Skip to main content

BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1435647
This article is part of the Research Topic Combat Sports in Contemporary Society: An Interdisciplinary Exploration View all 6 articles

Cultural Hybridity and Body Image Formation: Exploring the experiences of Wushu Male Practitioners at the Siberian Chinese Martial Arts Center

Provisionally accepted
Ekaterina A. Santanna Ekaterina A. Santanna *Benqian Li Benqian Li
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study explores the formation of a hybrid body image among white cisgender males practicing Wushu at the Siberian Chinese Martial Arts Center. Grounded in Social Identity Theory and the concept of bicultural identity, the research employs narrative interviews with 12 participants. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: the creation of a hybrid identity blending Chinese martial arts traditions with Russian cultural backgrounds, conceptualized as judanren; the challenges associated with this identity in both Russian and Chinese contexts; and the role of Wushu uniforms in reconciling these cultural contradictions, serving as a "second skin" for practitioners. The findings contribute to a more inclusive understanding of body image and identity formation in a multicultural, non-Western context.

    Keywords: cultural hybridity, body image formation, Wushu male practitioners, Siberian Chinese Martial Arts Center, Thematic analysis, Narrative interviews

    Received: 20 May 2024; Accepted: 07 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Santanna and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ekaterina A. Santanna, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.