The social world of karate-do

Five related themes in the social and cultural aspects of contemporary karate-do are examined: 1. the development of karate in Okinawa and Japan and its subsequent growth in the UK, 2. the ‘value-structure’ of karate — how novices are socialized into the ‘karate-way’ (karate-do) in one particular North Wales club, 3. ideological aspects of the value system in karate, 4. the social organization of karate, particularly the interpersonal dynamic of control over self and situation, 5. some methodological and theoretical issues involved in developing a sociology of the martial arts. It is concluded that ‘karate’ must be viewed as highly complex and dynamic in form and style and extremely successful in adapting to the cultural contexts of the West.