Individual education performance is usually influenced jointly by ability and background (family background). The relative share of these two factors forms the basic grounds for judgments of educational equity. Usin...Individual education performance is usually influenced jointly by ability and background (family background). The relative share of these two factors forms the basic grounds for judgments of educational equity. Using sheaf coefficients, we compare the influence of these two mechanisms on the distribution of access to regular first degree higher education opportunities for institutions at different levels. Our findings show that both ability and family background have a marked influence. The higher the level of the institution, thegreater the ability demanded of its students. The effect of family also increases significantly at this level, but ability always has a much stronger influence than family background. It can be seen that though fatuity background is influential in the distribution of higher education opportunities in China today, ability fundamentally remains the dominant criterion, embodying the classic features of a meritocratic society "open to talent."展开更多
基金supported by the National Philosophy and Social Science Foundation project"A Study of Trends in the Evolution of the Structure of Social Strata in China"(10ASH002)the Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Sciences Key Research Bases(Center for Studies of Sociological Theory and Method of Renmin University)major topic"Sociological Theory and Empirical Research on Equity in Education"(07JJD840198)Tsinghua University Humanities and Social Sciences Revitalization Fund Research Program Later Stage project"Research on Educational Equity and Social Stratification"(2010WKHQ008)
文摘Individual education performance is usually influenced jointly by ability and background (family background). The relative share of these two factors forms the basic grounds for judgments of educational equity. Using sheaf coefficients, we compare the influence of these two mechanisms on the distribution of access to regular first degree higher education opportunities for institutions at different levels. Our findings show that both ability and family background have a marked influence. The higher the level of the institution, thegreater the ability demanded of its students. The effect of family also increases significantly at this level, but ability always has a much stronger influence than family background. It can be seen that though fatuity background is influential in the distribution of higher education opportunities in China today, ability fundamentally remains the dominant criterion, embodying the classic features of a meritocratic society "open to talent."