I am pleased to announce that my new research article, “The Drivers of Shadow Education Expansion: Massification or Elite Exclusivity?” has been published in the academic journal ‘Sociological Theory and Methods’.
This study investigates the mechanisms behind the widespread proliferation of shadow education—such as cram schools (juku) and private tutoring—in Japan.
Research Context and Objectives
Shadow education has expanded globally and is an indispensable component of the Japanese educational landscape. Previous sociological research has often highlighted that individuals from upper social classes disproportionately utilize shadow education, thereby reinforcing the reproduction of social hierarchy.
However, in Japan, where shadow education has become exceptionally widespread, a debate exists regarding whether its use remains exclusive to upper-class children.
This study aims to resolve this debate by comparing the determinants of shadow education use across different birth cohorts. The central objective was to identify which social class (or classes) contributed most significantly to the historical expansion of shadow education in Japan.
Key Findings
The analysis yielded several key findings:
- Evidence of Massification: The study confirms a significant increase in the utilization rate of shadow education over time, peaking at approximately 80% for junior high school students in the cohorts analyzed.
- Determinants at the Peak: During this peak period of massification, no significant differences in the determinants of shadow education use were observed across social classes.
- Determinants in the Preceding Cohort: In contrast, in the birth cohort preceding this peak, a clear tendency for individuals from upper social classes to utilize shadow education was evident.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that the expansion of shadow education was not driven exclusively by elites. While elite adoption may have been an initial factor, the significant “massification” of shadow education was triggered by the widespread participation of individuals from non-upper social classes.
However, the analysis also indicates that the effects of social class stratification remained pronounced until the utilization rate reached a certain threshold, or saturation point.
Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.11218/ojjams.39.93