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IchiRiKen1
9th July 2003, 07:13
Assembled Friends -

Is anyone here a member of the IHS or had any dealings with them of any kind? I am interested in perhaps pursuing membership with them, but as always, before I buy a car I do some blue book research and take a test drive...

Any helpful comments?

Gambarimasu.

A. M. Jauregui
9th July 2003, 08:07
At least it is not Iesous Christos... The IHS of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

The IHS (International Hoplology Society) sounds interesting...

http://www.focalmedia.net/pseekdemo1/Sports/Martial_Arts/16017.html

Description: An organization founded by Major Donn F Draeger (USMC Ret.) in the late 1950's for the study of the evolution and development of human combative behavior.

Url: http://www.hoplology.com/

Gene Williams
9th July 2003, 11:44
I thought it had something to do with Hopalong Cassidy or frogs. Gene

Rogier
9th July 2003, 11:46
is hoplology an actual word?? can't seem to find it in the dictionary

gabro
9th July 2003, 11:54
Hoplology is indeed a word, coined by Richard Burton (author, adventurer, officer, fencer etc), and then used by Donn F. Draeger.

I am a member of IHS, mostly to support them, since my area of science does not really allow me to contribute any usefull material.
The collection of HOPLOS back-issues (their journal) is well worth getting, and they also sell some interesting monologs by Draeger.

Is it worth joining them? Don't know, but I would like to see them continue, and $35 a year is my small contribution:) .

Mads

Jason Couch
9th July 2003, 11:57
Signed up a few years ago. As far as I can tell, the only thing it got me was a handful of newsletters, as the journal Hoplos has never been brought back into production.

So, while I don't know whether it will be worth your while to pay the $ to get an occasional newsletter, you should consider getting the back issues of the journal whether you sign up or not.

Seems to be a lot of wasted potential with IHS. I suppose if you like the goals of the organization, you can always support them for that reason also, but I'd like to see a little more bang for the buck, personally.

CKohalyk
9th July 2003, 13:38
Hey Jason! How's the UG? I haven't been over there for a long time... - CGBOG

I was a member of the IHS for a few years back in the 20th century, I even contributed once (a piece refuting the linguistic aspects of Grossman's On Killing).

Anyways, like it was mentioned above, the Hoplos publication has been suspended for some time, so all you get is a quarterly newsletter Hoplite, which does have some really interesting articles. Unfortunately Chip is pretty busy with the ICS so things haven't really been all they could be. I would recommend the Draeger monographs for sure tho.

Cheers,

Chad Kohalyk

don
9th July 2003, 15:45
Originally posted by CKohalyk
I would recommend the Draeger monographs for sure tho.


How much do they overlap his books?

Thanks.

CKohalyk
9th July 2003, 16:17
Originally posted by don

How much do they overlap his books?


Well... I would say not much... although you can see the dichotomy theory throughout... he seems to wander down interesting paths of detail... stuff I would guess he had to cut from the books because of space, or lack of clarity. Definitely packed full of information, some of which you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find in English. Some of it is directly from his TSKR experience, but it does shed light on general themes in other ryuha as well. If you are a serious researcher with access to Japanese historical volumes you may not find anything new, but he does have some interesting interpretations.

I am blathering on too much...

I have most of his books and articles (including the ones from athletics research journals) AND all the monographs and all have contributed to my research throughout the years. Is that concise enough for you?

don
9th July 2003, 16:23
Originally posted by CKohalyk
Is that concise enough for you?

Just what I wanted to know. Thanks very much!

IchiRiKen1
9th July 2003, 20:19
Thanks for all the information...

I have been going to school, on and off, with an eye toward earning my BS in Anthropology. I had hoped to somehow tie in two decades of martial arts into it somehow, and when I "rediscovered" the link to the IHS, I figured it might be an interesting way to go...

However, if they aren't all that active, it makes me wonder what use being a member would be (beyond access to Mr. Draeger's writings).

Going to have to think about it. $35 isn't that big a deal, but I'll still have to think it over.

Thanks again!

Jason Couch
10th July 2003, 21:55
Hi Chad, UG is same as it ever was.

Matt-

I should point out that the newsletter does have some substantive articles, I don't want to mislead you there.

I should also point out that some have certainly done an admirable job of fusing their martial arts and anthropology backgrounds, such as Tom Green (Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia) and John Donohue (Herding the Ox, etc.) to name a couple that come to mind.

Nathan Scott
10th July 2003, 22:40
Personally, I think it is a worthwhile investment, and have most of what they have available. I'd also like to support Mr. Armstrong's (I think I'm too young to call him "Chip") efforts and that of the IHS.

The only problem is that I can't ever figure out when my subscription is up!

Regards,

IchiRiKen1
11th July 2003, 04:12
Thanks for all the good info.

I guess the thing that really spurred me on (forgive me for the following) has been the recent large number of historical shows on martial arts, weaponry, etc., that I have been watching lately. It was really cinched when I saw Conquest on TLC (I think). It was an episode dealing with the medieval broadsword (its creation, development and use). What I heard on the show jelled with everything I had read so far, and I just had this desire to delve into the academic side of MA in order to further the historical documentation of everything that has gone on. I love the EJMAS book (?) Kronos. I would love to pick up a work of that scope and add to it somehow, creating a truly living document. Truthfully, I would love to somehow achieve a level of contribution akin to what Mr. Draeger and others have done. I have two books in the works, a few articles, etc., and it is just a matter of getting the stuff published to see whether I am a hack or if my crap would sell... Hopefully I would make a decent contribution.

I have also become more and more interested in the Western tradition of MA (though I'll never abandon good ol' Yiliquan and my pursuit of understanding with the karate I have learned), so the IHS appealed to those interests as well.

Thanks again!

Tom Green
11th July 2003, 16:10
"...some have certainly done an admirable job of fusing their martial arts and anthropology backgrounds, such as Tom Green (Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia)..."

Thanks, Jason. Your check is in the mail.

Tom

P.S. I had the same experience with IHS as you and Chad.

T