This study focuses on how social reform and social changes affect the educational inequality between social groups, specifically the rural and urban Chinese. Existing sociology theories address the class difference drives educational inequality, and treat social group differences as a byproduct of class differences. By analyzing the evolution and components of the educational gap between rural and urban residents in China, this study found that the main driver of the educational gap between rural and urban residents varies in different historical periods. In the low social stratification period, if the effect of institutional discrimination is small, the educational gap is small; in the high social stratification period with more significant institutional discrimination, the inferior rural residents are double jeopardized. These results imply the educational inequality between social groups is driven by both structural changes and discriminatory policies, but if institutional discrimination is the main driver, policies aim to reduce the structural inequality will have little effect on reducing inequality.

Existing quantitative studies use various measurements and methods to examine Bourdieu’s theory of cultural reproduction in the field of education, yet, most either misunderstand the conception, or only test part of the theory. This article addresses these gaps by using the “Structure-Disposition-Practice” framework to picture an integrated model of cultural reproduction. It aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship between social position, parents’ and student’s dispositions, practices, and field empirically. Using the Chinese Educational Panel Survey (CEPS) we develop a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to test the theory. The results suggest parents’ habitus plays a more crucial role in the cultural reproduction process than the family’s social position in China. And social class may not be the primary source of educational inequality. The findings shed a light on quantitatively understanding the cultural reproduction process with relational thinking.