Discipline and distinction in the age of the Internet: a sociological study of the fitness practice

Springer Science and Business Media LLC - 2021
Jun Tang1, Zilong Xie1
1Beijing University of Technology, 100 Pingleyuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

Tóm tắt

AbstractThis article examines popular fitness sports and home fitness software in China. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s theory of discipline, Norbert Elias’ study on civilization, and Jean Baudrillard’s study on the consumer society, the authors reveal the formation of a new body discipline mechanism against the background of the Internet society and the consumer society. On the one hand, the external disciplinary strategies have been upgraded, including the spatial strategy of liquidity and visibility, the linear and rhythmic time strategy, and the knowledge strategy. On the other hand, different from Foucault’s discussion of discipline, we introduce positive self-discipline. As a unique consumption practice, fitness practices promote a new form of self-discipline among practitioners who also pursue distinctive social positions. The core content of the self-discipline strategy includes code manipulation, time consumption, moral display, and self-writing. In addition, with the continuous infiltration of Internet technologies in daily life, the space-time boundaries of physical discipline gradually blur, whereas the micro-distribution of power changes into a daily distribution form.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Baudrillard, J. 2009. Pour une critique de l’économie politique du signe. Xia Ying translated. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press.

Beck, U. 2004. Risk Society. He Bowen translated. Nanjing: Yilin Press.

Beck, U., and E. Beck. 2011. Individualization. Li Rongshan, Fan Xuan and Zhang Huiqiang translated. Beijing: Peking University Press.

Bourdieu, P. 2016. La Distinction: Critique sociale du jugement. Liu Hui translated. Beijing: The Commercial Press.

Browning, Gary, Abigail Halcli, and Frank Webster. 2004. The trend of contemporary sociology and social theory. Zhou Yizheng, Jiang Yizhen, Li Zhicheng, Xu Shiwei, he Jingrong, Ji Hao, Yang Huiting, Wang chuanzong, LAN Chenying, Lin Huiping, Lin Yanjun, LV Ziying, Zeng Weikai translated. Taipei: Weber Publication International Ltd..

Bunsell, T. 2013. Strong and hard women: an ethnography of female bodybuilding. London: Routledge.

Chen, Jingshu, and Jian Min. 2014. Body, Power and Sports Participation under the Perspective of Feminism. China Sport Science 7: 12–14.

Chen, Lei. 2012. Body discipline in voluntary abstinence field within micro-power perspective. Master Thesis, Sun Yat-Sen University.

Chen, Xiang. 2017. What caused the popularity of long-distance running and marathons in chinese cities?: on the perspective of anthropology. Master Thesis, Nanjing: Nanjing University.

Cole, C.L., and M. Orlie. 1995. Hybrid athletes, monstrous addicts, and cyborg natures. Journal of Sport History 22 (3): 228–239.

de Botton, A. 2009. Status anxiety. Chen Guangxing and Nan Zhiguo translated. Shanghai: Shanghai Yiwen Press.

Elias, N. 2013. The civilizing process. Wang Peili and Yuan Zhiying Translated. Shanghai: Shanghai Yiwen Press.

Foucault, M. 1997. Eyes of power on Foucault’s analysis of power. Yan Feng translated. Shanghai: Shanghai Renmin Press.

Foucault, M. 2003. Discipline and punishment. Liu Zhaocheng and Yang Yuanying translated. Beijing: SDX Joint Publishing Company.

Gao, Meiqiong, and Yang Li. 2013. Interpretation of the application of physical “discipline” in the process of modern physical education. Journal of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities(Natural Sciences) 1: 116–118.

Glassner, B. 1989. Fitness and the postmodern self. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 30 (2): 180–191.

Greenblatt, S. 1991. Marvelous possessions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Guan, Wei, and Xiaona Zhang. 2016. Rhythm analysis of capitalist alienation: reading Lefebvre’s rhythm analysis: space, time and daily life. Journal of Dalian Official 4: 12–16.

Huang, Jinlin. 2006. History, body, country -- the formation of body in modern China (1895-1937). Beijing: New Star Press.

Jenkins, R. 1996. Social identity. London: Routledge.

Lin, Xiaoshan. 2013. Reflexive body techniques: a study on auto and body based on grounded theory. Sociological Studies 6: 144–168.

Liu, Tao. 2014. Social media and social production of space: a contemporary interpretation of Michel Foucault’s theory of space discipline. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication 5: 48–63.

