Educating the new Chinese middle-class youth: the role of quality education on ideas of class and status

Abstract

This article attempts to answer the questions: "Why is quality education so important for the new Chinese middle class and what implications does quality education have on ideas of status and social standing?" My efforts to answer these questions are guided by two key concepts: social distinction and capital convertibility, which have been presented and analyzed in the work of Bourdieu. The present article advances a new framework for analyzing the different effects of schooling and youth education on ideas of class and social status for the new Chinese middle class. I do this by exploring different dimensions of cultural capital and their effects on social standing and class membership. My core argument is that youth quality education, which implies the accumulation of cultural capital, and therefore of suzhi, is the strongest driving force affecting middle-class families' life strategies, as well as their ideas of status. Furthermore, cultural capital is the primary resource that can generate other forms of capital, essential for middle-class reproduction. Ultimately, due to the fact that in China the access to quality education is strongly connected to housing strategies, housing and neighborhood have been selected as the salient lens for analysis.

Institutional and policy-related implications on quality education access in Shanghai: Middle-class locals, outsiders and foreigners compared

“…This final section presents empirical qualitative findings collected through fieldwork research conducted with the aim of investigating the institutional and policy-derived constraints for each of the three categories as regards access to quality education. Such empirical findings are significant in order to shed light on the limitations and opportunities shared by each institutional category of subjects in the acquisition of cultural capital and social advancement (Bourdieu, 1984;Ponzini 2020a;Ponzini 2020b) and provide empirical material which can aid policy-oriented discussion.…”

“…Owing to the neighborhood school policy enforced in Shanghai, neighborhoods with key schools tend to be more expensive, nevertheless purchasing a house in these neighborhoods is a very desirable goal for Chinese middle-class families (Ponzini 2020a). Ultimately, as mentioned earlier in the article, an increasing number of public schools have opened an "international division" aimed at students with foreign nationalities, who may encounter language barriers in school enrollment processes and attendance.…”

“…Another hukou-related issue that affects access to quality education is that the possession of a local hukou also allows locals to be entitled to bank loans (generally not an option for outsiders) and, hence, to secure housing in strategic neighborhoods, i.e. know for a good school (Ponzini 2020a;Ponzini 2020b). Mr Wang, a non-local hukou holder employed in the high-end service industry, often expanded on the housing topic, as it was cause for major concern for him and his family: "Owning a house is crucial, as it provides many privileges to homeowners, including a local hukou after 7 years.…”

“…Access to quality education is paramount in the eyes of Chinese parents, who are willing to do anything in their power to grant their child the best education opportunities. Especially for the new urban Chinese middle class, securing quality education is a strategic stepping-stone to achieving strong cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1984) and, consequently, social advancement as well as social reproduction opportunities (Ponzini 2020a).…”

“…Two of these are exemplary. First, the so-called "tenant discrimination policy", which determines that homeowners are ranked above renters in school admission processes (Ponzini 2020a). Second, China's "neighborhood school policy" (Feng & Lu, 2013;Shanghai Education Bureau), which basically assigns specific schools to specific neighborhoods and residential units, indirectly affects families' strategies also in terms of housing, lifestyle and ideas of status (Ponzini 2020a).…”