Bodily Labour among Professional Boxers by Wacquant - Article Example

Critique of Pugs at Work: Bodily Capital and Bodily Labour among Professional Boxers Name Institution Course Date A Critical Analysis of a Research Article Wacquant, L. J. D. 1995, Pugs at Work: Bodily Capital and Bodily Labour among Professional Boxers, Body & Society, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 65-93. Introduction This assignment aim at conducting a critical analysis of the work titled “Pugs at Work: Bodily Capital and Bodily Labour among Professional Boxers.” This study was conducted so as to examine the concept of body labour whereby boxers or pugilists use their body as form of capital. In this respect for the boxers to attain the required standards, they undergo numerous strains such as dieting so as to gain the required weight before boxing. The study was conducted over a period of four years through an ethnographic inquiry and it targeted professional boxers. Moreover, spatially, the study location was in south side of Chicago metropolis in America. The study is conducted through participant observation whereby the researcher users the notes he took at the site and personal observation (p. 65). In this study the researcher looks at how the tradesmen or boxers shape up their body through numerous works and strains so as to achieve the desired level (p. 67). Apart from this he analyses how the boxers are trained to put their height at work (p. 69). In addition, he looks at how they learn body language of their own and that of the opponents (p. 73). Moreover, the researcher through interviewing of pugilists and trainers examines the sacrifices (p. 77) and risks that the boxers undergo and their fears while they engage in bouts (p. 83). This paper will examine the research problem, objectives, methodology used and recommendations provided by the study. What is the problem addressed in the research? Wacquant (1995, p. 65) observes that there exists knowledge gap in relation to multiple ways in which given social worlds utilizes their bodies as tool of trade by sprucing it up for that specific intention. He seeks to examine this concept through ethnographic inquiry of boxers located in Chicago metropolis. Precisely, he aims at exploring and showing the magnitude of how these boxers use their bodies as capital and labour. In order to achieve the above desired goal, the researcher engaged himself in a participatory observation in the site for years. It is out of these data collected through notes taken and personal observation that he pens down his observation. To address the above research problem, the study highlights four important factors in relation to the utilization of body as capital in the field of boxing. The study address concerns such as the rigorous work outs to shape the body as a capital, remodelling of the body as weapon and offensive tool, the sacrifice the boxers undergo through and the illusions of worst happening to them. Since the study was explorative and was focused on just exposing how human beings use their body as tool of trade, the study does not come up with recommendations. What is taken to address the problem? In order to fill the knowledge gap and answer his research question, the research used ethnography methodology. The study was conducted in the metropolis of Chicago through participant observation over a period of four years. During the study, the researcher took notes and engaged in personal observation (p. 65). Moreover, in his studies he targeted the main stakeholders in boxing game. He interviewed active boxers, former boxers, trainers, promoters and gym owners. In addition, the author links the existing information with what he observed so as to conceptualize the concept of body as a capital not as he thinks he should be but how it has been presented to him on first hand. This is what Merten (1998, p. 13) refers to as ontological assumption. Ethnography forms one of the subcomponents of interpretive paradigm (Merten, 1998, p. 7). This approach is based on qualitative approach of observation of phenomenon at their natural setting and review of documents (Merten, 1998, p. 14). Apart from this, close interaction between the researcher and the subjects and the validity of the data is not a creation of the researcher, but the respondent (Merten, 1998, p. 13). Moreover, Hammersley (1995, p. 3) notes that the strength of lies in its ability to “bear close resemblance to the routine ways in which people make sense of the world in everyday life.” This study focused more on understanding this given society rather than producing recommendation and conclusion. Indeed the author succeeds in dissecting information about this group by showing their daily lives in terms of daily body work outs, the sacrifices they make so as to attain the desired standard. This can be seen as value addition to the raw material which the body and is the tool of trade. Lastly, the study explores the fears of these boxers during their career time. In this case the boxers express their fears to long term injury and probability of death. However, they are addicted to the game since it is their only means of livelihood. In a nutshell, the study succeeds in explaining the concept of bodily capital and bodily labour among professional boxers. The outcomes and significance of the research The first point that this study exposes is the work out so as to shape up according to the required standards. Wancquat (1995, p. 66) posits that boxers at different level goes under vigorous and