Parkour And The City: Risk, Masculinity, And Meaning In A Postmodern Sport Project Muse Upcc Books

"Parkour is an emerging sport in which practitioners train themselves to move through urban environments in creative and often risky ways. Comprised of a pastiche of stylized movements and dependent on YouTube videos, parkour is quintessentially postmodern, and this book studies parkour from within its sociological context. The book traces the sport's development in Europe, parkour's growth into a worldwide phenomenon, and the meanings local Chicago practitioners have given to the sport. The book explores the dialectical relationship between practitioners' real world activities and global flows of information. It analyzes the city as a site for urban adventure seeking and situates these practices within a discussion of young men's masculine identity claims. Finally, the risk-taking commonly seen in parkour is connected to practitioners' symbolic practices that downplay the dangers of the sport while emphasizing their safety precautions. Instead of pushing the edges of survival, these young people insist they have trained themselves to be highly attuned risk assessors--individuals capable of successfully overcoming challenges of any sort. If urbanism is about the lives individuals lead in the city, parkour represents a unique postmodern interpretation of that way of life";Series Page; Title; Copyright; Dedication; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction. Thinking Sociologically about Parkour; 1. Developing the Discipline and Creating a Sport; 2. New Prisms of the Possible; 3. Young Men in the City; 4. Hedging Their Bets; Conclusion. Appropriating the City; Appendix A. Brief Note on Data and Method; Appendix B. On the Parkour Terminology Used in This Book; Notes; Bibliography; Index; About the Author. Parkour Is An Emerging Sport In Which Practitioners Train Themselves To Move Through Urban Environments In Creative And Often Risky Ways. Comprised Of A Pastiche Of Stylized Movements And Dependent On Youtube Videos, Parkour Is Quintessentially Postmodern, And This Book Studies Parkour From Within Its Sociological Context. The Book Traces The Sport's Development In Europe, Parkour's Growth Into A Worldwide Phenomenon, And The Meanings Local Chicago Practitioners Have Given To The Sport. The Book Explores The Dialectical Relationship Between Practitioners' Real World Activities And Global Flows Of Information. It Analyzes The City As A Site For Urban Adventure Seeking And Situates These Practices Within A Discussion Of Young Men's Masculine Identity Claims. Finally, The Risk-taking Commonly Seen In Parkour Is Connected To Practitioners' Symbolic Practices That Downplay The Dangers Of The Sport While Emphasizing Their Safety Precautions. Instead Of Pushing The Edges Of Survival, These Young People Insist They Have Trained Themselves To Be Highly Attuned Risk Assessors--individuals Capable Of Successfully Overcoming Challenges Of Any Sort. If Urbanism Is About The Lives Individuals Lead In The City, Parkour Represents A Unique Postmodern Interpretation Of That Way Of Life-- Introduction: Thinking Sociologically About Parkour -- Developing The Discipline And Creating A Sport -- New Prisms Of The Possible -- Young Men In The City -- Hedging Their Bets -- Conclusions: Appropriating The City -- Appendix A: Brief Note On Data And Method -- Appendix B: On The Parkour Terminology Used In This Book. Jeffrey L. Kidder. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 149-190) And Index. "Parkour is an emerging sport in which practitioners train themselves to move through urban environments in creative and often risky ways. Comprised of a pastiche of stylized movements and dependent on YouTube videos, parkour is quintessentially postmodern, and this book studies parkour from within its sociological context. The book traces the sport's development in Europe, parkour's growth into a worldwide phenomenon, and the meanings local Chicago practitioners have given to the sport. The book explores the dialectical relationship between practitioners' real world activities and global flows of information. It analyzes the city as a site for urban adventure seeking and situates these practices within a discussion of young men's masculine identity claims. Finally, the risk-taking commonly seen in parkour is connected to practitioners' symbolic practices that downplay the dangers of the sport while emphasizing their safety precautions. Instead of pushing the edges of survival, these young people insist they have trained themselves to be highly attuned risk assessors ... individuals capable of successfully overcoming challenges of any sort. If urbanism is about the lives individuals lead in the city, parkour represents a unique postmodern interpretation of that way of life" .. In the increasingly popular sport of parkour, athletes run, jump, climb, flip, and vault through city streetscapes, resembling urban gymnasts to passersby and awestruck spectators. In Parkour and the City , cultural sociologist Jeffrey L. Kidder examines the ways in which this sport involves a creative appropriation of urban spaces as well as a method of everyday risk-taking by a youth culture that valorizes individuals who successfully manage danger. Parkour’s modern development has been tied closely to the growth of the internet. The sport is inevitably a YouTube phenomenon, making it exemplary of new forms of globalized communication.Parkour’s dangerous stunts resonate, too, Kidder contends, with a neoliberal ideology that is ambivalent about risk. Moreover, as a male-dominated sport, parkour, with its glorification of strength and daring, reflects contemporary Western notions of masculinity. At the same time, Kidder writes, most athletes (known as “traceurs” or “freerunners”) reject a “daredevil” label, preferring a deliberate, reasoned hedging of bets with their own safety—rather than a “pushing the edge” ethos normally associated with extreme sports. In the increasingly popular sport of parkour, athletes run, jump, climb, flip, and vault through city streetscapes, resembling urban gymnasts to passersby and awestruck spectators. In Parkour and the City, cultural sociologist Jeffrey L. Kidder examines the ways in which this sport involves a creative appropriation of urban spaces as well as a method of everyday risk-taking by a youth culture that valorizes individuals who successfully manage danger. Parkour's modern development has been tied closely to the growth of the internet. The sport is inevitably a YouTube phenomenon, making it exemplary of new forms of globalized communication. Parkour's dangerous stunts resonate, too, Kidder contends, with a neoliberal ideology that is ambivalent about risk. Moreover, as a male-dominated sport, parkour, with its glorification of strength and daring, reflects contemporary Western notions of masculinity. At the same time, Kidder writes, most athletes (known as “traceurs” or “freerunners”) reject a “daredevil” label, preferring a deliberate, reasoned hedging of bets with their own safety—rather than a “pushing the edge” ethos normally associated with extreme sports.