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Household head's educational level and household education expenditure in China: The mediating effect of social class identification

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  • Yan, Guoyao
  • Peng, Yanling
  • Hao, Yu
  • Irfan, Muhammad
  • Wu, Haitao

Abstract

Fairness in education is an issue of great concern for China's development. At the same time, household education expenditure is a key factor and objective material embodiment of the educational resources and educational opportunities for Chinese children. Using the data of the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS2016), this study analyzes the mechanisms of action in household education expenditure affected by both the educational level and the social class identification of household heads. The empirical results indicate that the Chinese household heads' social class identification is affected positively by their educational level. After controlling for the potential endogeneity, the education expenditure tends to increase as the subjective social class identification of the household heads is promoted. Class identification plays a partial mediating role in the process of the household head's educational level, affecting the household education expenditure. The findings provide important insights for understanding the intergenerational transmission mechanism of cultural capital in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Yan, Guoyao & Peng, Yanling & Hao, Yu & Irfan, Muhammad & Wu, Haitao, 2021. "Household head's educational level and household education expenditure in China: The mediating effect of social class identification," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:83:y:2021:i:c:s0738059321000535
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102400
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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