Exploring the relationship between middle-class schooling anxiety and motherhood in Shanghai, China

Wang, Qingru (2023) Exploring the relationship between middle-class schooling anxiety and motherhood in Shanghai, China. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

In Shanghai, middle-class mothers are under intense pressures for their children to succeed within the fiercely competitive education system. My thesis seeks to explore how schooling anxiety amongst middle classes shapes motherhood in Shanghai and what role online communities play. Employing a multidisciplinary approach and drawing from both academic and everyday discourses, I use the concepts of "community of practice" and "social capital" to examine how these mothers perceive, experience, and respond to schooling anxiety and dominant motherhood narratives.

During a 13-month ethnographic study, I immersed myself in three WeChat online communities, observing mothers' interactions, and conducting online and in-person interviews. Using participatory research methods, I facilitated face-to-face group discussions with seven mothers from Shanghai, providing a reflective space for their personal experiences.

My study illuminates middle-class mothers’ roles and practices within an increasingly commercialised education system. Drawing on culturally-specific terms like ‘jixue’ (meaning ‘chicken blood’) and ‘foxi’ (meaning ‘Buddhist’), my data reveals the diversity of parenting styles. These mothers aspire to obtain a ‘balanced’ life yet face considerable challenges. Some mothers receive family support, but it often leads to complex changes in household power dynamics. These tensions between mothers and other family members are further influenced by the changing family structure. My research uncovers the pivotal role of online platforms, notably WeChat, in the day-to-day experiences of these mothers. These digital communities offer an alternative way for mothers to build social networks, seek support, and revitalise for their 'offline' mothering responsibilities, though this may require them to learn and negotiate the unwritten rules in online communities.

By exploring the complex relationships between education, motherhood and online communities, I challenge prevailing gendered discourses on child education and maternal practice. This research urges academics, policy makers, and education practitioners to acknowledge and value mothers’ significance contributions, while recognising the practical challenges they encounter in their daily lives.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	11 Jul 2024 09:53
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2024 09:53
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/95866
DOI:

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