Legacy and legitimacy: historical ethnography of a judo dojo in Montréal, Canada

Abstract: Through fieldwork in a judo dojo (gym) in Montréal, Canada, the author found that assuming the members’ practice as embodiment of identity does not resonate with the actual practice they are producing. Instead of framing the practice as identity politics, this study focuses on the practice itself to highlight agency and practice within the social conditions in transformation. By adapting a historical ethnographic approach, this paper describes how the past is connected to the present as ‘actant’ to produce present practice. The paper discusses that there is little momentum of the people pursuing ‘distinction’, and their emphasis is on the continuity of their practice. Drawing on the pragmatic sociological approach, this study further discusses how legacy and legitimacy are constructed to produce their practice.