An integrated model of cultural reproduction: The case of China

Existing quantitative studies use various measurements and methods to examine Bourdieu's theory of cultural reproduction in the field of education, yet, most either misunderstand the conception, or only test part of the theory. This article addresses these gaps by using the "Structure-Disposition-Practice" framework to picture an integrated model of cultural reproduction. It aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship between social position, parents' and student's dispositions, practices, and field empirically. Using the Chinese Educational Panel Survey (CEPS) we develop a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to test the theory. The results suggest parents' habitus plays a more crucial role in the cultural reproduction process than the family's social position in China. And social class may not be the primary source of educational inequality. The findings shed a light on quantitatively understanding the cultural reproduction process with relational thinking.