Qualitative Research on the Stratification of Urban Women’s Participation in Sport

Since the economic reform,women's sport is deeply embedded in the process of social stratification in Chinese urban societies.How to take part in sport came to mark social boundaries and to define status communities.This study was framed by feminist theories and the theory of stratification.By applying qualitative research paradigm and semi-structured interview,it described the sports behavior and concepts of women from middle class,working class and unemployed groups.It found that women from different classes had different economic,educational,domestic and cultural situations,which had shaped their sports values and patterns of participation.It argued that within different classes,many different opportunities and limitations for women to sport were produced.Chinese women have not equally utilized sports opportunities.On the one hand,the obstacles were decreasing;on the other hand,social institutions and the patriarchal culture constrained women's fully involvement in sport and the emancipated meanings and values of women's sport.