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Social change and educational development: Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong
BOOK REVIEWS Qur’an and the Sunnah’in the teaching of various subjects (p. 169). Similarly, non-Muslim teachers are to approach the teaching of various subjects from their own religious perspectives. However, in both cases, the goal is to emphasise a belief in God and not to proselytise among students. In this way, she argues, the revealed sciences will not be taught in isolation from the intellectual sciences In conclusion, Rosnani’s book deals with a topic that is of interest to educators worldwide. However, the author’s arguments for a synthesis of the two systems of education suffer from several major weaknesses. First, she fails to assess the feasibility of her proposals within the context of the current sociopolitical environment in Malaysia. Second, she neglects such pertinent issues as whether it is possible for teachers to emphasise belief in God without attempting to carry out religious conversions. Third, the sub-title of the book suggests that the discussion of the Malaysian case will both draw from, as well as to add to, the wider international discussion on the role of religion in education systems. However, the book does neither. Rosnani does not draw from experiences in other countries facing similar problems. At the same time, she does not elaborate on how exactly the Malaysian case enriches the existing international literature.
Social Change and Educational Development:Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong:Gerard A. Postiglione and Lee Wing On (eds). Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong, 1995. ISSN 03782689, v +307 pp., HK%lSO (US.Sl9.50). Most of the 2 I chapters in this book were originally presented at a conference on education, social change and regional development at the University of Hong Kong. In addition to focusing on the relationship between education and social change in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the book aims to provide a forum for comparative studies of education across various regions of China. The book is divided into six sections. The first section consists of an introductory chapter by the editors. The second sectron comprises two chapters. Ramirez and Lee’s chapter presents the results of a multivariate longitudinal analysis of the relationship between science and engineering tertiary enrolments and economic development in an international context. No specific references to China, Taiwan or Hong Kong are included, making this chapter a rather odd choice for the volume. The third chapter by Zhang is a theoretical critique of functions and dysfunctions in education and social change, and does attempt to link ideas to the mainland Chinese context. The eight chapters in the third section are documentary and policy studies dealing with topics such as regional disparities, job assignments and women’s participation. One of these chapters examines education and social change in Taiwan, while the rest deal with mainland China. The best chapter is by Lee and Li, and focuses on regional disparities in educational provision in Guangzhou city in southern China. The authors provide a careful and detailed analysis of the ways in which such factors as economic reform, urban development, population growth and mobility affect educational expansion and provision. Section four consists of reports on empirical studies, among which three were conducted in mainland China and one in Taiwan. Once again, educational disparities are a key focus. For instance, Postiglione, Teng and Ai used survey question-
477
naires and field investigations to discover the reasons for the relatively high school drop-out rates in national minority border countries in Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Yunnan. Their results revealed a variety of factors, including in adequate school facilities, irrelevance of school curricula, lack of parental finances and teacher shortages. There are two historical studies in the next section. Sweeting explores the relationships between educational policy, social reform and development in Hong Kong over the period since 1945. Among his conclusions are that the links between educational policy and economic development are ‘rarely direct, linear and causal’ (p. 244), and that ‘educational change has followed rather than preceded major structural changes in the economy’ (p. 243). Jiang’s chapter traces the importation of Western educational ideas into Shanghai schools from 1840 to 1937. The four chapters in the sixth section are commentaries on topics such as university entrance examinations, area-based educational development, and the relationship between education and economic development. They may prove an eye-opener for readers who are unfamiliar with the dominant writing style of mainland Chinese educational researchers. As the editors point out, ‘the variation in research style may reflect cultural differences about what constitutes good research’ (p. 10). This book has given mainland Chinese researchers and academics forum to present their views to a wider international audience, and has placed this work alongside that of scholars from Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere. The book provides renewed evidence of the complex links between education, social change and economic development. In addition, it highlights several topics that need further research.
