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The Price of Aspirations: Education Migrants’ Pursuit of Higher Education in Hubei Province, China

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  • Willy Sier

    (University of Amsterdam)

Abstract

This article offers an analysis of the educational aspirations of China’s education migrants. These rural youth, who enrol in Chinese universities in great numbers, are often the first in their families to pursue higher education. Thereby, education migrants play an important role in China’s rural–urban transition. Yet these youth continue to be confronted with rural–urban inequalities in Chinese society. This article draws on the framework proposed by Zipin et al. (Educ Philos Theory 47(3):227–246, 2015) to demonstrate how education migrants navigate the gap between the dominant belief that education is a meritocratic vehicle for social mobility and the realities with which they are confronted in the Chinese higher education system. It also suggests how this framework can be adjusted for studies of societies undergoing rapid social transformation. Finally, the article makes a case for bringing together discussions about aspiring youth and debates about the social structures in which young peoples’ aspirations are grounded.

Suggested Citation

  • Willy Sier, 2021. "The Price of Aspirations: Education Migrants’ Pursuit of Higher Education in Hubei Province, China," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 16-34, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:33:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-020-00297-6
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-020-00297-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shu, Lei, 2018. "The effect of the New Rural Social Pension Insurance program on the retirement and labor supply decision in China," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 135-150.
    2. Ole Johannes Kaland, 2021. "“We Have Many Options, But They are All Bad Options!”: Aspirations Among Internal Migrant Youths in Shanghai, China," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 35-53, February.
    3. Ai Yue & Bin Tang & Yaojiang Shi & Jingjing Tang & Guanminjia Shang & Alexis Medina & Scott Rozelle, 2018. "Rural education across China’s 40 years of reform: past successes and future challenges," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 93-118, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ole Johannes Kaland, 2021. "“We Have Many Options, But They are All Bad Options!”: Aspirations Among Internal Migrant Youths in Shanghai, China," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 35-53, February.
    2. Roy Huijsmans & Aprilia Ambarwati & Charina Chazali & M. Vijayabaskar, 2021. "Farming, Gender and Aspirations Across Young People’s Life Course: Attempting to Keep Things Open While Becoming a Farmer," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 71-88, February.

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