The Shadow Education SIG hosted a hybrid research seminar examining how families from different social classes have interpreted and responded to China’s Double Reduction policy, which limits homework and private tutoring. The session attracted strong interest, bringing together 28 participants in total—15 attendees on site and 13 joining online.

The speaker presented findings from a comparative case study conducted across seven urban, peri-urban, and rural districts in Qingdao. The research uncovered clear class-based differences in how families navigated the policy. Working-class families generally accepted the reforms, while middle-class families showed a mixture of resistance and strategic adaptation. Upper-class families tended to display surface-level compliance while quietly maintaining their preferred educational practices.

The talk concluded with the introduction of Perceived Pathways Theory, a conceptual framework that explains how families’ class-based perceptions of opportunity and constraint influence their educational aspirations and their engagement with state-led reforms.

The seminar generated lively discussion among both in-person and online participants, highlighting the ongoing relevance of the Double Reduction policy in shaping China’s educational landscape.