University of Coimbra

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Paulo Coêlho de Araújo

Ana Rosa Jaqueira

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The University of Coimbra (UC) is a Portuguese public with 725 years of experience in education, training and research. UC is a large complex structure with three campuses, eight faculties, 42 research centres, 26 10000 students and 3020 academic and non-academic staff members, providing teaching and conducting research in almost all study fields - Exact Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences, Architecture, Medicine, Social Sciences, Humanities and Sports.

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Within UC, this project will be developed at the Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education (FCDEF-UC), concretely at LUDUS – Laboratory for Games, Recreation, Traditional Martial Arts and Capoeira.

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Traditional games are a subject matter of the degree of Physical Education of FCDEF-UC for over 10 years. The LUDUS laboratory was created in line with research initiatives within the scope of Recreation, Games, Traditional Martial Arts and Capoeira, aiming a scientific intervention in a pedagogical, technical, psychosocial and social-cultural extent. Its action areas comprise recreation in formal, casual and non-formal environments and are directed to a varied audience, having as objects of intervention: the game as a playful and educational tool of a motor action that expresses emotions, considering its historical, cultural and social aspects; and capoeira with its playful, gymnastic and sportive features, as well as other traditional martial arts.

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The LUDUS is associated to the Group of Research in Sporting Games (INEFC, University of Lleida); to the European Traditional Sports and Games Association (ETSGA); to the International Martial Art and Combat Sports Scientific Society (ICSSPE), to the International Association of Motor Praxeology (AIPRAM); and to the Asian Traditional Sports Games Association (ATSGA). The Laboratory already held two international scientific events on traditional games and Motor Praxiology, and has significant scientific production in this area (books, book chapters, articles).