strenuous work out so as to achieve the bodily perfection that is required to engage in this game. The main aim for this rigorous exercise is to shape up the body to be the tool of trade. It entails reshaping the body so as to adopt it as a protective unit and offensive weapon (p. 67). In this essence, the body is treated as a raw material that should undergo value addition so that it can fetch higher price (p. 68). The second outcome and significance is based on how these people are trained to read their body and their opponent’s body by either learning to protect their weak points and utilize their opponent’s weak points. The essence of this is based on the reality that in this game the body is the offensive tool and at the same time defensive tool. In this instance they work on their body and with their body (p. 72, 73, and 75). The third problem addressed is the sacrifice that the boxers undertake before major boxing bouts. These sacrifices include strict dieting and detached social life (p. 77 and 78). This normally affects the boxer’s social life. The last outcome exposed is the illusion that these boxers undergo through during their career time. One of these is possibility of being seriously injured or even possibility of death (p. 82 and 83). While the researcher notes that the sport has been considered relatively safe in relation to other sports, he notes that these people undergo heavy illusions that can affect them in their later stages of life (p. 86). What evidence does the author present in support of the conclusions? The researcher in his work has engaged a different format whereby there is no overall conclusion. However, in every four subsection that he has highlighted, he use personal observation that he recorded from the primary source and personal statements of various boxers, officials and trainers. In engaging in this kind of discourse, the approach allows him to gain an in-depth knowledge of the situation. In addition with existence literature, the author is able to do a situational analysis that then one can easily interpret. This can be seen as interpretive or constructivism approach (Mertens, 1998, p. 11). For instance, to show the level of social seclusion that these boxers undergo while preparing for a bout, the researcher uses an example of confession from a Chicago boxer who took it his responsibility to stay with his trainer. [Living alone with my trainer] helps a lot, because it keeps me in line, you know. Every once in a while I wanna slip, he don’t let me, you know. Tha’s good, because, you have, you gonna have to sacrifice a lot to be a boxer an’ if I’mma sacrifice, I might as well totally sacrifice myself an’ say with my trainer (p. 78). From the above statement, the author is able to build evidence that the use of body as capital and labour or what he terms as collective enterprise (Goffman, 1969, p. 85-102 cited in Wacquant, 1995, p. 80). Boxing involves a lot of social conclusion. This makes loose touch with realities at a time, escape from certain social responsibilities and engagement in unhealthy behaviours like dieting (p. 77 and 78). In another instance, to show the kind of illusion that boxers go through before fight and during such as possibility of long term damaging injury and possibility of death, the give explicit first hand statements from the subjects. Some say the encounter is like an experience with hangman while some yell unprintable words like ‘lets go die now’ (p. 85). What assumptions can be identified within the approach, conclusions or evidence presented? Research through ethnography is anchored on the principle of describing certain culture through methodological thinking by actively participating in their activities over period of time so as to gain an in-depth knowledge about them (Hammersley, 1995, p. 10 and 11). Thus, the first assumption that Wacquant took in relation to the approach is to engage in the activity of boxers. He immersed himself into their activity interacting and interviewing the boxers, promoters and trainers. From this assumption he was able to address his research topic of body as capital or means of earning livelihood. From the interaction he was able to conceptualize the body as a capital, the work outs the boxers undergo through, the sacrifices made by them and their fears during their career period. This helped him achieve the knowledge gap that he wanted be addressed. The assumption built in relation to evidence presented by the researcher is that commoditisation of the body especially in the boxing field is unhealthy affair both physically and emotionally. He notes that boxing is based on afflicting maximum injury to the opponent as much as possible (p. 82 and 83).While it is indeed true that this kind of profession offers these people an avenue of earning income and some have even broken the heights in terms of income, the researcher rarely touches on this. He looks at the negative aspects and not a single positive aspect even though the sport has been rated relatively safe than other games (p. 83). References Hammersley, M. and Atkinson, P. 1995, ‘Chapter 1: What is Ethnography?’ in Ethnography: principles in practice. London: Routledge. Mertens, D. M. 1998, Research Methods in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative & Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage Publications. Wacquant, L. J. D. 1995, Pugs at Work: Bodily Capital and Bodily Labour among Professional Boxers, Body & Society, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 65-93. Read More