Ethnicity, Education and Empowerment

Eight per cent of China's population is comprised of ethnic minority people, people with cultures that are distinct from the majority Chinese. This work is about the tiny segment of ethnic minority youth in China who overcome obstacles to achieve educational success and win admittance to universities. These students construct identities that allow them to do well in school. The students discover ways to function effectively in a second culture, using language other than their native one. Ethnicity plays an important role in the education achievement of these students and ultimately in the empowerment of their minority groups. Furthermore, China's vigorous system of preferential policies, designed to benefit minority people, ensures their advancement throuhout school and after graduation. This book suggests how similar success strategies, at both the micro and macro levels might be replicated in other educational settings.