On the Compatibility Between Confucianism and Modern Olympism

Abstract

At the confluence between Modern Olympism and Confucian teachings—nowadays embodied and expressed in East Asian Confucianisms—there are meaningful overlaps, significant challenges, and opportunities. This paper examines these. Despite radically different origins and apparently incommensurate tenets, we should not assume that the underlying ideals of Modern Olympism and East Asian Confucianisms cannot benefit mutually. It is precisely when considering their putative weak points, such as Modern Olympism's soft metaphysics or vague ethics or Confucianism's bias against physical activity or gender, that we find educational opportunities (character education, harmony) that make contributions to a universal humanistic sport education.

Conceptualising L’Space Olympique: Tokyo 2020 Olympic education in thought, production and action

“…In considering the state of Olympic education promotion in Japan, we acknowledge contemporary debates in recent decades that have interrogated the congruence, disjuncture and possibilities between Olympic and Asian and East Asian philosophic traditions (Hsu, 2000(Hsu, , 2011Hsu & Ilundáin-Agurruza, 2016;Hsu & Kohe, 2014;Niehaus, 2011;Niehaus & Tagsold, 2013). Writing from varied Asian contexts, researchers have recognised the progression of the Olympic movement and its philosophy across the region as an exemplar of the spread of dominant, colonial and colonising, Western knowledge, logics, ethics and cultural practices.…”

“…Writing from varied Asian contexts, researchers have recognised the progression of the Olympic movement and its philosophy across the region as an exemplar of the spread of dominant, colonial and colonising, Western knowledge, logics, ethics and cultural practices. Beyond transmitting the practice and development of modern sport (MacAloon, 2013; Mangan, 2011), scholars contend the Olympic movement and its underlying virtues-based framework of "universal" humanistic values have brought an ideological model to sport that has been super-imposed over (and largely supplanted) existing philosophic and ethic traditions (Hsu, 2000;Hsu & Ilundáin-Agurruza, 2016;Niehaus, 2011).…”

“…Nonetheless, there exists shared acknowledgement that Asian philosophical frameworks can align with and work in conjunction with a modernised interpretation of Olympism. Subsequently, scholars within the region have called for transformative engagements with Olympic philosophy that move beyond immutable Western-orientated values and adopt reflexive, critical and locally contextualised approaches that present the Olympic model as one framework that sits in dialogue with existing knowledge regimes (Hsu & Ilundáin-Agurruza, 2016;Niehaus, 2011;Ren, 2004).…”

“…The paper makes an original contribution to Olympic studies and education intervention debates in two ways. First, the research moves us beyond the prevailing focus on the relationships between Olympic education and Asian and East Asian philosophy (Hsu, 2011;Hsu & Ilundáin-Agurruza, 2016;Niehaus, 2011), towards better understanding specific ideological and structural forces and relations informing Olympic education productions. Second, the work offers a useful and unique conceptual framework for interrogating educational spaces as complex settings in which external stakeholders' involvements and private-public partnerships provide promising pedagogical ventures, but also raise concern for the sector's futures.…”

Filosofia, fenomenologia e artes marciais: Um estudo de revisão em obras internacionais

“…Hsu e Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza19 apresenta essa discussão. Na confluência entre o Olimpismo Moderno e os ensinamentos confucionistashoje incorporados e expressos nos confucionismos da Ásia Orientalhá sobreposições, desafios significativos e oportunidades.…”