Education Mobilities in China and Beyond

This is Dr Cora Lingling Xu, an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Durham University, UK. I am  a sociologist interested in education mobilities and social inequalities. My research examines how the intersection of class, gender, ethnicity, rural-urban divides, time, and geopolitics can shape social agents’ educational and life trajectories. I am interested in investigating the interplay between individual agency and structural factors through innovative and qualitative research methods. I draw heavily on social theories to inform her empirical research, including Bourdieu’s theory of practice, sociology of time, diaspora and diaspora at home. My geographical focuses include China (mainland China, Hong Kong), the UK, and the Asia-Pacific. Listen to this interview with The Migration Podcast about my research details.

I am an Executive Editor of the British Journal of Sociology of Education and serve as an Associate Editor of the Journal of International Students. I am an editorial board member of multiple high impact journals and a top peer reviewer for more than 30 international journals.

I am founder and director of Network for Research into Chinese Education Mobilities (NRCEM). The NRCEM is a cross-disciplinary network that attracts more than 500 members from across Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. The website has on average 1,000 monthly hits. Its ‘Research Highlights’ section has featured more than 100 original submissions of latest publications and research projects. This network has become an important outlet for global scholars to disseminate cutting-edge research on all aspects of Chinese education mobilities. Listen to the Podcast series ‘Meet the Author‘ and ‘Lived Experiences‘ that I have curated. 

I received my PhD in Sociology of Education from the University of Cambridge in 2016, as a Cambridge Trust scholar. I obtained my MA from King’s College London as a British Chevening scholar and my Bachelor’s from the Education University of Hong Kong as an Outstanding Mainland scholar. A qualified teacher, I taught English as a second language for five years in two Hong Kong secondary schools.

A Fellow of the Advance HE (FHEA), at Durham, I am programme director of MA Intercultural Communication and Education (ICE). I convene modules on the BA Education Studies and MA programmes; I also supervise Master’s and doctoral dissertations. I am an active member of the Durham BAME Network and serves as a member of Durham’s Respect Oversight Group with an aim to striving for great equality and diversity. Before joining Durham University in 2020, I worked as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Education at Keele University between 2016 and 2020.

I am enthusiastic about career education of postgraduate (especially doctoral) researchers. Since January 2021, I have established my Youtube and Bilibili channels to share advice on academic writing, publication and job searches. I am also a fervent believer in community writing. This has been shaped by my experiences in organising various Writing Groups at the University of Cambridge and Keele University. I currently co-convene Durham University Writing Group.

Read my latest publications, media and blog entries as well as book reviews here.