An Analysis of the Wave of Overseas Studying on College Graduates in First-tier Cities in China from the Perspective of Bourdieu's Theory of Class

Du Ruoxuan

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/34/20231887

Research Article

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Published on 3 January 2024

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Ruoxuan,D. (2024). An Analysis of the Wave of Overseas Studying on College Graduates in First-tier Cities in China from the Perspective of Bourdieu's Theory of Class. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,34,29-37.

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An Analysis of the Wave of Overseas Studying on College Graduates in First-tier Cities in China from the Perspective of Bourdieu's Theory of Class

Du Ruoxuan *^,1,

¹ The University of Manchester

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/34/20231887

Abstract

Based on Bourdieu’s concepts of “capital” and “habitus” in his theory of class, this paper uses qualitative research methods to analyze the motivations for studying abroad and interpret the consciousness and perceptions of students growing up in China's first-tier urban areas. Through the analysis of personal interviews with five students from Beijing, Shenzhen, and Dongguan, three categories of motivation were summarized: perceived class, ubiquitous habitus, and unusual paths beyond habitus. The result indicates that studying abroad is not a mechanical inheritance from social class, but also an active self-pursuit from the spirit cultivated by capital, which is related to the self-expectation and realization of individual value. Therefore, studying abroad is a creative result of their growth process, and the experiences brought by studying abroad are breakthrough products of self-growth under social stratification.

Keywords

capital, habitus, overseas studying, middle class, self-expectation

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References

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies

Conference website: https://www.icihcs.org/

ISBN：978-1-83558-247-3(Print) / 978-1-83558-248-0(Online)

Conference date: 15 November 2023

Editor：Javier Cifuentes-Faura, Enrique Mallen

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.34

ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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