Navigating a precarious environment? Chinese middle-class parents’ choice for alternative education and the negotiation of their parental identity

Chinese education is often characterized as a ‘system without choice’, where parents have limited alternatives beyond engaging their children in mainstream educational competition. Yet, over the past decade, an increasing number of middle-class parents have begun seeking alternative educational pathways for their children. Drawing on 45 in-depth interviews with parents who chose Innovative Schools in Dali, this study explores how these parents justify their school choices and negotiate their parental identities. Inspired by the theory of risk society, this study reveals the particular ways in which parents assess and manage the inherent risks of mainstream and alternative educational choices and how they further link these abilities to the image of responsible parenting. By doing so, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of social reproduction strategies of middle-class parents in an era of uncertainty.