Breaking segregation in classrooms: Peer composition and inter-group relationships

Abstract

Segregation between local people and internal migrants has emerged as a significant social issue in China. This study examines the effects of migrant composition among classroom peers on local students’ friendship patterns, migrant students’ perceptions of inter-group behaviour, and school experiences of migrant students. Using data from a nationally representative survey of Chinese middle school students, I exploit the random assignment of students to different classes to identify the causal effect of peer composition. Results show that, with a higher proportion of migrant peers, local students’ friendship networks are more heterogeneous, and migrant students perceive less discriminatory behaviour and more collaborative behaviour from their local classmates. Furthermore, a higher share of migrant peers improves the school experience of migrant students without negatively affecting that of local students. These impacts are non-linear and depend on students’ socioeconomic status, head teacher’s teaching experience, and school location.