Beyond the "Black Clubs" A Youth Sports Manifesto for Japan and Abroad

Based on a unique blending of sociology, history, anthropology, and philosophy, this book seeks to reinvigorate youth-centered sports along a path of inclusivity, play, and enjoyment. Beyond the Black Clubs represents a groundbreaking collaboration between leading global researchers as they unravel the intricate tapestry of youth sports in Japan. From Japan’s opening to the West in the nineteenth century, the state-driven fusion of sports and education has given rise to a powerful apparatus of moral education, which has helped sustain social stability, order, and hierarchy. And yet, the current state of youth sports is unfortunately pockmarked by so-called "black clubs"—school sports clubs that allow practices such as hazing and corporal punishment, and which lead to many injuries and accidents. This meticulously researched book unveils the global undercurrents that have shaped youth sports in Japan and created the conditions for these black clubs to emerge and, by demanding the attention and action of fellow adults, lays the intellectual foundation for a brighter sports future for all Japanese youth as well as all youth athletes abroad.

1. Introduction: “black clubs” and “trophy kids”.- 2. (Philosophy/theory) why should we care about youth sports at all?.- 3. (Sociology/anthropology) statistics, culture and policy.- 4. (History) a brief history of youth sports before the modern period.- 5. (History) how did youth sports policy in Japan develop?.- 6. (Philosophy/anthropology) how Japanese adults came to expect Japanese youth athletes to be disciplined like a monk, tough like a samurai, moral like a sportsman, and deferential to authority like a good Japanese group member, but left little room for unfettered play.- 7. (Philosophy/anthropology) what localizing western sports did for Japan.- 8. (Crosscultural comparison) youth sports in Japan and the us.

Aaron L. Miller is a lecturer in the Departments of Kinesiology at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB), San Jose State University (SJSU), and at St. Mary’s College of California, where he teaches a range of courses in sociology, history, anthropology, and philosophy to undergraduate and graduate students.

Atsushi Nakazawa, after working as a lecturer and associate professor at Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Social Sciences, became an associate professor and later full professor at Waseda University's School of Sport Sciences. Atsushi Nakazawa specializes in the sociology of sports, physical education, and social welfare.