Few events can ignite public controversy and attract popular attention than that of violence. A fascinating new development - human cage fighting - has generated massive audiences and significant media attention. Existing beneath the visceral spectacle of mediated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an underworld of human fighting that is gripping contemporary popular culture. By offering more illicit and brutal forms of violence, this netherworld has increasingly distorted the boundary between criminality and entertainment. Despite the massive implications stemming from this phenomenon, criminology has yet to inquire into this rapidly growing trend. This study sheds initial empirical and theoretical light on \"human fighting\" through employing ethnographic research methods by making use of field participation, direct observations, and in-depth interviews. By utilizing methods that permit the close systematic collection of data, this ethnography has allowed for an intimate understanding of both state-sanctioned and underground human fighting activities. In order to make theoretical sense of the major findings, a late-modern framework is used to contextualize this emerging phenomenon as well as unpack its situated meaning and social significance.
","abstract_html":"<p>Few events can ignite public controversy and attract popular attention than that of violence. A fascinating new development - human cage fighting - has generated massive audiences and significant media attention. Existing beneath the visceral spectacle of mediated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an underworld of human fighting that is gripping contemporary popular culture. By offering more illicit and brutal forms of violence, this netherworld has increasingly distorted the boundary between criminality and entertainment. Despite the massive implications stemming from this phenomenon, criminology has yet to inquire into this rapidly growing trend. This study sheds initial empirical and theoretical light on "human fighting" through employing ethnographic research methods by making use of field participation, direct observations, and in-depth interviews. By utilizing methods that permit the close systematic collection of data, this ethnography has allowed for an intimate understanding of both state-sanctioned and underground human fighting activities. In order to make theoretical sense of the major findings, a late-modern framework is used to contextualize this emerging phenomenon as well as unpack its situated meaning and social significance.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brent, John James"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z","subjects":["cage fighting","human fighting","violence","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2009 John James Brent"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/87","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brent, John James"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["cage fighting","human fighting","violence","Criminology and Criminal Justice"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2009 John James Brent"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/87"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Few events can ignite public controversy and attract popular attention than that of violence. A fascinating new development - human cage fighting - has generated massive audiences and significant media attention. Existing beneath the visceral spectacle of mediated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an underworld of human fighting that is gripping contemporary popular culture. By offering more illicit and brutal forms of violence, this netherworld has increasingly distorted the boundary between criminality and entertainment. Despite the massive implications stemming from this phenomenon, criminology has yet to inquire into this rapidly growing trend. This study sheds initial empirical and theoretical light on \"human fighting\" through employing ethnographic research methods by making use of field participation, direct observations, and in-depth interviews. By utilizing methods that permit the close systematic collection of data, this ethnography has allowed for an intimate understanding of both state-sanctioned and underground human fighting activities. In order to make theoretical sense of the major findings, a late-modern framework is used to contextualize this emerging phenomenon as well as unpack its situated meaning and social significance.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Barbaric Spectacle of Late Modern Fighting"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Brent, John James"],"dc:description.abstract":["Few events can ignite public controversy and attract popular attention than that of violence. A fascinating new development - human cage fighting - has generated massive audiences and significant media attention. Existing beneath the visceral spectacle of mediated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an underworld of human fighting that is gripping contemporary popular culture. By offering more illicit and brutal forms of violence, this netherworld has increasingly distorted the boundary between criminality and entertainment. Despite the massive implications stemming from this phenomenon, criminology has yet to inquire into this rapidly growing trend. This study sheds initial empirical and theoretical light on \"human fighting\" through employing ethnographic research methods by making use of field participation, direct observations, and in-depth interviews. By utilizing methods that permit the close systematic collection of data, this ethnography has allowed for an intimate understanding of both state-sanctioned and underground human fighting activities. In order to make theoretical sense of the major findings, a late-modern framework is used to contextualize this emerging phenomenon as well as unpack its situated meaning and social significance.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/87"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2009 John James Brent"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["cage fighting","human fighting","violence","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"dc:title":["The Barbaric Spectacle of Late Modern Fighting"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z"}