Promoting Social Inclusion Through Sport: A Case Study of Uyghur Youth in China
Hongxin Li,
Yunchao Bai and
John Nauright
Additional contact information
Hongxin Li: College of Physical Education, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, China
Yunchao Bai: Global Talent Development Center, Civil Aviation Management Institute of China, China / Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, USA
John Nauright: School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, USA
Social Inclusion, 2025, vol. 13
Abstract:
This study examines the role of sports as a means of promoting social inclusion among Uyghur youth in China, drawing upon social inclusion theory. Utilizing a qualitative case study methodology, we explored the perspectives of Uyghur youth athletes to gain insight into the challenges they face in achieving social inclusion without feeling “othered” or excluded. Data analysis followed an inductive grounded theory approach, identifying first‐order concepts, second‐order themes, and aggregate theoretical dimensions. Our findings reveal that social inclusion of Uyghur youth through sports participation is influenced by multiple factors, including language barriers, stereotypes, cultural differences, high expectations, and government policies. Despite these challenges, engaging in sports has enabled Uyghur youth to foster friendships, build confidence, and adapt more effectively to new environments, highlighting the potential of sports as a powerful tool for promoting social inclusion among marginalized groups.
Keywords: China; minorities; social inclusion; sport; Uyghur (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:
Downloads: (external link)
https://www.cogitatiopress.com/socialinclusion/article/view/9409 (text/html)
Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.
Export reference: BibTeX
RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan)
HTML/Text
Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:socinc:v13:y:2025:a:9409
DOI: 10.17645/si.9409
Access Statistics for this article
Social Inclusion is currently edited by Mariana Pires
More articles in Social Inclusion from Cogitatio Press
Bibliographic data for series maintained by António Vieira () and IT Department ().