Market-based parental involvement: impact of networks of middle-class mothers in the education marketplace

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the growing importance of shadow education, literature on middle-class parental involvement has focused on the significance of family–school partnerships, and has neglected to examine the influence of parental involvement in terms of shadow education. Drawing on narratives of middle-class Korean mothers, this study explores their strategies and practices for shadow education to provide their children with a meaningful advantage in academic competition. It applies Bourdieu’s social capital theory to understand their struggle for high-quality shadow education, and finds a strong impact of networks of mothers for effective interaction with the education marketplace. In this regard, the author suggests a concept of ‘market-based parental involvement’, which is distinguished from the traditional form of middle-class parental involvement based on family–school partnerships.