or physical culture as well as Latin American, European, or Asian studies or any of the diverse and broad traditions of martial arts.

Augusto Rembrandt Rodríguez-Sánchez is Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Sport, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain. His research interests are physical education, martial arts, and combat sports, as well as social aspects related to the practice of physical and sporting activity.

Joaquín Piedra is Senior Lecturer at the Universidad de Sevilla, Spain. He is head of the Critical Approach on Sport (CASport) research group and a specialist in the analysis of sport from a gender perspective. He has published on masculinities, gender, and coeducation in sport and physical education, and is a Member of the National Network on LGBTIQ+ on Physical Education and Sport.

George Jennings is Senior Lecturer in Sport Sociology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales, UK. His research is mainly focused on the relationships between martial arts cultures, pedagogies, and philosophies. His research interests include gender and masculinity, the body and embodiment, ethnicity and nationalism, religion and spirituality, and health and pedagogy.