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Home , Mary Kom, Sachin Tendulkar

Mukt Shabd Journal ISSN NO : 2347-3150

Sports Writing and the Analytical Paradigms of Humanities: A review

Micky Barua1 Dr. Pratima Das2 1Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, -400037 2Associate Professor and HOD, Department of English, CHM College, Ulhasnagar Mumbai-421003 Abstract: Even though Sports Writing is fast making inroads to today’s literati, it is still an area that has not received the detailed analysis of other areas of the industry. Utilising Bourdieu’s field theory, this paper aims to associate sports writing with the analytical paradigms of humanities before mapping the role of the former with the field of education related to Humanities.This paper is an attempt to consider Aravind Adiga’s narrative, Selection Day; and Dina Serto’s Unbreakable: An Unbreakable and ’s Playing it my Way, to understand how the characters in the selected texts construct social fields around the boundaries of sports, success and power of will, and how they are affected by such fields. This can be true for any individual as these social fields are nothing but environments in which competition between individuals and between groups take place-be it in the field of sports or the professional worlds. Key words: Sports Writing, Humanities, Bourdieu, Field theory

An important thought worth pondering about in today’s research fraternity is the call for extensive interdisciplinary studies which is fact is becoming louder and clearer since the past decade. Despite this incremental demand, the quantum of interdisciplinary publications in fields like sports when studied from the perspective of a field like Humanities, is rather limited if not negligible. While one of the reasons for this scarcity could be the complexity of the research process, another factor could also be the lack of cognizance to the essence of outcome of the combination and integration of information from different disciplines. In fact, interdisciplinary research for understanding the success factors of any character in consideration could be an important boost to the ease of better understanding of different subjects. Interdisciplinary research has been found to be an effective mode of research to this effect. By integrating the information, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines of specialized knowledge, an advance form of fundamental understanding could be established to solve problems whose solutions may otherwise appear to be beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice. Even though Sports writing is fast making inroads to today’s literati, it is still an area that has not received the detailed analysis of other disciplines. It would be a total misnomer if one is to summarize the avowed purpose of this form of literature merely for praising the sportsman’s victory and associated achievements. While the scholars in the field of sports writing till a few decades back may have been satisfied to note the facts and simply enumerate the instances of sporting victories, today’s sports writing goes much beyond this. One of the main reasons for consideration of sports writing in this paper is because of the present day’s perception of the importance of the societal role of sports and active lifestyle – irrespective of where the individual may be positioned. Today’s professional sport, in fact

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can provide a fair guidance in identification of individual opportunities and abilities to survive in any profession. By highlighting the achievements in the selected texts, there is ample scope for creation of the much-needed moral incentive to the development in any profession. Another role of sport in the modern society is its consideration as a continuous social experiment. The outcome of this experiment can be an enabler to mankind for harnessing and expanding the potential of human capital. To harp on this outcome and subsequently perform the subsequent developmental, educational and communicative function, there is also a need to integrate with various individuals and social groups. An inter- disciplinary study of sports using the analytical paradigms of Humanities could be an effective tool in this regard. Humanities as a subject have always been associated with studies revolving around literature, philosophy and history. However, from the perspective of the modern-day literature, it is not justifiable to limit it to the works of the likes of Shakespeare, Beethoven and Plato only. In fact, the inclusion of humanities in professional courses like engineering is to enable the students out-of-the box thinking, beyond the limits of science. Today’s human culture is in fact better reflected in various alternate forms of literature like sports writing. The present advancement in sports professionalism and the increasing intensity of competition has also made the task of drawing parallels to other professional courses a lot simpler. To start with, an interdisciplinary approach within sports and active lifestyle involves a fusion thought process of that of a coach and a psychological mindset. There is also a strong likelihood of the involvement of a strong integration of information from more than one sub- discipline of sport and the psychology of the person executing the sport in the field. However, the foremost essence for success in an inter-disciplinary research on any non-conventional literature like sports writing by using the analytical paradigms of Humanities, would be the selection of right theory. Identification of appropriate research methods that is relevant and applicable in developmental studies related to sports and active lifestyle is the next important consideration. While Bourdieu’s field theory appears to be a resourceful one against the first step, a common input for this kind of research is the secondary data contained in the documented texts. Intensive close book reading is an apt tool to analyse the content of the text considered in the research and ensure the applicability of the data. The input from the study is subjected to textual analysis by cross referencing with the associated happenings and the established theory to arrive upon a meaningful conclusion. Utilising Bourdieu’s field theory, this paper associates sports writing with the analytical paradigms of humanities before mapping the role of the former with the field of education related to humanities. By considering Arvind Adiga’s narrative Selection Day, Unbreakable: An Autobiography by Mary Kom and Dina Serto and Sachin Tendulkar’s Playing it my Way, an attempt is made to understand how the characters in the selected texts construct social fields around the boundaries of sports, success and power of will, and how they are affected by such fields. This can be true for any individual as these social fields are nothing but environments in which competition between individuals and between groups takes place – be it in the field of sports or the professional world. Hence, the effort here is to probe into the thought patterns

