Politics and spontaneity: reflections on the politics of Aikido and deep ecology

Little, William 2026. Politics and spontaneity: reflections on the politics of Aikido and deep ecology. Martial Arts Studies 19 , pp. 92-102. 10.18573/mas.335

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Abstract

Examining the relations between the martial arts, nationalism, and security has been the main framework for thinking about the politics of the martial arts in recent historical and cultural studies. However, the mechanisms of power implied in tying the martial arts to the activities of the state or state actors are not always clear. By applying insights from Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze and Giorgio Agamben to the phenomenon of the practice of the traditional martial arts as a practice of the self, the relationship between politics and spontaneity can be explored. The argument is made that martial arts can become a form-of-life that deactivates sovereign and biopolitical relations of power.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure
Publisher:	Cardiff University Press
ISSN:	2057-5696
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 March 2026
Date of Acceptance:	26 February 2026
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2026 11:39
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185803

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