From Event Expansion to Governance Failure: Generation Mechanisms and Resilient Governance Pathways of Uncivil Behaviors in Urban Marathons

Abstract

As urban marathon events continue to expand across multiple social sectors, governance challenges have intensified, accompanied by frequent public opinion crises and governance failures. Using the uncivilized behavior incident at the 2025 Suzhou Marathon as a case study, this study employs literature review and qualitative case study methods to develop a multi-level analytical framework encompassing individual, organizational, and governance dimensions. It investigates the underlying mechanisms driving uncivilized behaviors in marathon events and proposes a three-dimensional, five-measure full-cycle governance framework. The findings indicate that rapid expansion of mass participation events amplifies vulnerabilities within the governance system. Establishing an integrated governance system that combines technical, organizational, and cultural resilience is essential to prevent governance failures and promote sustainable, high-quality development of urban marathons.