Capital mechanisms driving parental activism in South Korea: Perspectives from parentocracy, meritocracy, and a Bourdieusian analysis of capital

Abstract

This article considers the capital-related mechanisms behind parental activism against the Future School reform in South Korea, employing two theoretical frameworks: the parentocracy ideology and a Bourdieusian Analysis of Capital. The findings from discourse and social network (geolocational) analyses suggest that the activism is primarily driven by parents’ belief in meritocracy (testocracy), rooted in dominant educational norms. The efforts of parents to secure children's high exam scores indicate that parentocracy is a ‘continuum’ from meritocracy, rather than its next stage. The intersection of parental activism with capital and habitus highlights the complexities between parentocracy, meritocracy, and inequality, necessitating further analysis.