Policy evolution in China’s campus football
A mixed-methods analysis of policy documents (2009–2025)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22232152 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yingwen Chen (0000-0003-3744-7001, Wuhan Sports University), Bihao Zhang (Wuhan Sports University, corresponding author), Xiaohui He (0000-0001-6694-0183, Wuhan Sports University), Xianming He, Kexin Li (0000-0002-9479-2963, Wuhan Sports University), Kunfeng Li |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-26 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2662-9992 • E-ISSN: 2662-9992 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41599-025-06238-0 |
| OpenAlex | W4416714268 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 55 |
Since 2009, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies aimed at expanding youth football participation and addressing the shortage of talent reserves. However, the rapid proliferation of policies has created a range of implementation challenges. This study adopts a three-dimensional analytical framework that integrates content analysis, social network analysis, and LDA2vec topic modeling to empirically examine 71 campus football policy documents issued by the State Council and relevant ministries. Results show that regarding policy tools, there is an overreliance on environmental tools, inadequate utilization of supply-oriented tools, and limited adoption of demand-oriented tools. Concerning policy actors, the structure of campus football policymaking has evolved from a single-actor model to a multi-actor collaborative framework. In terms of policy themes, the focus has shifted from establishing foundational frameworks to refining a distinctive developmental system. This study proposes optimization strategies for advancing the implementation of China’s campus football policies and contributing to the enrichment of theoretical perspectives on policy evolution within the domain of sports governance
Economic shortage · Football · Policy analysis · Public policy · Social network analysis · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Sports Analytics and Performance · Sports, Gender, and Society
Basic Content Analysis
The Tools of Government
Social network analysis
What Is a Policy Instrument? Tools, Mixes, and Implementation Styles
The key factors of talent development environment for campus football athletes in China
Evolution of China's marine ranching policy based on the perspective of policy tools
Knowledge discovery from the texts of Nobel Prize winners in literature
Political Steering Theory in the Era of ‘Top-Level Design’
Content analysis
Chinese Football in the Era of Xi Jinping
Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method
Deviations from China's School Football Policies during the Implementation Process
Football in German schools and the role of the German FA in the context of a discourse of ‘crisis’ and the World Cup 2006
The history of women’s football in Spanish schools
Football in Italian schools
Grand little ambassadors
The establishment of football at Swiss schools
Modes of Network Governance
Policy Instruments and the Study of Public Policy
Policy Paradigms, Social Learning, and the State
Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |