How Is "Open Autonomy" Possible: Reflections on Constructing an Autonomous Knowledge System in Chinese Sociology of Sport and Its Generation Path

How can Chinese sport sociology construct an autonomous knowledge system characterized by "open autonomy" within a globally asymmetric structure of knowledge production? Drawing on sport sociology research data from the China Sport Science Yearbook (1980–2024), this article identifies the structural features of knowledge production in Chinese sport sociology, examines the limitations these structural conditions impose on the construction of an autonomous knowledge system, criticize the misconceptions surrounding "open autonomy", and proposes corresponding pathways toward its realization. The article argues that five epistemological misconceptions have shaped the field's knowledge production: equating autonomy with the rejection of international theory; simplyfing localization to the accumulation of empirical materials; conflating policy discourse with academic concepts; mistaking conceptual innovation for the coinage of new terminology; and reducing international dialogue to the pursuit of external legitimation. These misconceptions are rooted in disciplinary community's misjudgments about what constitutes knowledge and how its validity is established, resulting in a set of structural characteristics: practical responsiveness is strong but theoretical accumulation remains weak; policy concepts are active but their academic translation is insufficient; theoretical coverage is broad but indigenous theoretical supply remains limited; and empirical materials are abundant but mechanism-based argumentation is underdeveloped. Situated within a global knowledge production perspective, the article proposes that "open autonomy" can be realized through four interrelated strategies: transforming Chinese questions into globally relevant issues; translating Chinese concepts into internationally intelligible forms; establishing cross-contextual explanatory validity through cross-methodological validation; and generating theoretical propositions to enact the capability of cross-contextual dialogue. On this basis, the article calls for the construction of a knowledge system with both locally explanatory and internationally legible, advancing Chinese sport sociology's transition from being "incorporated into" global conversations to genuinely "participating in" them.