From ‘Imported’ to ‘Local’: Framing Foundations on the Sociology of Sport in China

Abstract

This chapter explores the development of sport sociology in China from its transition from an ‘imported’ Western concept to a ‘localised’ Chinese discipline. Specifically, this chapter considers the role of the body in this process. This chapter offers some descriptive insight into the development of sport sociology in China, focussing on how it has transitioned from an ‘imported’ Western concept to a ‘localised’ discipline with its own unique characteristics. It also seeks to address some differences and similarities between Eastern and Western ideologies regarding the concept of the ‘body’ and how these differences influence the study of sport sociology in China. The chapter uses a historical and philosophical approach to analyse the development of sport sociology in China. It examines the concept of the body in both Western and Chinese contexts and how these concepts have influenced the development of sport sociology in China. The value of this work is it provides a unique perspective on the development of sport sociology in China, highlighting the role of the body and the process of localization. It contributes to the understanding of the interaction between Western and Eastern ideologies in the field of sport sociology.

Citation

Gao, Q. and Zhou, L. (2024), "From ‘Imported’ to ‘Local’: Framing Foundations on the Sociology of Sport in China", Tian, E. and Wise, N. (Ed.) The Mediating Power of Sport (Research in the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 21), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 205-211. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1476-285420240000021012