I'm curious what you want to ask a BJJ sociologist...

Choking people is not socially accepted... That's why we make clubs/gyms/academy's and sign paperwork to agree to it...
Top tip.

Don't ask me how I know... 😐

A good set of lawyers, on retainer, like a modicum of snuff, can be remarkably efficacious.
Likewise, other practical remedies for practical problems.

Although in several States in the U.S., Florida being one of them, the courts take a dim view of enforcing waivers of liability.
Even with large print, and all the right, exact, exculpatory clauses, let alone, without.

I'm a philosopher, not a sociologist (I sound like Dr. McCoy). Jooyoung Lee is a sociology professor and a BJJ black belt: https://podcast.bjjmental[...]oyoung-lee. I don't know him personally, but his podcast appears to be legit. :)

Super helpful. Thank you!

The tl;dr version: I'm curious to know what, if any, sociological research might exist in relation to bjj.

Can we consider Sociology a predicatively useful, or reliable discipline?

Yes.

Any helpful leads are appreciated :)

By the data, these social sciences, and pseudo sciences cannot be considered reliably predicative.

On the other hand, at least in the United States, as a construct example,

National Police Science numbers are useless,

As many U.S. cities have larger populations than EU nations,

And further, policing statistics locally may be useful, but aggregate statistics of crime science and police science may just be meaningless averages, devoid of nuance, details, or anything useful.

However, local, State, and Federal groupings of any type, do follow a bell curve.

I apologize if you felt that I was curious as to what your opinion was on pretty much anything other than the subject of my post.

Thank you for understanding :)

Again, as other posters have also asked,
Did you have some specific research questions?
Because you’ve invoked a predictively challenged discipline regarding a long tail domain,
That’s not my opinion.
Those are facts.
So I don’t take offense, at your comment.
Although I admire the panache,
Of your reply, in a mandated civil environment towards a poster you may find as long winded, and boorish.

I hold an advanced degree in folklore which is considered an adjunct science to anthropology and sociology. I do have an interest in the traditions, superstitions and legends (and mythology) which are all very much present in BJJ circles.

Robert, I should also mention that quite a lot of social scientists have articles as part of this research project: https://kampfsportmuseum.de/kub/. Articles are available in both English and German (including one that I contributed on martial arts and moral development). A wide variety of academic disciplines are represented in the sciences (including social sciences) and humanities.

Thank you for sharing this link. I didn't immediately see a link to your work, so perhaps I'm missing other helpful information as well.

I guess just to explain why I'm asking about sociological studies in particular:

I graduated with a BS in sociology in 2003, and from '03-'05, I completed my coursework in a MA program, also in sociology. The last requirement to qualify for the MA was to write an essay on a topic of my choice.

However, I never completed the essay, as I had joined the Peace Corps and got thrown out of the academic loop, so to speak.

I'm anticipating a hip replacement surgery in November, which should give me plenty of down time to knock out this essay I should have completed 19 years ago now.

But, since it's been 19+ years, I feel even more detached from academia, as you can imagine.

Maybe a different question I should be asking is how to get (free?) access to academic studies? That way I can see if there's enough material to write a full essay, or just to scrap that idea and write on an easier topic with more research.

In the end, I have no practical use for the masters degree, but it's more about finishing something I started and making my parents proud and all that.

Google scholar,
Your university library,
And public / county libraries.
Also, open access journals.

This was really helpful, thank you. Had no idea that Google scholar was a thing!

Robert, here is the link to my article: https://kampfsportmuseum.[...]l_Arts.pdf. It’s mainly philosophy, but the first section cites quite a bit of social science.

I applaud you for going back to finish your master’s degree. I agree with what William says about Google Scholar (and Google Books) and university libraries. You can typically walk into any university library, use their computers, print out articles (if you pay the printing cost), and scan book chapters (sometimes for a fee) without being an active student. You can also use your cell phone to scan book chapters and articles for free (and OCR software can convert it to text for you). Does your master’s-granting institution require you to sign up for a thesis-writing credit while you work on your research? If so, you should get access to their library and search engine. Also, public libraries have surprisingly good access to research sources. Are you writing about the sociology of martial arts? If so, I’d be very interested to see the results of your research.

Congratulations on jumping back into a degree after so long! I have a Master of Science in anthropology. All the general sources I would recommend have already been covered, but I noticed Bill Murphy bringing up police science, which was either a non sequitur or I missed something. If you research does somehow touch on Jiu Jitsu and law enforcement, please feel free to reach out directly. I could suggest other specific resources since police this is one of my areas of expertise. In any case I would also be very interested in your research!

It is a common critique of the limits of both police science and sociology.
Aggregate averages are often not able to be usefully applied, outside of very local conditions, and very local statistics, meaning limits and proper disclaimers, placed on aggregate averages and statistics, in those domains.

Not that I'm aware of?

