Sánchez García, Raúl2017-10-102017-10-102016Sánchez-García, R. (2016). The development of Kano’s judo within Japanese civilizing/decivilizing processes. Asia Pacific Journal of Sport and Social Science, 5(2), 108-119.2164-0599http://hdl.handle.net/11268/6617This paper analyses the complex development of judo from the figurational approach of Norbert Elias. Judo was not the creation of a sole genius, Jigoro Kano, but was progressively developed within a social blind process of whole figurations affected by specific balances between civilizing/decivilizing trends. Jigoro Kano systematized judo in order to offer a modern, formal educational tool for character-building of the youth. Nonetheless, it is argued that some unintended consequences from his original plan resulted in a very different and contrary phenomenon: Kano’s innovations gave birth to systematized mass education means that would be later used to instill a militarized ethos among the whole population; Kano helped to link judo and modern budo with the sport world (through the Olympic movement) and tied their future development to the sport figuration towards professionalization and ‘striving achievement’.engjournal article10.1080/21640599.2016.1186583restricted accessSociologíaArtes marcialesSociologíaDeporte