Poverty and educational inequalities: an ethnographic case study of a migrant children’s school in Beijing

Wang, L. (2024) Poverty and educational inequalities: an ethnographic case study of a migrant children’s school in Beijing. PhD thesis, University of Reading. doi: 10.48683/1926.00119837

Abstract/Summary

As globalisation progresses, China’s rapid economic development has brought numerous urban job opportunities, and attracted many rural migrant workers to cities in search of better employment and higher wages. This shift has brought attention to the education of their accompanying children, known as ‘migrant children.’ This study investigates the educational experience of migrant children in China from two perspectives: the role of parents in their children’s educational experiences and the experiences of migrant children in schools and classrooms. The research was carried out using qualitative ethnography in a private nine-year compulsory school for migrant children in Beijing, focusing on data collected from 21 migrant children. It highlights the critical role of migrant parents in accessing educational experiences and provides a comprehensive view of the entire process, from school choice to academic achievement and educational as well as career aspirations for migrant children. The findings reveal the complex challenges faced by migrant children in their education, stemming from family, housing, teachers, schools, peers and the community. Moreover, the study discusses the adaptation strategies of migrant families and their children within Beijing’s educational environment. The results emphasise the need for policies that not only address access to education but also focus on the quality and equality of education provided to migrant children. This research deepens the understanding of the complicated relationships among migration, education, and social equality in China and aids in adapting Western theories to Chinese contexts to broaden their applicational scope.

Item Type	Thesis (PhD)
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/119837
Identification Number/DOI	10.48683/1926.00119837
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > Institute of Education
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