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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

211808

Class relations and the development of boxing

Norbert Elias on sportisation processes in England and France

Paddy Dolan

pp. 235-254

Abstract

This chapter places Elias's manuscript on boxing in the context of his previously published works. His theoretical-empirical examination of the development of boxing in England is consistent with arguments regarding the advancing threshold of repugnance towards both inflicting and watching severe violence. This "threshold of sensitivity" reflects broader figurational changes in state formation and violence monopolisation that shapes the organisation of boxing as a sport. Elias attributes the success of English boxing, and the relative failure of French forms of fighting such as savate, to the greater ease of social relations and collaboration between social classes in England. This is turn is related to the comparative weakness of the central monarch in England, and thus lesser fears surrounding potential loss of status and reputation due to interactions with those considered beneath the upper classes. The "hybridisation" of cultural models of physical conflict was enabled by figurations of sporting entrepreneurs, fighters, patrons and spectators, and also aided by the pressures towards the relative equalising of fighting chances brought about by the excitement of gambling. The chapter connects Elias's examination of boxing with Sheard's work which applies figurational models to a later historical period. I examine the shifting balance of power towards the United States as the centre of professional boxing and the other social divisions of race and ethnicity which have also shaped the development of boxing. I conclude by questioning some of Sharpe's criticisms of Elias's arguments, but also acknowledge that the degree of sportisation of boxing is more complex and contradictory than many other sports.

Publication details

Published in:

Haut Jan, Dolan Paddy, Reicher Dieter, Sánchez García Raúl (2018) Excitement processes: Norbert Elias's unpublished works on sports, leisure, body, culture. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 235-254

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-14912-3_10

Full citation:

Dolan Paddy (2018) „Class relations and the development of boxing: Norbert Elias on sportisation processes in England and France“, In: J. Haut, P. Dolan, D. Reicher & R. Sánchez García (eds.), Excitement processes, Dordrecht, Springer, 235–254.