The effects of inland boarding school education on Xinjiang students and their families

As a significant part of China's long-term strategy for promoting ethnic integration and border security, the Xinjiang class policy has been in operation for nearly 20 years. It encourages and funds middle-school students from Xinjiang, especially ethnic minorities, to attend high schools in predominantly Han-populated cities in eastern China. This study adopts the format of thesis by publication and addresses three main questions. First, how do ethnic minority students from Xinjiang maintain their ethnic identity while also becoming well-educated citizens in a Han-dominated environment? Second, how do the caregivers of students perceive the value of the Xinjiang class education? Third, how does a long period of detachment from one's family and community impact the parent-child relationship? Data were collected through in-depth interviews with students and their parents or caregivers. The research indicated that Xinjiang class students are strategically shifting their identities to actively navigate between different cultures and that the benefits of receiving Xinjiang class education lie in developing a range of capabilities that will suit their individual, relational, and collective needs. The study shows that Xinjiang class students are caught in a world where they are responding to a variety of demands and desires. On the one hand, they are trying to make decisions that will satisfy their parents, but, on the other hand, they also want control over their own lives in terms of employment and who they can marry. They want to take advantage of their newfound opportunities, but they also want to please their parents and respect ethnic traditions, both of which cause them endless uncertainty and anxiety. In all, this research reflects how it is time for researchers working in this field to acknowledge a deeper level of complexity in the lives of Xinjiang class students and their families. This research also casts new light on global studies about the impact of educational mobility on parent-child relations -- summary.