Dynamic Embodiment For Social Theory
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Dynamic Embodiment for Social Theory
This book presents a series of ontological investigations into an adequate theory of embodiment for the social sciences. Informed by a new realist philosophy of causal powers, it seeks to articulate a concept of dynamic embodiment, one that positions human body movement, and not just ‘the body’ at the heart of theories of social action. It draws together several lines of thinking in contemporary social science: about the human body and its movements; adequate meta-theoretical explanations of agency and causality in human action; relations between moving and talking; skill and the formation of knowledge; metaphor, perception and the senses; movement literacy; the constitution of space and place, and narrative performance. This is an ontological inquiry that is richly grounded in, and supported by anthropological ethnographic evidence. Using the work of Rom Harré, Roy Bhaskar, Charles Varela and Drid Williams this book applies causal powers theory to a revised ontology of personhood, and discusses why the adequate location of human agency is crucial for the social sciences. The breakthrough lies in fact that new realism affords us an account of embodied human agency as a generative causal power that is grounded in our corporeal materiality, thereby connecting natural/physical and cultural worlds. Dynamic Embodiment for Social Theory is compelling reading for students and academics of the social sciences, especially anthropologists and sociologists of ‘the body’, and those interested in new developments in critical realism.
Dynamic Embodiment for Social Theory
This book presents a series of ontological investigations into an adequate theory of embodiment for the social sciences. Informed by a new realist philosophy of causal powers, it seeks to articulate a concept of dynamic embodiment, one that positions human body movement, and not just ‘the body’ at the heart of theories of social action. Using the work of Rom Harré, Roy Bhaskar, Charles Varela and Drid Williams this book applies causal powers theory to a revised ontology of personhood, and discusses why the adequate location of human agency is crucial for the social sciences. The breakthrough lies in fact that new realism affords us an account of embodied human agency as a generative causal power that is grounded in our corporeal materiality, thereby connecting natural/physical and cultural worlds. Dynamic Embodiment for Social Theory is compelling reading for students and academics of the social sciences, especially anthropologists and sociologists of ‘the body’, and those interested in new developments in critical realism.
Shaolin Kung Fu
This book investigates contemporary Shaolin Kung Fu, situated between tradition and modernity. Deeply rooted in the philosophical and religious traditions of Chan Buddhism and concurrently evolving under the influence of globalization, this martial art serves as a Chan Buddhist practice within the Shaolin monastic community. Illuminating the rich cultural heritage of Shaolin Kung Fu and its ongoing relevance in the contemporary world, the analysis is grounded in long-term ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China. The author argues that the spiritual essence of Shaolin Kung Fu is derived not from its constituent elements, such as body movements and techniques, but rather from the Chan Buddhist structures of meaning the practitioners embody. By highlighting the relationship between habitus, lived body, and dynamic embodiment, the book offers a novel perspective on the intersection of spirituality and martial arts. Providing a deeper understanding of the cultural, religious, and philosophical foundations that underpin Shaolin Kung Fu, this is a valuable reading for scholars of anthropology, sociology, religious studies, cultural heritage, and China studies, as well as for academics and practitioners with an interest in martial arts.