16 research outputs found
Most Significant Change in conflict settings: staff development through monitoring and evaluation
Capoeira4Refugees is an NGO that uses the Afro-Brazilian art-form of Capoeira to promote
psychosocial well-being in children affected by conflict and occupation. Capoeira4Refugees
introduced the Most Significant Change (MSC) methodology to monitor and evaluate project
implementation and impact across two locations in the Middle East. Analysis of interviews
conducted with five field staff revealed that in line with, and building on previous research,
MSC became an empowering tool that led to staff development. The potential for MSC to
build staff reflexivity, independence and leadership has implications for other organisations
working in conflict areas, particularly in situations of remote management
Exploring embodiment through martial arts and combat sports: a review of empirical research
Since the late 1970s, social scientists have turned considerable attention to investigating martial arts and combat sports (MACS). In particular, this broad range of fighting disciplines has been shown to offer numerous avenues for scholarly enquiry into social change and personal transformation via processes of embodiment. Adopting a thematic structure, we assess the empirical literature in this area via four interconnecting categories pertaining to MACS and embodiment: (1) body cultures; (2) body pedagogies; (3) the embodiment of gender; and (4) bodily harm. Following this review, we identify several gaps in the existing literature, suggesting potential new topics and strategies for research connecting to the social world of physical culture more generally
HET BELGISCH KONINKLIJK BESLUIT MET BETREKKING TOT DE JAARREKENING VAN DE ONDERNEMINGEN
HET BELGISCH KONINKLIJK BESLUIT MET BETREKKING TOT DE JAARREKENING VAN DE ONDERNEMINGE
Is international junior success a reliable predictor for international senior success in elite combat sports?
Currently in the literature, there is a dearth of empirical research that confirms whether international junior success is a reliable predictor for future international senior success. Despite the uncertainty of the junior-senior relationship, federations and coaches still tend to use junior success as a predictor for long-term senior success. A range of former investigations utilising a retrospective lens has merely focused on success that athletes attained at junior level competitions. Success that was achieved at senior-level competitions but at a junior age was relatively ignored. This study explored to what extent international senior success can be predicted based on success that athletes achieved in either international junior level competitions (i.e. junior medalists) or senior competitions at a junior age (i.e. early achievers). The sample contains 4011 international male and female athletes from three combat sports (taekwondo, wrestling and boxing), who were born between 1974 and 1990 and participated in both international junior and senior-level competitions between 1990 and 2016. Gender and sport differences were compared. The results revealed that 61.4% of the junior medalists and 90.4% of the early achievers went on to win international medals at a senior age. Among the early achievers, 92.2% of the taekwondo athletes, 68.4% of the wrestling athletes and 37.9% of the boxing athletes could be reliably predicted to win international senior medals. The findings demonstrate that specific to the three combat sports examined, international junior success appears to be an important predictor to long-term international senior success