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contained in the novel and associate them to the principles laid down by Pierre Bourdieu in his field theory to understand the legitimate contributions of inter-disciplinary research. French Social Scientist Pierre Bourdieu extensively also used the core concept of the field in the field theory. He formulated the field as a setting in which the agents are socially positioned based on their interaction between the specific rules of the field, agent's habitus and agent's capital which could be socio-economic or socio-cultural. For instance, if one is to apply Bourdieu’s Field theory to the current professional world, this field is a system of social positions in a profession like Engineering. The positions in this profession are a field where the system of social positions could be a trainee engineer and a senior engineer. Here there is an internal structuring in terms of power relationships as seen in the power differential between the two positions, even though both may be having the same set of educational qualifications. Even in case of sports, the lives of renowned sports persons like Mary Kom is subjected to this scenario in some form or the other. The following extract from Mary Kom’s autobiography is one of those instances where the brunt of the power relationships in the field of sports is borne by the sports person: I was a novice in the world back then. It was only later that I learnt about the unspoken rivalry between ’s various boxing circles. The state-run Youth Affairs and sports (YAS) boxing academy was run by coach Narjit Singh, while Khoibi Salam was the secretary of the Manipur Association (MABA), of which Oja Kishan was the coach. I soon discovered that there was a nexus between UAS and MABA, as a result of which students from SAI were often dropped during selection. (Unbreakable 34) The field is a social arena of struggle over the appropriation of certain species of human capital, which bears a fair deal of significance for the social. These fields can be organized both vertically and horizontally. This in turn implies that fields are analogous merely to classes, but are often autonomous, independent spaces of social play. The idiosyncrasy of this field of power is its horizontal positioning throughout all the spaces and the resultant skirmishes within it control the conversion of the forms of cultural, symbolic, or physical capital between the fields themselves. If one probes into the constituents of such fields, the findings have predominantly indicated to be filled with relational differences in position of social agents, with the boundaries demarcated by where its effects end. These fields are either independent or interconnected as seen in the separation of power between today’s judiciary and legislature. Another finding also indicates that societal complexity results in incremental fields with further relations imbibed in them. Mary Kom’s childhood is a classic case of such instances where the relational differences prevailing amongst the society is cited from different perspectives: In the Kom society of those days, boys were given preference when it came to education. Most people believed that, since a girl would get married and go to her husband’s home, there was little point in spending money educating them. (Unbreakable 12) Why do you want to join boxing? You are a small frail girl. With your gold earring, you don’t even look like a boxer. Boxing is for young boys. (Unbreakable 31). According to the non-documented rules prevailing in today’s era, every activity develops in the field, and the later also works like a market in which actors compete for the

