title: Social Class Identity of EFL Academics in Higher Education Institutions in China
Creators: name: Li, Zongqiang
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: social class identity
subject: EFL academics
subject: higher education
subject: China

description: This study investigates the social class identities of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) academics in two Chinese Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It explores their reflections on their socio-economic positions prior to entering the profession and the dynamic negotiation of these positionalities throughout their professional journeys. The research aims to elucidate how socio-economic status and social mobility intersect with professional identities and trajectories of EFL academics in Chinese HEIs. The research questions are contextualised within the English major curriculum in Chinese higher education, the broader field of higher education in China, as well as the Higher Education (HE) policy context. China's HE policies have been deeply impacted by global neoliberal educational reforms, that is, a market driven education agenda. As a result of these reforms, Chinese HEIs have been stratified with top tier institutions more heavily subsidised by the government and focussed on research. By contrast, HE institutions positioned lower in this stratified system prioritise teaching with less emphasis on research. This study focuses on EFL academics from different tiers of HEIs, exploring their professional identities, social class positioning, and the impact of institutional policies on their careers. The literature review covers three critical areas: social class, professional identities, and career trajectories of EFL academics in Chinese HEIs. It confirmed the applicability of social class as a concept, particularly the concept of different factions of the middle class in the Chinese context to explore the role of education in social mobility and disruption of social orders. The study also identifies a gap for more detailed micro-level research into the nuanced impacts of social class using qualitative methodologies. The theoretical framework draws heavily on Basil Bernstein's sociology of education, particularly his concepts of the pedagogic device, pedagogic identity, and the differentiation of social classes. This framework is applied to analyse how EFL academics' professional roles influence their social class identities. A qualitative multiple case study method was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 20 EFL academics from two HEIs in China - one research-intensive and one teaching-intensive. The data were analysed using an analytical framework that integrates Bernstein's sociological theories with appraisal theory developed by Martin and White (2005), allowing for a nuanced understanding of the interplay between socio-economic status, social mobility, professional identities, and academic trajectories. The study's results reveal that EFL academics from both institutions often identify with middle-class status, despite most of them originating from working-class backgrounds. These academics navigate their professional journeys, with differences observed between those at research-intensive and teaching-intensive institutions. Participants at the research-intensive university generally had higher academic qualifications, better access to resources, and a stronger alignment with institutional research priorities. In contrast, participants at the teaching-intensive university often faced marginalisation and slower career progression within their institution, reflecting the stratified nature of Chinese HEIs. The study found that the teaching practices of EFL academics were influenced by the socio-economic backgrounds of their students, which heightened the academics' awareness of their own middle-class status. At University A, where most students came from middle-class families, academics said their interactions reinforced their own middle-class identity. Conversely, at University B, with students primarily from working-class backgrounds, academics were reminded of their own upward social mobility, deepening their awareness of socio-economic disparities between them and their students. In terms of research, participants at University A, supported by more systematic doctoral programmes and targeted training, were better equipped to handle the interdisciplinary knowledge and complex methodologies required for high-level research, thereby enhancing their research and publication capabilities. These research outcomes helped them solidify their middle-class identity. Regarding professional development learning, participants at University A broadened their academic perspectives and improved their professional status through doctoral programmes and overseas training. However, participants at University B, lacking systematic training, often felt underprepared for producing high-quality research publications, which affected their career development and socio-economic status. Additionally, professional development learning was often viewed by participants at University B as a symbol of middle-class status rather than as a practical tool for career growth. This study contributes to the literature by offering a qualitative analysis of the dialectic between social class, professional identities and career trajectories of EFL academics in China, addressing gaps left by predominantly quantitative research. Theoretically, this study extends Bernstein's sociology by applying it to the unique HE Chinese context, and integrating it with appraisal theory to explore the construction of social class and academic identities. Methodologically, the study employs a robust qualitative framework, incorporating forward-backward translation of interview data, providing a nuanced approach to understanding the interplay between socio-economic status and professional development in Chinese higher education.