| （School of Physical Education，South China Normal University，Guangzhou 510006，China) Abstract: Based on literature research, this paper reviewed the difficult positions and developmental constraints in the field of the social scientific studies of sport, and proposed a methodological turn to qualitative research paradigm to solve these problems. By mapping the developing process and practices of qualitative research that applied into sport in the West, and by reviewing the preliminary exploration of qualitative research of sport in China, it drew the conclusions: qualitative research methods would make sport studies embrace both science and humanities through the whole research process that include research perspectives, strategies, approaches and types; qualitative research methods would provide an powerful instrument for us to interpret social actions and phenomenons with regard to sport, to understand the meanings and values of sport from day-to-day routines, and to sum up bodily experiences from various sporting practices, so that original theories of sport could be generated; the employment of qualitative research methods could also promote methodological awareness of the sport academia that would keep a high aca-demic quality and research dynamics.
Key words: sport social science and humanities；qualitative research；methodology；research paradigm；sport theories；humanities |
