The Paradox of the Development of Team Sport in China: The Case of Professional Basketball

Topic:              The Paradox of the Development of Team Sport in China: The Case of Professional Basketball

Time& Date:  19:30-21:00, September 19^th, 2019

Venue:            103 Chengdao Building

Speaker:         Teng GE [PhD candidate, University of Chicago]

Host:               Dr. BOUCHER Aurelien [CUHK(SZ)]

Language:      English

Abstract:

Team sport, like basketball and football, has been widely appreciated in China. Given the its popularity and the support from both public and the state, why Chinese team sport teams have underachieved in international games regarding their performances? Through studying a Chinese professional basketball club, this project demonstrates various relationships between Chinese basketball players and their club. The various relationships, which include cooperation, isolation and confrontation, suggest that the dilemma of Chinese basketball is influenced by the diverse interests of basketball players and the conflict of interests between the league and clubs. The project also reveals why cultural and racial differences are not adequate to address this issue. 

Speaker:

Teng Ge is a PhD student from the Sociology Department at the University of Chicago. His research interests include economic sociology, political sociology and sport. He taught and assisted qualitative research methods and anthropology of Olympics during his residency. He graduated from Washburn University and  London School of Economics and Political Science before he joined in the department. He used to be a basketball player before  he went to college.