‘Reduction’ or Restrain? Social Reproduction in China’s Compulsory Education under the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy

Research Article
Open access

‘Reduction’ or Restrain? Social Reproduction in China’s Compulsory Education under the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy

Jiahui Tang 1*
  • 1 King’s College London    
  • *corresponding author jiahuitang1998@hotmail.com
Published on 26 October 2023 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/19/20231405
LNEP Vol.19
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-83558-063-9
ISBN (Online): 978-1-83558-064-6

Abstract

The ‘double reduction’ policy was issued in 2021 in China as a means of reducing students’ schoolwork and restricting extracurricular tutoring, thereby alleviating students’ pressure and promote education equality. This paper investigates whether this policy eases educational inequality and promotes social mobility, or it reinforces social reproduction and intensifies social stratification. This paper begins with a brief introduction to China’s compulsory education and the background of the ‘double reduction’ policy. Afterwards, core and related theories of social reproduction are introduced and critically analysed. According to the theories and the context, it is examined how reproduction occurs through China’s compulsory education. Subsequently, a review is conducted of the current impact of this policy, particularly on the acquisition of educational resources by students from different backgrounds. Schools, families, and tutoring institutions are considered the main fields where reproduction take place. It turns out that the ‘double reduction’ policy to students, appears not only as a burden-reduction mechanism, but more like a restriction that hinders the acquisition of necessary assistance by ordinary families while ensuring the availability of high-quality resources for elite families, thus marginalising education resources, privatising education, and perpetuating class privileges among elite families.

Keywords:

double reduction policy, social reproduction, shadow education, compulsory education, education reform

Tang,J. (2023). ‘Reduction’ or Restrain? Social Reproduction in China’s Compulsory Education under the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,19,133-138.
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References

[1]. Xie, Y., & Chu, L. (2019). The Puzzle of the Difficulties in Education Burden Reduction- Based on Conflict Perspective. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 6(2), 106-110.

[2]. Collins, J. (2009). Social reproduction in classrooms and schools. Annual review of Anthropology, 38, 33-48.

[3]. Parsons, T. (1959). The school class as a social system: Some of its functions in American society. In Exploring Education (pp. 151-164). Routledge.

[4]. Althusser, L. (1971). Ideology and ideological state apparatuses (notes towards an investigation). The anthropology of the state: A reader, 9(1), 86-98.

[5]. Bourdieu, P. (1973). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. London: Tavistock, 178, 71-112.

[6]. Bourdieu, P. (1986). Forms of Capital. In J. Richardson (eds) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education pp. 241–58. New York: Greenwood Press.

[7]. Bourdieu, P. (1993). Structures, Habitus, Practices. Ch. Lemert (Ed.), Social Theory. The Multicultural and Classic Readings, Boulder etc. (Westview Press) 1993, pp. 479-483.

[8]. Hong, Y., & Zhao, Y. (2015). From capital to habitus: class differentiation of family educational patterns in urban China. The Journal of Chinese Sociology, 2(1), 1-18.

[9]. Bai, M. (2022, February). Shadow Education and Social Reproduction. In 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021) (pp. 260-265). Atlantis Press.

[10]. Bowles, S., & Gintis, H. (1976). Schooling in capitalist America revisited. Sociology of education, 1-18.

[11]. Gee, J. P. (2000). Identity as an Analytic Lens for Research in Education. Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Madison, WI, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mimeo.

[12]. Yang, D. P. (2005). Social stratification and educational opportunity in high schools. Tsinghua Journal of Education, 26(3).

[13]. Xue, H. (2016). Extracurricular tutoring, academic performance and social reproduction. Education & Economy, 2, 32-43.

[14]. Bray, M., Zhan, S., Lykins, C., Wang, D., & Kwo, O. (2014). Differentiated demand for private supplementary tutoring: Patterns and implications in Hong Kong secondary education. Economics of Education Review, 38, 24-37.

[15]. Yin, Y., & Lai, Z. (2021, December). Research on the Transformation of Educational Institutions under the Policy of Double Reduction. In 2021 4th International Conference on Humanities Education and Social Sciences (ICHESS 2021) (pp. 1530-1534). Atlantis Press.

