Study momentum

The BJJ study has kept me ridiculously busy. I want to thank the community for so generously coming forward and opening your lives to me. My knowledge of jiu jitsu grows exponentially with each interview and for that I have the community to thank. I have been overwhelmed by the level of hospitality shown me by not only the participants in my study, but people in the jiu jitsu community generally.   

Because of this research I have come to the attention of the media - how they picked up on it I don't know! From what I understand, one of the reporters who has contacted me said he noticed it on my UofA webpage. I'm not sure I understand, however. Do reporters from local papers peruse local academics' websites for content? Really? Whatever the case, I'm supposed to be interviewed this afternoon - I'm fully cognizant that the shoe is now on the other foot. But, I have a ridiculous amount of trepidation. Reporters I have encountered in the past have not been particularly kind, nor entirely accurate in their deployment of my comments. Other times, they have been outright hostile (why they call in the first place I don't know!). 

As someone trained as a crime scholar I'm often called upon to comment on local "crime news" - a role from which I don't derive a great deal of satisfaction. On one particular occasion I was working in my office the morning after a violent incident involving a university aged male when the phone rang. I held my breath and answered the call certain of who or, rather, what was on the other end. The reporter – I was right – inquired whether I could explain to her why violent crime was increasing in Edmonton. After informing her that in fact police statistics for the last 5 years suggested the opposite, she bellowed ‘you’re the criminologist (that's debatable!), explain to me why we keep seeing these violent crimes, then.’ To which I replied, ‘because you keep reporting them.’ Disgusted, she hung up. 

Experience, in part, explains my apprehension. Moreover, this will be my first occasion to talk about my research in a public venue. While I have learned much, I'm not sure I'm sufficiently far along in the research to make any definitive claims. 

Or, all these justification may just be avoidance techniques: like when you know that someone is not particularly keen to roll with you because they suddenly find something really interesting on their belt as you approach! 

Given my goal of promoting jiu jitsu I want to embrace this opportunity. Toward this end, I should stop procrastinating (another avoidance technique), end this post and prepare. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bryan

bjjstudy@gmail.com

Spreading...

Understanding the widespread growth and spread of jiu jitsu throughout the world was a driving motivation for my study. Through the window that burgeoning class size and increasing number of black belts outside of Brazil provide, we are well aware that the numbers of individuals taking up the sport/art has grown considerably over the last decade. But, by how much? Given the relatively recent diffusion of BJJ from Brazil, the dearth of academic attention to the art, and the lack of coordination and sometimes hostility between schools, at this time no detailed records or accounting exists to determine the exact number of practitioners. I would be reticent to even hazard a rough estimate.

But it is growing. People are taking up the art at an unprecedented rate. Rarely does a week go by without at least a couple of new white belts taking their place amongst the ranks.

What appeal does jiu jitsu have for the average person? and, just how many people worldwide are doing BJJ? I hope my study will shed some light on these questions. In the meantime, if you have some insight please let me know.

Bryan

bjjstudy@gmail.com