Podcasts by Network for Research into Chinese Education Mobilities – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, The NRCEM (Dr Cora Xu) spoke with Dr Eli Friedman (Cornell University, US) about his new book 'The Urbanization of People' (Columbia University Press). Eli discussed his incidental journey into researching educational inequalities and urbanization issues in China as a labour scholar. He explained what he meant by the 'just in time' urbanisation and what he argued to the an 'inverse welfare state' approach towards educational resource allocation in China's mega cities such as Beijing. He also commented on how the most recent relaxation of the birth control policy may, to a limited extent, reduce the educational immobility limbos of some of the rural-to-urban migrant children. Eli shared his observations about benefits of studying in Beijing for the migrant children and potential (but small-scale) collective resistance among the rural migrant children, their families and schools. Eli in addition discussed the difficult work conditions and experiences of teachers in these migrant schools. Last but not the least, Eli disclosed some invaluable insights into how he went about writing and proposing his book to Columbia University Press and his next steps of research. We wish Eli all the best in his future research endeavours! Watch the interview here. 

00:49-00:10 Eli's self introduction

01:40-06:03 Incidental journey into researching migrant schools in China

07:05-20:47 'Just in time' urbanization and 'inverse welfare state'

20:48-25:01 Reducing immobility limbos and the relaxation of birth control policy

25:22-32:07 Benefits of studying in migrant schools in Beijing

32:08-41:39 Potential collective resistance

41:40-49:25 Difficult working conditions of teachers in these migrant schools

49:30- 52:11 Writing and proposing book to Columbia University Press

52:13-54:53 Next steps

In this episode, the NRCEM (Miss Tong Meng) interviewed Dr Jiaxin Chen (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) about her latest book: Class consciousness construction of rural migrant children in China (2022, Routledge). You can find the related articles here (British Journal of Sociology of Education) and here (China Quarterly). 

(1) 00:00:45 Jiaxin's self-introduction
(2) 00:03:35 Research motivation 
(3) 00:10:30 Key findings
(4) 00:17:35 Anecdotes: a teacher who provides "service of chatting"
(5) 00:26:20 Using Paulo Freire's theory
(6) 00:36:00 Working with teachers, parents and children
(7) 00:40:54 To stimulate the children's critical consciousness
(8) 00:52:35 Publication process (Routledge)
(9) 00:59:25 Future research plan

In Episode 7, Dr Zachary Howlett (Yale-NUS College) shared his latest research published in his recent Cornell University Press book Meritocracy and Its Discontents: Anxiety and the National College Entrance Exam in China. He introduces main findings of his book, and shared intriguing anecdotes about his two-year-long fieldwork in three different high schools in Fujian Province. He also disclosed valuable tips for turning a PhD thesis into a book, such as organising book workshops to gain feedback from experts in the field and strengthen the book manuscript before sending it out for peer review. Zach also provided a sneak preview into his new research project the marriage patterns of educated rural-to-urban migrant women. Buy Zach’s book by applying the following promotion code to save 30%. Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, & Papua New Guinea–Use code CSV21MID at combinedacademic.co.uk; United States–Use code 09FLYER at cornellpress.cornell.edu or call 800 848 6224; Canada–Email utpbooks@utpress.utoronto.ca or call 1-800-565-9523.

In Episode 6, Prof Johanna Waters and Dr Maggi Leung shared their latest research findings based on their recent articles published in Population, Space and Place and in Geography. Jo and Maggi discussed their motivations for researching everyday cross-border mobilities of younger children across the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border, their main findings about the flows and rhythms and familial dynamics within these cross-boundary school children's daily routines and in their families. They animated an interview with a former cross-boundary schooling student which shaped the conception of their Population, Space and Place article. They also disclosed the 'secrets' to their admirable long-term collaborations: seeing eye to eye with and having trust in each other. Jo and Maggi are working on a few more articles based on this piece of research and they welcome suggestions about how to develop this project further. Jo can be contacted via E-mail: johanna.waters@ucl.ac.uk & Twitter: @johannalwaters and Maggi can be contacted via Email: w.h.m.leung@uu.nl. 

In this episode, Jinting revealed her journey to conducting and writing her award-winning PhD research and monograph 'Fabricating an Educational Miracle' (SUNY Press) as well as her recent article 'From Researcher to Human Being: Fieldwork as Moral Laboratories' and chapter 'Erasure and Renewal in (Post)socialist China: My Mother’s Long Journey'. Jinting shared fascinating anecdotes during her fieldwork in China's Southwestern Guizhou Province. She also provided helpful tips on how the publication process of turning a PhD thesis into a monograph. To read a detailed summary of this episode, click here. 

In this episode, guest editors Dr Yeow-Tong Chia (University of Sydney) and Dr Zhenzhou Zhao (Education University of Hong Kong) discuss their new special issue on 'Citizenship and Education in China' published in Chinese Education & Society. They discuss how they conceived of this special issue, invited authors to contribute and reviewers to peer-review the submitted manuscripts. They note the gaps in literature on Civic Education in and of China and thank the contributors and peer reviewers for making great contribution to scholarship.

In Episode 4 of 'Meet the Author' Podcast, we are delighted to have Ben Mulvey from the Education University of Hong Kong with us to discuss his latest research on international student mobility between Africa and China. This is based on his two latest articles published in Higher Education Policy and Higher Education. Ben discusses his motivation for conducting research in this area, based on his previous experiences of studying and working in various parts of China. He also reveals some tips for publishing as a PhD candidate and reflects on the 'publish or perish' cultural context in Hong Kong. Ben also shares the challenges and strategies of conducting fieldwork under COVID-19. He looks forward to completing his PhD project. You can access Ben's articles here and here. Read a summary of Ben's interview here. 

