This is the first book to offer a comprehensive overview of the history, development and contemporary significance of sport in Asia. It addresses a wide range of issues central to sport in the context of Asian culture, politics, economy and society. The book explores diverse topics, including the history of traditional Asian sport; the rise of modern sport in Asia; the Olympic Movement in Asia; mega sport events in Asia; sport governance and policy; gender, class and ethnicity in Asian sport, and Asia’s sporting heroes and heroines. With contributions from 74 leading international scholars, it offers a new perspective on understanding Asian sport and society, telling the story of how sport in this mega-region is coming together and reshaping the world in the process. It also provides readers with a wide lens through which to better contextualise the relationships between Asia and the world within the global sport community. The Routledge Handbook of Sport in Asia is a vital resource for students and scholars studying the history, politics, sociology, culture and policy of sport in Asia, as well as sport management, sport history, sport sociology, and sport policy and politics. It is also valuable reading for those working in international sport organisations.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: the Asian Century and Asian Sport, Part I: Asia’s Traditional Sports, 1. In Authentic Relations: Traditional Asian Martial Arts, East and West, 2. Chinese Philosophy and Asian Martial Arts, 3. A Brief History of Chinese Martial Arts, 4. The Development and Global Transmission of Wing Chun, 5. The Transmission Modes of Taijiquan: Traditional Martial Art, Competitive Sport and the Political Re-Appropriation of Culture in Recent China, 6. The Long-Term Development of Japanese Martial Arts, 7. Kendō: An Indigenous Culture Embodying National Narratives in Japan, 8. Judo, 9. In Search of a Tradition for Taekwondo, 10. Chinlone: National Sport of Myanmar, Part II: The Rise of Modern Sport and the Olympic Movement in Asia, 11. The Foundation and Early Years of the Olympic Council of Asia: A Controversial Body Making Controversial Politics, 12. China and the Olympics, 13. The Rise of Modern Sport and the Olympic Movement in India, 14. The Rise of Modern Sport and the Olympic Movement in Japan, 15. Beyond the Peninsula: Sports and the Olympic Games in Colonial Korea (1910–1945), 16. The Rise of Modern Sport and the Olympic Movement in Korea, 17. The Introduction and Institutionalization of Western sports in Colonial and Post-Colonial Malaya, 1786-1965, 18. Sport, Colonization and Modernity in the Philippines, 19. The Rise of Modern Sport in Colonial Singapore: The Singapore Cricket Club Leads the Way, Part III: Sport Policy and Practice: Public and Private Provision, 20. International Sports Events and the Two Koreas: Politics, Policies and Practice, 21. Sport Diplomacy at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang: The Relations between North and South Korea, 22. Commercialisation of Sport in China, 23. The Reform of China’s Elite Sport System: Case Studies on Football and Table Tennis, 24. The Development of Sport Policy and Practice in Taiwan, 25. Politics and Policy of Forging Post-Handover Hong Kong as a Sporting Mega-Event Centre, 26. An Overview of Sport in Modern India, 27. Indonesia’s Sport Policy and Development in the Old Order Era (1945–1967) and New Order Era (1967–1998), Part IV: Social Stratification and Diversity in Asian Sport, 28. Safeguarding Children in Sport in Asia, 29. Sport and Ethnicity, 30. South Korea: Women and Sport in a Persistent Patriarchy, 31. Disability Sport in Malaysia: Challenges and Opportunities, 32. Sport and Gender in Contemporary China, 33. The Changing Society, State Policies and Sport for Young Children in 21st Century China, 34. The Development of Elite Disability Sport in China, 35. Sport and Social Class in Japan: Past and Present, 36. Sport and Gender in Japan, 37. Sport and Ethnicity in Indonesia: Developing National Character through Traditional Games, 38. Yoga for Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Adolescent Relationship Issues, Part V: Sport in West Asia and the Middle East, 39. Sport and Diplomacy in the Middle East, 40. Sport and International Relations in the Arab World, 41. Arab Countries’ Strategies to Bid and to Host Major Sport Events, 42. The Emergence and Development of the Islamic Solidarity Games, 43. Soccer: Moulding the Middle East and North Africa, 44. Playing Ball: Crowd and ‘Contra-Crowd’ in the Politics of Egyptian and Tunisian Football, Part VI: Asian Mega Sporting Events, 45. The Asian Games, Asian Sports, and Asian Politics, 46. The Far Eastern Championship Games, 47. The Games of the New Emerging Forces, 48. Borrowed Spectacle: Olympic Rhetoric in Political Battles, 49. The Southeast Asian Games, 50. The Asian Indoor Games, 51. The Political Dimension of the AFC Asian Cup, 52. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, 53. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and South Korea’s Mega-Events, 54. Wushu Competitions in Asia, Part VII: Asia’s Sport Heroes and Heroines, 55. Liu Changchun: China’s First Olympic Athlete, 56. Rudy Hartono: An Indonesian badminton legend, 57. Dipa Karmakar: Rising Star of India, 58. Bruce Lee: His Jeet Kune Do, His Movies and His Legacy, 59. Eric Liddell: The Flying Scotsman in China, 60. Yao Ming: The Basketball Giant, 61. Seri Pak: Korea’s Golf Empress, 62. Dhyan Chand Singh: A Legend in Hockey, 63. He Zhenliang: China’s Mr Olympics