Abstract

The pursuit and practice of discipline have become near ubiquitous elements of contemporary social life and parlance, as discipline has become a commonplace and ever sought-after social technology. From the celebrated “discipline of the market” proclaimed by neo-liberal politicians, to self-actualizing experiences of embodied discipline proffered by martial arts instructors, this volume showcases highly varied and complex disciplinary practices and relationships in a set of ethnographic studies. Interrogating the respective fields of work, religion, governance, leisure, education and child rearing, together the essays in this volume explore and offer new ways of thinking about discipline in everyday life.

Noel Dyck has written extensively on the relations between aboriginal peoples and nation-states. His current research and publications explore interconnections between anthropology, childhood, sport and embodied identities. He is professor of social anthropology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.