Women, Education, and Development in Asia: Cross-National Perspectives:Grace C. L. Mak (ed.) Garland Publishing, New York, 1996. ISBN o-8153-0795-0, xi +271 pp. This volume, edited by an academic from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, focuses on women’s participation in education and economic development and on the effects of education on women’s societal roles. Ten countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia are included: the People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Mak’s introduction states that despite the different paths taken in the various countries with respect to economic development, a unifying theme is education as a tool for development. The book aspires to address such questions as whether increased female participation in education has resulted in greater participation in the labour market. The ten country-specific chapters vary in length, style and depth of coverage of the pertinent issues. Among the best chapters is Ghosh and Talbani’s analysis of India. They provide detailed statistics to show that although female participation in education at all levels has increased since independence, serious gender and urban-rural disparities remain. Their chapter also provides evidence of continuing gender inequalities in participation in the labour market. Social and religious mores with regard to women’s roles continue to hinder greater female participation in education and the workplace. Ironically, the minority of women who have had higher levels of education tend to use it to improve their own social status without challenging fundamental gender
Social Change and Educational Development:Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong:Gerard A. Postiglione and Lee Wing On (eds). Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong, 1995. ISSN 03782689, v +307 pp., HK%lSO (US.Sl9.50). Most of the 2 I chapters in this book were originally presented at a conference on education, social change and regional development at the University of Hong Kong. In addition to focusing on the relationship between education and social change in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the book aims to provide a forum for comparative studies of education across various regions of China. The book is divided into six sections. The first section consists of an introductory chapter by the editors. The second sectron comprises two chapters. Ramirez and Lee’s chapter presents the results of a multivariate longitudinal analysis of the relationship between science and engineering tertiary enrolments and economic development in an international context. No specific references to China, Taiwan or Hong Kong are included, making this chapter a rather odd choice for the volume. The third chapter by Zhang is a theoretical critique of functions and dysfunctions in education and social change, and does attempt to link ideas to the mainland Chinese context. The eight chapters in the third section are documentary and policy studies dealing with topics such as regional disparities, job assignments and women’s participation. One of these chapters examines education and social change in Taiwan, while the rest deal with mainland China. The best chapter is by Lee and Li, and focuses on regional disparities in educational provision in Guangzhou city in southern China. The authors provide a careful and detailed analysis of the ways in which such factors as economic reform, urban development, population growth and mobility affect educational expansion and provision. Section four consists of reports on empirical studies, among which three were conducted in mainland China and one in Taiwan. Once again, educational disparities are a key focus. For instance, Postiglione, Teng and Ai used survey question-
477
naires and field investigations to discover the reasons for the relatively high school drop-out rates in national minority border countries in Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Yunnan. Their results revealed a variety of factors, including in adequate school facilities, irrelevance of school curricula, lack of parental finances and teacher shortages. There are two historical studies in the next section. Sweeting explores the relationships between educational policy, social reform and development in Hong Kong over the period since 1945. Among his conclusions are that the links between educational policy and economic development are ‘rarely direct, linear and causal’ (p. 244), and that ‘educational change has followed rather than preceded major structural changes in the economy’ (p. 243). Jiang’s chapter traces the importation of Western educational ideas into Shanghai schools from 1840 to 1937. The four chapters in the sixth section are commentaries on topics such as university entrance examinations, area-based educational development, and the relationship between education and economic development. They may prove an eye-opener for readers who are unfamiliar with the dominant writing style of mainland Chinese educational researchers. As the editors point out, ‘the variation in research style may reflect cultural differences about what constitutes good research’ (p. 10). This book has given mainland Chinese researchers and academics forum to present their views to a wider international audience, and has placed this work alongside that of scholars from Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere. The book provides renewed evidence of the complex links between education, social change and economic development. In addition, it highlights several topics that need further research.
Women, Education, and Development in Asia: Cross-National Perspectives:Grace C. L. Mak (ed.) Garland Publishing, New York, 1996. ISBN o-8153-0795-0, xi +271 pp. This volume, edited by an academic from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, focuses on women’s participation in education and economic development and on the effects of education on women’s societal roles. Ten countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia are included: the People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Mak’s introduction states that despite the different paths taken in the various countries with respect to economic development, a unifying theme is education as a tool for development. The book aspires to address such questions as whether increased female participation in education has resulted in greater participation in the labour market. The ten country-specific chapters vary in length, style and depth of coverage of the pertinent issues. Among the best chapters is Ghosh and Talbani’s analysis of India. They provide detailed statistics to show that although female participation in education at all levels has increased since independence, serious gender and urban-rural disparities remain. Their chapter also provides evidence of continuing gender inequalities in participation in the labour market. Social and religious mores with regard to women’s roles continue to hinder greater female participation in education and the workplace. Ironically, the minority of women who have had higher levels of education tend to use it to improve their own social status without challenging fundamental gender