A qualitative study of Chinese teacher's perceptions and practices of meritocracy.

ABSTRACT: China has a long history of meritocracy, but as social inequality grows, people are increasingly questioning whether hard work promises a better life, even as national policies and mainstream media spare no effort to promote meritocratic narratives. In response, how do people interpret their lives and act within the conflict context between social realities and political forces? On the basis of semi-structured interviews with teachers in different types of schools, this paper explores how teachers interpret meritocracy and navigate it in their teaching practices. The results indicate that teachers show a dual attitude toward meritocracy. On the one hand, they believe that effort and ability are crucial to occupational and educational success, yet on the other hand, they also acknowledge th

SUBMITTER: Sun X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12002450 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature