Role split phenomenon in Chinese higher education : a case study of Fudan University

Abstract

This study explains the tension between state demands for political socialization and the university’s promotion on university autonomy, academic freedom, and the fostering of critical thinking in Chinese higher education, using Fudan University in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China (PRC), as a case study. The research problem focuses on the dynamics and complexity of the interplay among the state, university, staff and students in the process of socialization through political education and academic affairs. Data were collected from documents, questionnaires to which 709 participants responded, 41 non-participatory observations of classes, meetings and activities, semi-structured interviews with 35 informants, including administrators, teachers and students, and two focus groups with staff and alumni in Shanghai, China, conducted in 2014. By examining the interactions among the state, university, staff and students, this study found that various types of tensions could be identified between the players in Chinese higher education, and that each player would play different roles as a strategy to manage those tensions. The university implements political socialization, promotes university autonomy and academic freedom, and trains students to be critical thinkers, and must deal with the tension arising from its various roles. Staff, as both political socialization enforcers and academic freedom pursuers, must manage the tension between implementation of political socialization and academic freedom in teaching and research. Students, as political socialization recipients and autonomous learning seekers, have to cope with the tension between political socialization and becoming critical thinkers who enjoy autonomy in their learning. These players interact with each other to define their roles further. From its analysis of the interplay among the different players, this thesis suggests the existence of role splitting as a phenomenon in Chinese higher education, in which different players play different specific roles to form their strategies, and have complex interactions with others to deal with resulting tensions. In these interactions, players take on different roles with different expectations and responsibilities, adopt different strategies, and exhibit different, even contrasting behaviors on different occasions. These behaviors could range from obediently observing bottom lines and working within boundaries set by the state, particularly regarding political affairs, to challenging norms by attempting to expand the scope of academic autonomy and freedom, even in areas the state might deem politically sensitive.