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specific benefits associated to it. This is applicable in all kinds of professional life, be it a discipline like Engineering or Sports. It is this very competition which sets the objective relationships between participants through various factors like the efforts they contribute, their trajectories within the field or their ability to adjust to the rules inherent to the field. It was the first sporting achievement of its kind by anyone in our small tribe. To be honest, one of the greatest motivating forces for me has been my desire to assert the identity of my tribe ‘Kom’ within my own country and the world over. We are just a few thousand people. I hoped that by coming up in sports and getting known worldwide, I’d be able to popularize my culture and ethos of my tiny tribe. (Unbreakable 53) The extent to which participants can optimize the use of the resources they are endowed with, is a function of the adaptation of their habitus in their specific fields. This habitus is a subjective system of expectations and predispositions that have been acquired through experience: I don’t like talking about the Indian women’s boxing scenario in terms of state teams, but that is the reality of how things operate on the ground. Even during training, I was often neglected and not given enough attention by the coaches. When coaches and other boxing officials favoured their own state players, the only way I could fight back was in the ring, and by aiming higher and higher. (Unbreakable 105) The set of resources which is used to one’s advantage in the field is nothing but the operative capital at the disposition to come out successful. This capital is not only a factor of the field dynamics, but also a bye-product of the field which doesn't exist outside of it. For instance, if one is to consider the process of selection into the playing eleven of a team as depicted by Arvind Adiga in Selection Day, it is seen that different species of capital perform in different fields, which in turn are defined by the power balances exerted by the capital itself. As per Adiga, there is much beyond what it meets the normal eye of any sports event. One such important factor governing today’s selection process in an influential game like cricket revolves around the wealth and the associated influential factors: Wasn’t his uncle Imtiaz Ansari a man, and wouldn’t the combination of money and influence (which is how things work in this world, my sons) make this left-handed boy irresistible on Selection Day, which was coming, which was coming? (SD 63) The construction of the Fields is found to be in accordance to a set of pre-defined fundamental principles of ‘vision and division’ and duly substantiated by the organizing ‘laws’ of experience that govern practices and experiences within a field. One possible outcome against this is associated to following extract from Adiga’s novel: Age sixteen to eighteen is the danger zone. Kambli and Sachin, both were talented. But only one became a legend. Why? Everything is falling to pieces in this country. Everything. Boys are talking drugs. Boys are driving cars. Boys are shaving (SD 60). The informal rules underlying one field is often irreducible to those underlying another. For instance, the prevalence of a noted disparity between the nomos of an aesthetic field and an economic field. While, the former values cultural capital and often devalues economic capital, the later values economic capital only. While ‘playing of the game’, the agents of the society subscribe to a particular field not by way of explicit contract, but by

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their practical acknowledgement of the stakes and acquiring of interests and investments prescribed by the field. Sport is an important part of today's society. It plays a large role in many people's lives irrespective of whether one is a sportsperson or a sports follower or somebody from the audience of any sport. If one is to view sport using the lens of social standpoint, the results point towards its positive role in uniting people from different social backgrounds in support of their favourite team. This aids people's understanding and tolerance of each other as can be seen in the following extracts from Sachin Tendulkar’s Autobiography, Playing it my way: The first match was due to be played in on 16 December 1989 and had to be called off at the last moment because of rain. However, a large crowd had braved the inclement weather and it was finally agreed between both teams that a twenty-over-a- side exhibition game, perhaps the first ever game, would be played for the sake of the crowd. It was a good call, as the fans deserved to be given their money’s worth. They are the ones who make the game what it is, after all, and they are pivotal to its health around the world... The crowd, which had been confident of a Pakistan victory till an over earlier, was roused by this unexpected turn of events and started making a lot of noise. There was a sudden increase in energy levels at the ground. The match was now being played in full seriousness and no one really knew which team would win. We needed 14 runs off the last over, bowled by . Eventually we fell short by three runs. Straight after the match, walked up to me in true sportsmanlike manner and said ‘Bahut ala .’ (Superior quality of batting.) (Playing it my way 45-46) These kinds of incidents clearly indicate that sports not only help in developing physical and mental health, but also aids the development of the much-needed life skills of a student’s personality. By empowering students with life skills, an escalated enhancement is seen in their capabilities, which in turn helps them to have a better understanding of themselves. Sports also help in developing social skills and getting along with people at the work place. It facilitates the interaction not only within the same age-group but also with adults like their coaches and seniors. Another important takeaway from the sports novels and autobiographies is the process of decision-making, which is often seen as career makers and career breakers. If this is to be looked into from the perspective of Humanities, there is ample scope of harnessing decision-making skills through various team activities. Constructive use of time and discipline is another much required prerequisite of any sportsperson right from the initial days of their careers: The camp involved a session every morning and evening at . I would practise between 7.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. before making my way home for lunch, then I’d come back in the afternoon and train till late evening. The schedule was rigorous and I would be exhausted by the end of the day. Travelling to Shivaji Park took forty minutes from my house in and I had to catch an early-morning bus to make it on time……. As a child I had only one set of cricket clothes and the routine was to wash them as soon as I’d returned from the morning session. While I had my lunch, the clothes would dry out in the sun and I would wear them again in the afternoon. The pattern was repeated in the evening, so that I could use the same set of clothes the following morning. The system worked well – apart from my pockets.

