From Habtius to the Specatularization of Violence: A Conversation with Raúl Sánchez-García

In this episode, Raúl Sánchez-García—researcher at King Juan Carlos University—reflects on the use of the sociological concept of habitus in martial arts studies. Sánchez-García demonstrates the utility of both Elias’s and Bourdieu’s formulation of the concept, and discusses how the martial arts scholar benefits from acquiring a fighter’s habitus. Sánchez-García also discusses his newer work on the spectacularization of violence in MMA as well as in bareknuckle fighting, especially as this pertains to masculinity in the current socio-political climate.