Liu, Yongmou. 2005. Foucalt’s journey of deconstruction of subject. PhD thesis, Beijing: Zhongguo Renmin University.

Mathiesen, T. 1997. The viewer society: Michel Foucault’s ‘panopticon’ revisited. Theoretical Criminology 1 (2): 215–234.

Mauss, M. 2004. Sociology and anthropology. She Biping translated. Shanghai: Shanghai Yiwen Press.

Meng, Xianfeng. 2011. Interpretation on the Foucault’s Philosophical theory under the perspective of sport sociology and reflexive significance. Journal of Shenyang Sport University 5: 48–50.

Mills, W. 2012. White collar: the American middle classes. Zhou Xiaohong translated. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press.

Mo, Weimin. 1994. Foucault and critical philosophy of reason. Social Sciences In China 4: 107–117.

Obel, C. 1996. Collapsing gender in competitive bodybuilding researching contradictions and ambiguity in sport. International Review for the Sociology of Sport 31 (2): 185–202.

Pareto, V. 2007. Outline of general sociology. Tian Shigang translated. Beijing: People’s Oriental Press.

Pronger, B. 1995. Rendering the body: the implicit lessons of gross anatomy. Quest 47 (4): 427–446.

Rosen, J. 2005. The naked crowd: reclaiming security and freedom in an anxious age. New York: Random House Trade Paperback.

Sault, N. 1994. Many mirrors: body image and social relations. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Shao Xiaojun. 2014. Body reconstruction and political discipline -- the formation of modern Chinese sports discourse from the perspective of body philosophy, paper presented on International Symposium on physical education and social management.

Shen, Chao. 2017. The value of life time: game capitalism and the extension of working time. Phd thesis, Beijing: Peking University.

Shilling, C. 2011. The body in culture, technology and society. Li Kang translated. Beijing: Peking University Press.

Song, Chong. 2013. A brief analysis on the ideological source of Elias: a conversation with Weber and Freud. Management and Review of Social Sciences 3: 83–89.

Tang, Xiaojun. 2016. Regulation and resistance: a sociological research on children’s anti-school culture with fieldwork of three ordinary primary school in N city. Education Research Monthly 1: 30–34.

Turese, N. 1999. Prometheus unbound: the technology of bodybuilding in the nervous age. Past Imperfect 8: 33–61.

Wan, Yichun. 2015. Empowering polarization and alienation: logic demonstration of female sports participation. Sports & Science 1: 66–70.

Wang, Haiyang. 2009. Time in modernity and reflection on its cultural value. Seeking Truth 4: 28–32.

Wang, Ning. 2001. Consumption and identity. Sociological Research 1: 4–14.

Wen, Jun. 2006. Western Sociological Theory: classical tradition and contemporary turn. Shanghai: Shanghai Renmin Press.

Wolke, D., and M. Sapouna. 2008. Big men feeling small: childhood bullying experience, muscle dysmorphia and other mental health problems in bodybuilders. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 9 (5): 595–604.

Xiong, Huan. 2013. Sporting body theories under feminism perspective. Journal of Beijing Sport University 7: 30–35.

Xiong, Huan, and Aihong Zhang. 2011. Body, society and sport——sport in the view of western socialist. China Sport Science 6: 81–86.

Xu, Wei. 2013. Research on the theory and practice of humanistic education in college physical education. PhD thesis, Beijing: Beijing Sport University.

Yang, Dachun. 2000. Experience of the body and care of the self: Foucault’s philosophy of existence. Journal of Zhejiang University (Humanities and Social Sciences) 4: 116–123.

Yang, Shanhua, and Lizhong Xie. 2006. Western Sociological Theory. Vol. 2. Beijing: Peking University Press.

You, Xilin. 2003. Modernity and time. Academic Monthly 8: 20–33.

Zhang, Han. 2009. Comments on Dobord’s Theory of Spectacle Society. Journal of Shandong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) 3: 126–131.

Zhao, Ben. 2015. Study of semantics of bodybuilding, body fitness and change, problem on the basis of logic. Sichuan Sports Science 4: 23–27.

Zhao, Fangdu. 2010. Body discipline: state power and body in the process of Chinese modernity. PhD thesis, Tianjin: Nankai University.

Zhao, Ge. 2016. Cultural and philosophy research of body and physical exercise phenomenon——based on consumption theory by Mike Featherstone. China Sport Science 11: 19–30.

Zhong, Jie. 2009. Gymnasium: an analysis of the mechanism of physical discipline. Master Thesis: East China Normal University.

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Thông tin tác giả