Call for Papers - Kendo and the Art of Living

“One-thousand days of training to forge,

ten-thousand days of training to refine.

But a [Kendo] bout is decided in a split second.”

                                                                       Miyamoto Musashi

Within a myriad of different martial arts present in contemporary societies, ranging between traditionalist approaches and highly competitive reinterpretations, between dogmatic and ritualized practices and high-end sportsmanship and athleticism, kendo proposes itself as a path in between. By successfully observing the modernized ritualization, functioning as a direct link and reminder of its militaristic history, and the athletic rigors required by its competitive side, kendo today successfully continues its evolution as a traditional martial art, as well as a modern sports discipline. It is within this binarity that our call for papers positions itself, aimed at better understanding the variety of discourses that both form and dominate the theoretical and practical dimensions of this martial art. With this in mind, Kansai University and the University of Zadarinvite submissions for a collection of essays dedicated to the Japanese martial art of kendo. This joint project between the two universities, coordinated and edited by Alexander Bennett and Marko Lukić, strives towards the exploration of the cultural value and impact of kendo as a martial art that almost uniquely transcends cultural and social boundaries by elevating itself to a status of a lingua franca, as well as an instrument for the promotion of personal growth and discipline.

Essays may explore, but are not limited to, the following topics:

-       The social functions of kendo

-       Cultural values and applicability of kendo

-       Kendo and personal development

-       Kendo vs Kenjutsu

-       Japanese culture, globalization, and the (de)appreciation of traditional values

-       Psychological and physical benefits of training kendo

-       Theoretical readings of different concepts (kamae, waza, shiai, grading, etc.)

-       Gender and kendo

-       Historical development of kendo (practices, equipment, narratives, etc.)

-       Craftsmanship and the art of Kendōgu

-       Historical and/or anthropological readings of kendo

-       Kendo and art

-       Comparative analysis of Japanese and non-Japanese approaches to kendo

-       Etc.

We invite all interested scholars to send their proposal (400-500 words) and short bio (max. 200 words, including author’s academic affiliation) to kendoartliving@gmail.com by November 30th, 2022. The submitted original research papers should be between 5,000 to 7,000 words including references and footnotes and should be submitted by February 28th 2023.

Submission of research papers implies that the work described has not been published previously and that its publication is approved by all authors. By submitting a manuscript, the authors acknowledge that the manuscript is original and entirely the result of the work of the author or authors. The ownership and rights of works submitted and published within the collection shall reside with the publishers.

Submission Process

All manuscripts should be submitted by email attachment to kendoartliving@gmail.com. All submissions must be submitted in English. Manuscripts must be computer typed and saved in .doc or .docx formats (Times New Roman, letter size 12 points, double spaced, fully paginated). Please attach to every submission a cover letter confirming that all authors have agreed to the submission and that the manuscript is not currently being considered for publication by any other publisher or journal.

Research Articles

All submitted research papers should include the following:

• title page with full title and subtitle (if any)

For the purposes of blind refereeing, the full name of each author with current affiliation and full contact details plus a short biographical note (up to 150 words) should be supplied in a separate file. Please ensure that you have anonymized the script throughout, deleting self-references until after the review process is complete.

• abstract of 100-150 words
• up to 10 keywords
• main text and word count – submissions must not exceed a total of 7,000 words, including abstract, main text, notes, all references and author’s short biographical note.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere (all quotations, titles, names, and dates should be double-checked for accuracy).

Citing and Formatting

Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are accurately typed before final submission. Manuscripts may be returned to the author if they do not follow the basic guidelines of the house style. The house style is based on MLA (Modern Language Association) Style (MLA Formatting). Additional MLA resources and information can be accessed here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_endnotes_and_footnotes.html. Authors will receive proofs of their manuscripts and be asked to send corrections to the editors within 3 weeks. Submissions are subject to editing and styling that complies with the journal's standards. Submitted manuscripts are not returned to authors. The journal does not pay contributors.

Any correspondence, queries or additional requests for information on the Submission Process should be sent to the editors at: kendoartliving@gmail.com

Abstract submission: November 30th 2022

Final submission deadline: February 28th 2023