What are the Causes of Gender Inequality in Education in China?

Research Article
Open access

What are the Causes of Gender Inequality in Education in China?

Tianying Zhao 1*
  • 1 School of Social Science & Public Policy, King’s College London, London, SE1 8WA, the United Kingdom    
  • *corresponding author tianying.zhao@kcl.ac.uk
Published on 1 March 2023 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2/2022484
LNEP Vol.2
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-07-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-08-9

Abstract

Inequality in education occurs in many countries and regions, and it has not been addressed strongly and effectively. In China, education faces many challenges, particularly in relation to gender inequality. Firstly, the article analyses and summarises the current state of gender inequality, pointing out that women in China have significantly fewer years of education than men, and that the contrast between urban and rural areas of China is more pronounced. Secondly, the paper will also find that women have lower enrolment rates and less access to further education, both at the compulsory primary level and at the tertiary level. Thirdly, the article will try to explore three potential causes of this phenomenon in light of the existing inequalities in China. The potential causes of these inequalities are explored in depth from the influence of the Confucian culture's notion of male superiority over females found in historical and cultural contexts, from family factors such as parents' perceptions of educational investment and family composition structures that exert an unequal effect on girls' education, and from age and educational attainment biases against women found in traditional Chinese concepts of marriage, respectively. The issue of gender inequality in education needs to be given attention and the potential influencing factors need to be analysed, especially with regard to the unfair treatment of female education.

Keywords:

inequality, gender, education

Zhao,T. (2023). What are the Causes of Gender Inequality in Education in China?. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,2,831-837.
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References

[1]. Yao, Y., & You, W. (2018). Women’s political participation and gender gaps of education in China: 1950–1990. World Development, 106, pp. 220–237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.01.004

[2]. Hao, J., Zhang, P., & Yu, W. (2021). Gender differences in rural education in China. Asian Journal of Women’s Studies, 27(1), pp. 66–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2021.1893924

[3]. Guo, H., Hu, C., & Ding, X. (2022). Son preference, intrahousehold discrimination, and the gender gap in education in China. International Review of Economics & Finance, 79, pp. 324–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2022.02.007

[4]. Bauer, J., Wang, F., Riley, N. E., & Zhao X. (1992). Gender Inequality in Urban China: Education and Employment. Modern China, 18(3), pp. 333–370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/009770049201800304

[5]. Sheng, X. (2012). Cultural capital and gender differences in parental involvement in children’s schooling and higher education choice in China. Gender and Education, 24(2), pp. 131–146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2011.582033

[6]. Lee, Y. T. (2015). A Comparative Analysis of China and India: Ancient Patriarchy, Women’s Liberation, and Contemporary Gender Equity Education. African and Asian Studies, 2015(1-2), pp. 134–153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15692108-12341244

[7]. Xu, X., & Meier, K. J. (2021). Separating symbolic and active representation: a mixed methods study of gender and education in China. Public Management Review, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), pp. 1–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1900352

[8]. Liu, D., & Morgan, W. J. (2020). Why do students enrol for postgraduate education in China? The influence of gender and of family habitus. Gender and Education, 32(2), pp. 177–193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2018.1447092

[9]. Piotrowski, M., Tong, Y., Zhang, Y., & Chao, L. (2016). The Transition to First Marriage in China, 1966–2008: An Examination of Gender Differences in Education and “Hukou” Status. European Journal of Population, 32(1), pp. 129–154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-015-9364-y

[10]. Qian, Y., & Qian, Z. (2014). The gender divide in urban China: Singlehood and assortative mating by age and education. Demographic Research, 31, pp. 1337–1364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2014.31.45.

Cite this article

Zhao,T. (2023). What are the Causes of Gender Inequality in Education in China?. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,2,831-837.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Educational Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries (ICEIPI 2022), Part I

ISBN：978-1-915371-07-2(Print) / 978-1-915371-08-9(Online)
Editor：Abdullah Laghari, Nasir Mahmood
Conference website: https://www.iceipi.org/
Conference date: 4 August 2022
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.2
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Yao, Y., & You, W. (2018). Women’s political participation and gender gaps of education in China: 1950–1990. World Development, 106, pp. 220–237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.01.004

[2]. Hao, J., Zhang, P., & Yu, W. (2021). Gender differences in rural education in China. Asian Journal of Women’s Studies, 27(1), pp. 66–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2021.1893924

[3]. Guo, H., Hu, C., & Ding, X. (2022). Son preference, intrahousehold discrimination, and the gender gap in education in China. International Review of Economics & Finance, 79, pp. 324–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2022.02.007

[4]. Bauer, J., Wang, F., Riley, N. E., & Zhao X. (1992). Gender Inequality in Urban China: Education and Employment. Modern China, 18(3), pp. 333–370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/009770049201800304

[5]. Sheng, X. (2012). Cultural capital and gender differences in parental involvement in children’s schooling and higher education choice in China. Gender and Education, 24(2), pp. 131–146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2011.582033

[6]. Lee, Y. T. (2015). A Comparative Analysis of China and India: Ancient Patriarchy, Women’s Liberation, and Contemporary Gender Equity Education. African and Asian Studies, 2015(1-2), pp. 134–153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15692108-12341244

[7]. Xu, X., & Meier, K. J. (2021). Separating symbolic and active representation: a mixed methods study of gender and education in China. Public Management Review, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), pp. 1–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1900352

[8]. Liu, D., & Morgan, W. J. (2020). Why do students enrol for postgraduate education in China? The influence of gender and of family habitus. Gender and Education, 32(2), pp. 177–193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2018.1447092

[9]. Piotrowski, M., Tong, Y., Zhang, Y., & Chao, L. (2016). The Transition to First Marriage in China, 1966–2008: An Examination of Gender Differences in Education and “Hukou” Status. European Journal of Population, 32(1), pp. 129–154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-015-9364-y

[10]. Qian, Y., & Qian, Z. (2014). The gender divide in urban China: Singlehood and assortative mating by age and education. Demographic Research, 31, pp. 1337–1364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2014.31.45.

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