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There was never quite enough time for the pockets to dry out completely and for the entire duration of the camp I played with wet pockets. (Playing it my way 15-16) By drawing references to this kind of instances in the field of sport, it becomes easy to make a student understand that in case one plays a sport, he/she needs to show the commitment of time to be in a particular place at a particular time every day as a part of their routine. Similar expectations are there in any profession for which one needs to be patient and disciplined. These skills are the enablers that will aid in coping with criticism and setbacks in a positive way. Each sport has a set of definite rules and regulations, which need to be followed to ensure the sportspersons stay fit and disciplined. This requirement can be cross referenced to the requirements of any professions a student may like to select upon graduation. Since team sports are all about team work and how the team performs under the leadership involves some hard decisions that may not be to one’s individual liking. The following instance taken from Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography is inferred to in this context where Sachin was deprived of a personal milestone on account of the team’s goal: Rahul said that the call was taken with the interests of the team in mind. It was important to demonstrate to the Pakistanis that we meant business and were keen to win. I wasn’t convinced. First, I said to him that I was batting for the team as well. Yes, I had scored 194, but the 194 was meant to help the team and it was my individual contribution to the team’s cause. So to say that the decision was taken in the best interests of the team wasn’t altogether correct…………. Rahul didn’t say anything to this and stated that I would surely get another opportunity to score a double hundred. I disagreed, saying it would not be the same. I would have to bat from zero to score a double and would not be starting my innings at 194. Before I brought the conversation to a close, I assured Rahul that the incident would have no bearing on my involvement on the field, but off the field I would prefer to be left alone for a while to come to terms with what had happened. Despite this incident, I am glad to say Rahul and I remain good friends, and even on the field our camaraderie remained intact until the end of our careers. We continued to have some good partnerships and neither our cricket nor our friendship was affected. (Playing it my way 250) Improved leadership only adds to team building qualities be it in Sports or any other profession. Teams should be built in a manner which gives an individual a sense of identity and belonging to a group. Various instances from sports are cited for encouraging the individuals to showcase their talent and communicate with their team members. This in turn helps in process of identification and honing of leadership skills which add values to the personality. And last, but not the least, one should always bear in mind the fact that winning and losing is all a part of the game as sports is not always about winning. This spirit often referred to as the sportsman spirit is not limited to the field of sports but extends to the work areas in different professions. One should be able to acknowledge the fact that it is about fair play backed by a belief in equality and justice. Losing is a part and parcel of any game as there cannot be winners without losers. For any sport of profession to survive, accepting defeat in a positive competitive spirit is mandatory. It is this very flair that distinguishes a true sportsperson and propels one to strive harder the next time to achieve what is missed out on the previous opportunities.

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Works Cited: Swartz , David L. “Bourdieu’s Concept of Field”, https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com Kom, Mary, andDinoSerto.Unbreakable: An Autobiography. : Harper Collins, 2013. Print Adiga, Aravind. Selection Day. : Harper Collins, 2016. Print Tendulkar, Sachin. Playing it My Way: An Autobiography.London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2014. Print

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