自COVID-19疫情爆发以来，台湾和大陆相继出台影响陆生就学的政策，先是台湾以防疫为由对陆生采取基于身份的区别对待，无限期暂缓陆生返台 ，之后大陆以保障陆生就学权为由暂停大陆毕业生申请台湾高校升学读书。

海峡两岸自2011年开放大陆学生申请台湾高校升读至今，在两岸之间漂流过的大陆留学生约1.8万。这个群体在庞大的中国留学生中是一朵小浪花，但是ta们的经验却是难得的，独特的。疫情中的ta们，看到了两岸特殊关系下生长出来的人情、文化、社会、政治。

本期节目，我们请到三位在台就学的陆生kk、萝卜汤和熊，聊聊ta们在台学习的经验，疫情中的感受以及对两岸关系的所思所想。

Kk目前博士在读，在台生活已八年，因为疫情ta被困在北京的家里。对ta来说，台湾比北京更像家，“我的女朋友、猫、朋友、习惯的生活方式都在台湾，我突然被从熟悉的生活扔出来了，很像坐监狱，生活变成了空的”。

硕士在读的萝卜汤在台生活已超过五年，很多人不能理解，两岸关系紧张，台湾又不发达，重点高中实验班毕业的萝卜汤为什么选择台湾留学而非欧美。萝卜汤说他厌倦了国内竞争高压的应试教育，觉得自己能享受到的菁英教育资源而很多人不能，这很不公平，他抱着逃离的心态申请了台湾的大学，试试看台湾有没有另外一种可能性。

同样硕士在读的熊在台生活一年多，一直以来感受到身边台湾人的善意。但是在这次疫情中网络上泛起对陆生陆配的仇视敌意，让ta感到的温暖和善意消失殆尽。

开放陆生来台后，台湾有些福利政策将陆生排除在外。三位都提到，这次疫情中对陆生的排除隔离获得了更大量的民意支持，台湾人变得难以对话。而大陆方面，以往一直没有协助陆生应对台湾的政策性歧视，这次面对台湾暂缓陆生入境，却“积极”采取措施，致使大批陆生失去上学的机会。陆生成了两岸政治示威的牺牲品，这让包括三位在内的很多陆生感到失望，两岸的沟通理解、文化教育交流是比政治对立、人民相互攻击仇恨更重要的东西。

阅读更多相关陆生在台资讯，请点击这儿。

In this episode, Dr Shuning Liu (Ball State University, US) discusses key findings, empirical experiences and future plans about her latest book ‘Neoliberalism, Globalization, and "Elite" Education in China’. She also reveals anecdotes when conducting her fieldwork in a public high school in China, relating to her insider/outsider positionality and her habit of wearing a back pack. Shuning also looks forward to her upcoming articles and a second book based on follow-up research conducted in relation to this research project. 

Read the summary of this podcast. Read an introduction to the book.

In this episode, we speak with Ms Xuemeng Cao, a PhD student at Warwick University (UK). Xuemeng discussed how she had spent the first few months of 2020 in quarantine and self-isolation due to COVID 19, first in her hometown when she spent her Chinese New Year holiday after submitting her PhD thesis, then in the UK when she came back to the UK to prepare for her PhD viva. To her, COVID 19 has pushed her to substantially re-adjust her work patterns, i.e. from being used to working in a formal setting within the university to working completely at home.  COVID 19 has also impacted on her PhD viva arrangement, which has to be carried out online. This has posed notable anxiety on her part as this is not something that she was prepared for. Additionally, she regrets that she is now deprived of the opportunity to interact face to face with her examiners, on her PhD thesis for which she spent around three years of her time. Moreover, she revealed that COVID 19 has also disrupted the induction of her new position at the university. 

Xuemeng has also made some poignant observations on how this COVID 19 pandemic has impacted on Chinese international students of all ages and study levels, from those younger ones who study in boarding schools in the UK, to undergraduates, to one-year Master's level students, to PhD students and recent graduates. While the former two groups experienced a great degree of uncertainty and anxiety due to accommodation constraints and reduced flights, the latter groups may also be concerned about the value for money of their respective courses and/or the opportunity to attend their one-in-a-life-time graduation ceremonies. She also suggested that many of the issues highlighted in this pandemic (e.g. independent learning capability, racism in destination countries) regarding Chinese international students are not new. Instead, these are issues that have had a deep root in practices of international education for a long time. She reckoned that this COVID 19 pandemic could be a juncture when such issues could be addressed. As to how they can be addressed, Xuemeng confessed that this needs much broader consideration and concerted efforts. However, on an individual level, as an international student or a would-be international student, it is perhaps worthwhile considering whether one is necessarily suitable for studying abroad. She specifically highlighted, based on her research experience, how it is critical for would be international students to realise that studying abroad also entails 'living' abroad, which can pose a host of challenges that they may not be aware of or may not be cut out for. 

Xuemeng reflected that this COVID 19 has brought her new insights into her future research directions. For instance, over the past month, she has been exploring the experience sharing of Chinese international students on various social media platforms. However, such experience had sometimes led to negative emotional experiences on her part as a researcher. This makes her ponder over the ethical dimension of protecting the wellbeing of researchers in such contexts where the researcher is also an insider who can have strong emotional resonance with the researched. 

We are grateful for Xuemeng's sharing and we wish her all the best in her upcoming PhD viva and her new position.