[16]. Liu, Z., & Gao, Y. (2015). Family Capital Social Stratification, and Higher Education Attainment—An Empirical Study Based on Jiangsu Province. Chinese Education & Society, 48(3), 218-230.

[17]. Bray, M., & Kwok, P. (2003). Demand for private supplementary tutoring: Conceptual considerations, and socio-economic patterns in Hong Kong. Economics of education review, 22(6), 611-620.

[18]. UNESCO (2015). Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? Paris: UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002325/232555e.pdf

[19]. Feng, S. (2021). The evolution of shadow education in China: From emergence to capitalisation. Hungarian Educational Research Journal.

[20]. Song, M. (2022, February). Under the implementation of double reduction policy. In 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021) (pp. 800-804). Atlantis Press.

Cite this article

Tang,J. (2023). ‘Reduction’ or Restrain? Social Reproduction in China’s Compulsory Education under the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,19,133-138.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Educational Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries

ISBN：978-1-83558-063-9(Print) / 978-1-83558-064-6(Online)
Editor：Enrique Mallen, Javier Cifuentes-Faura
Conference website: https://www.iceipi.org/
Conference date: 7 August 2023
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.19
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Xie, Y., & Chu, L. (2019). The Puzzle of the Difficulties in Education Burden Reduction- Based on Conflict Perspective. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 6(2), 106-110.

[2]. Collins, J. (2009). Social reproduction in classrooms and schools. Annual review of Anthropology, 38, 33-48.

[3]. Parsons, T. (1959). The school class as a social system: Some of its functions in American society. In Exploring Education (pp. 151-164). Routledge.

[4]. Althusser, L. (1971). Ideology and ideological state apparatuses (notes towards an investigation). The anthropology of the state: A reader, 9(1), 86-98.

[5]. Bourdieu, P. (1973). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. London: Tavistock, 178, 71-112.

[6]. Bourdieu, P. (1986). Forms of Capital. In J. Richardson (eds) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education pp. 241–58. New York: Greenwood Press.

[7]. Bourdieu, P. (1993). Structures, Habitus, Practices. Ch. Lemert (Ed.), Social Theory. The Multicultural and Classic Readings, Boulder etc. (Westview Press) 1993, pp. 479-483.

[8]. Hong, Y., & Zhao, Y. (2015). From capital to habitus: class differentiation of family educational patterns in urban China. The Journal of Chinese Sociology, 2(1), 1-18.

[9]. Bai, M. (2022, February). Shadow Education and Social Reproduction. In 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021) (pp. 260-265). Atlantis Press.

[10]. Bowles, S., & Gintis, H. (1976). Schooling in capitalist America revisited. Sociology of education, 1-18.

[11]. Gee, J. P. (2000). Identity as an Analytic Lens for Research in Education. Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Madison, WI, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mimeo.

[12]. Yang, D. P. (2005). Social stratification and educational opportunity in high schools. Tsinghua Journal of Education, 26(3).

[13]. Xue, H. (2016). Extracurricular tutoring, academic performance and social reproduction. Education & Economy, 2, 32-43.

[14]. Bray, M., Zhan, S., Lykins, C., Wang, D., & Kwo, O. (2014). Differentiated demand for private supplementary tutoring: Patterns and implications in Hong Kong secondary education. Economics of Education Review, 38, 24-37.

[15]. Yin, Y., & Lai, Z. (2021, December). Research on the Transformation of Educational Institutions under the Policy of Double Reduction. In 2021 4th International Conference on Humanities Education and Social Sciences (ICHESS 2021) (pp. 1530-1534). Atlantis Press.

[16]. Liu, Z., & Gao, Y. (2015). Family Capital Social Stratification, and Higher Education Attainment—An Empirical Study Based on Jiangsu Province. Chinese Education & Society, 48(3), 218-230.

[17]. Bray, M., & Kwok, P. (2003). Demand for private supplementary tutoring: Conceptual considerations, and socio-economic patterns in Hong Kong. Economics of education review, 22(6), 611-620.

[18]. UNESCO (2015). Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? Paris: UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002325/232555e.pdf

[19]. Feng, S. (2021). The evolution of shadow education in China: From emergence to capitalisation. Hungarian Educational Research Journal.

[20]. Song, M. (2022, February). Under the implementation of double reduction policy. In 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021) (pp. 800-804). Atlantis Press.

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