Honestly, I'm just hoping to knock this thing out. The requirement is just a "simple" essay, and not a thesis or something I would be required to defend. Thank God Jesus.

My plan is to have a plan to begin with, present it to the department, and cross my fingers that they don't require additional work/classes etc.

No, or at least I hope not. Hopefully I can just write about something on which I have better knowledge and qualifications: bjj. But like I said earlier, there may be limited resources on strictly bjj... although perhaps there's judo?

Lots of Judo academic research, for a variety of reasons, including Judo considers itself a form of scholarship, and encourages scholarhip, as per the founder (as you no doubt know).
Some on BJJ, not as much, though.

Thank you! I have limited involvement/ knowledge in regards to law enforcement and bjj.

Most likely I'll try and provide an admittedly very limited summary of social stratification in bjj schools/gyms/dojos... but only if the stars align my way :).

Let us know how we can help with your data collection, Robert.

Seems like both fields would be able to attain statistical data outside of local sources, and apply them to their research in a useful way?

Again, I've been living outside academia for almost 2 decades...

You could see if this still holds true, or is not any longer, or expand it, or refute it:

THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO “KEEPING IT PLAYFUL” FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 REGARDING TOURNAMENT SUBMISSIONS, SINCE OVER 75% OF ALL IBJJF MUNDIAL GOLD MEDALISTS IN THE ADULT MALE BLACK BELT DIVISIONS FROM 1996 THROUGH 2015 DID NOT EVEN START THEIR BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU TRAINING UNTIL AFTER THE AGE OF 12.

AUGUST 17, 2015 BY WILLIAM F. MURPHY, PH.D.

There has recently been some discussion as to whether or not restricting children under the age of 12 from winning grappling matches with submissions such as chokes and joint locks will negatively impact their later chances of performing well in high level submission tournaments such as the IBJJF Mundials, when they become adult competitors.

To test the validity of this concern, we compiled a list of every male black belt gold medal winner in every BJJ Mundials from 1996 to 2015, and crossed checked the age they reported that they started their Jiu-Jitsu training.

We found that at least 75% of all the gold medal winners in the IBJJF Mundials male adult black belt divisions from 1996 through 2015 did not start their Jiu-Jitsu training until after they were older than 12 years old.

We therefore conclude that there is no reason to think that eliminating submissions as a means to win a kids match for children under the age of 12 will have any negative impact on those children to compete and be future champions as adults in the IBJJF Mundials or other high level grappling tournaments.

We include some interesting findings below:

75% of all the past BJJ (Mundials) World Black Belt Division Gold Medal Champions started training Jiu-Jitsu AFTER the age of 12.

66% of the past BJJ (Mundials) World Championship Black Belt Absoluto Gold Medal Winners started training Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

In 80% of the past BJJ (Mundials) World Championships from 1996 to 2015, the majority of the adult male black belt divisions in that year’s Mundials were won by players who had started their Jiu-Jitsu training after the age of 12.

7 Time IBJJF World Champion Bruno Malfacine started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 11.

7 Time IBJJF World Champion Xande Ribeiro started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 10.

6 Time IBJJF World Champion Marcus Almeida started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14.

5 Time IBJJF World Champion Saulo Ribeiro started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 15.

5 Time IBJJF World Champion Robson Moura started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 10.

5 Time IBJJF World Champion Marcelo Garcia started training Jiu-Jitsu as a teen-ager.

5 Time IBJJF World Champion Rodolfo Vieira started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 13.

5 Time IBJJF World Champion Romulo Barral started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 15.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Roberto Magalhaes started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 17.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Fabio Gurgel started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 13.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Ruben Charles started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 21.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Guilhermes Mendes started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 13.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Leandro Lo started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 15.

4 Time IBJJF World Champion Bernardo Faria started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14.

However, it is notable that Roger Gracie won 10 Mundials, and Royler Gracie won 4 Mundials, and even though their starting age was unreported, we can speculate that both of those players started training very young as members of the Gracie family. But, in the class of multiple Mundial winners who each won between 4 to 10 Mundials, they were the exceptions, not the rule.

6 out of 9 of the 2015 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2014 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

All 9 of the 2013 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2012 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

6 out of 9 of the 2011 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 2010 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2009 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 2008 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 2007 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 2006 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

6 out of 9 of the 2005 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

4 out of 9 of the 2004 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

3 out of 9 of the 2003 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2002 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2001 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

7 out of 9 of the 2000 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 1999 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

5 out of 9 of the 1998 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

4 out of 9 of the 1997 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

4 out of 9 of the 1996 Black Belt World Champion Weight Division Gold Medalists started learning Jiu-Jitsu after the age of 12.

To pull the age the adult male Mundials Black Belt Gold Medalists, started training BJJ, we relied mostly on the biography data on http://www.bjjheroes.com/.

Where age data on when the champions started training BJJ was not available on http://www.bjjheroes.com , we cross checked the bios on their own websites or in other published BJJ magazine articles etc.

