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Although sport and nationalism have been closely related in numerous research studies, the relationship between sport and nationalism in the Chinese context still lacks attention, especially as regards gender.
Chinese women’s volleyball has been responsible for eye-catching nationwide achievements, especially in the 1980s and the 2010s, which are recognised as a ‘legend’ in Chinese sports and frequently associated with a significant impetus to nationalism. Even though nationalism and sports are generally gendered as masculine, under the influence of Confucianism, Communism, modern capitalism, and other ideologies, Chinese female sports have gained more attention and have been significantly linked to nationalism in previous research. However, the situation in recent years remains unclear.
Hence, it is important to study how sport, nationalism, and gender have interacted in the context of China and how they have developed against a backdrop of social change through a study of Chinese women’s volleyball.
This research focuses on China’s women’s volleyball legend and how it has reflected nationalism at different times. By using media analysis and focus groups, the aim of the study is to assess how this changed from the 1980s to the 2010s in a period when the Chinese economic situation and society also changed considerably. Additionally, this study also explores the interaction between sport, gender, and nationalism in the Chinese context and discusses the multi-dimensional aspects and various discourses behind the phenomenon.
Keywords: Sport, Nationalism, China, Gender, Chinese women’s volleyball, Discourse analysis, Media analysis, Focus Group
