Cultural reproduction or cultural mobility? Unequal education achievement among Chinese college students

Abstract

This article investigates the influence of family class background on college students’ education achievement by using the Beijing College Students Panel Survey. Statistical analyses show that elite class offspring are more likely to form student cadres and have higher English proficiency but lower grades. One reason for lower grades is that they do not devote enough time and energy to school. Another reason, however, is that the effect of cultural capital is weakened in a subjective, standardized system of examination and evaluation. Moreover, cultural capital has a greater effect when combined with other resources, meaning that elite-class children benefit more from cultural capital, which is consistent with the cultural reproduction theory.

The Asian Conference on Education 2022: Official Conference Proceedings

“…Firstly, upper-class parents could have more cultural capital to pass on to the next generation (B. Zhu, 2020). Their children could have approaches to the 'elite culture' from childhood.…”

“…However, the cultural mobility theory suggested that the influence of the home environment could only partially affect the child's academic performance (B. Zhu, 2020). The acquisition of cultural capital is a long-term process, so it could be also vital to realize the role of schools.…”

“…The acquisition of cultural capital is a long-term process, so it could be also vital to realize the role of schools. Zhu (2020) emphasized that children from non-elite families could not only have access to cultural capital at school, but might benefit from it more than children from elite families. DiMaggio (1982), a major contributor to the theory of cultural mobility theory, is probably the best-known critic of the cultural reproduction theory.…”

“…Although he agreed that cultural capital could have a positive effect on the acquisition of educational attainment (DiMaggio & Mohr, 1985), he argued that schools and peer groups could help lower-class students access to cultural capital (DiMaggio, 1982). Besides, students could have the ability to choose their position in the "cultural landscape" from expanded social networks and social contexts without restriction in modern society (Emmison, 2003;B. Zhu, 2020).…”

“…The school could be regarded as an important place for lower-class students to learn cultural capital to increase the possibility of class leap (B. Zhu, 2020). Some measures of the schools could bridge the capacity gap arising from different capital among families effectively.…”