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Overseas Study Experience and Students' Attitudes toward China

Evidence from the Beijing College Students Panel Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID2185602
AuthorsZhonglu Li (0000-0002-1401-2139, Shenzhen University, corresponding author), Shizheng Feng (Renmin University of China)
Year2018
Volume50
Issue1
Pages27-52
Publication date2018-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueChinese Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2162-0555 • E-ISSN: 2162-0563
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/21620555.2017.1344548
OpenAlexW2740347248
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited25

Over the past decades, hundreds of thousands of Chinese students moved abroad, primarily to Western countries, to pursue their further education. Upon their return to China, these individuals were very likely to become academic, business, and/or political elites, and their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs were likely to have a significant influence on China’s future development. This article examines how the experience of studying abroad changed these students’ evaluation of China’s development and prospects. Based on an analysis of panel data from the Beijing College Students Panel Survey, we reveal that the influence of overseas study on students’ evaluation of China’s overall current situation and future prospects follows a U shape, that is, students’ attitudes toward China initially deteriorate after entering foreign universities, but after a certain point their evaluations tend to rebound. Exposure to foreign media has a similar effect on students’ attitudes toward China. Students who are frequently exposed to foreign media tend to be more pessimistic about China’s overall situation and future prospects. The implications of these findings are discussed

Beijing · China · Economic growth · Economics · Panel data · Pedagogy · Pessimism · Political science · Politics · Study abroad · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Socioeconomic Development in Asia

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Unique citing works15
Citations per year2,14
Citation span2019 - 2026 (8)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 15
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