When no starting age data was available, we marked the starting age as “unknown” and counted them as training since birth so as not to risk over-exaggerating the number of champions who started training BJJ after the age of 12. (It is possible that the numbers we report above support the conclusion we presented even more than we asserted).

Here is the data we used to compile these results:

Alexandre Paiva starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Amaury Bitteti starting age of training BJJ: 5
Andre Galvao starting age of training BJJ: 16
Antonio Braga Neto starting age of training BJJ: 4
Augusto Mendes starting age of training BJJ: 14
Bernardo Faria starting age of training BJJ: 14
Bernardo Pitel starting age of training BJJ: 18
Bibiano Fernandes starting age of training BJJ: After 10
BJ Penn starting age of training BJJ: 12
Braulio Estima starting age of training BJJ: 16
Bruno Malfacine starting age of training BJJ: 11
Caio Terra starting age of training BJJ: 17
Carlos Lemos starting age of training BJJ: 14
Cassio Werneck starting age of training BJJ: 18
Celso Vinicius starting age of training BJJ: 15
Claudio Calasans starting age of training BJJ: 15
Daniel Moraes starting age of training BJJ: 5
Daniel Otero starting age of training BJJ: 13
Delson Heleno starting age of training BJJ: 15
Erik Wanderley starting age of training BJJ: 10
Fabio Gurgel starting age of training BJJ: 13
Fabio Leopoldo starting age of training BJJ: 15
Fabricio Werdum starting age of training BJJ: 13
Felipe Costa starting age of training BJJ: 13
Fernando Augusto starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Fernando Marques starting age of training BJJ: 18
Fernando Pontes starting age of training BJJ: 13
Fernando Vasconcelos starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Fernando Vieira starting age of training BJJ: 10
Francisco Fernandes starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Fredson Paixao starting age of training BJJ: 15
Gabriel Gonzaga starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Gabriel Lucas starting age of training BJJ: 15
Gabriel Moraes starting age of training BJJ: 15
Gabriel Vella starting age of training BJJ: 14
Gilbert Burns starting age of training BJJ: 12
Guiherme Mendes starting age of training BJJ: 13
Helio Moreira starting age of training BJJ: 8
Jefferson Moura starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Joan Roque starting age of training BJJ: 2
Leandro Lo starting age of training BJJ: 15
Leo Leite starting age of training BJJ: 15
Leo Nogueira starting age of training BJJ: 16
Leo Vieira starting age of training BJJ: 6
Lucas Leite starting age of training BJJ: 12
Lucas Lepri starting age of training BJJ: 15
Luiz Guilherme starting age of training BJJ: 6
Marcelo Ferreira starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Marcelo Garcia starting age of training BJJ: Teenager
Marcio Corleta starting age of training BJJ: 18
Marcio Cruz starting age of training BJJ: 17
Marcio Feitosa starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Marco Barreto starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Marcos Norat starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Marcus Almeida starting age of training BJJ: 14
Mario Reis starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Mario Sperry starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Michael Langhi starting age of training BJJ: 13
Murilo Bustamante starting age of training BJJ: 10
Omar Salum starting age of training BJJ: Teenager
Otavio Souza starting age of training BJJ: 13
Pablo Silva starting age of training BJJ: 14
Paul Miyao starting age of training BJJ: 16
Paulo Barruso starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Rafael Correa starting age of training BJJ: 10
Rafael Lovato, Jr. starting age of training BJJ: 13
Rafael Mendes starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Ricardo Liborio starting age of training BJJ: 15
Ricardo Vieira starting age of training BJJ: 5
Robert Drysdale starting age of training BJJ: 17
Roberto Correa starting age of training BJJ: 19
Roberto Magalhaes starting age of training BJJ: 17
Roberto Traven starting age of training BJJ: 16
Robson Moura starting age of training BJJ: 10
Rodolfo Vieira starting age of training BJJ: 13
Rodrigo Cavaca starting age of training BJJ: 19
Rodrigo Medeiros starting age of training BJJ: 12
Roger Gracie starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Romulo Barral starting age of training BJJ: 15
Ronaldo Souza starting age of training BJJ: 17
Royler Gracie starting age of training BJJ: UNKNOWN
Rubens Charles starting age of training BJJ: 21
Samuel Braga starting age of training BJJ: TeenAger
Saulo Ribeiro starting age of training BJJ: 15
Sergio Moraes starting age of training BJJ: 10
Tarsis Humphreys starting age of training BJJ: 13
Vitor Ribeiro starting age of training BJJ: 14
Xande Ribeiro starting age of training BJJ: 10

Thank you for your support, I really appreciate that. But if everything goes my way, I won't have to collect any data, but rather just regurgitate what other, more knowledgeable people have already said.

Usually fails to be predictively useful, outside of very local domains, with very local statistics.
Tends to degenerate to worse than random coin flip predictive reliability after / outside of that.