Beyond the Resource Perspective on Educational Inequality: The Latent Roles of Cultural and Social Capital

Abstract

Based on the current status of educational inequality between urban and rural areas in China, this study transcends the traditional resource-centered perspective to examine the latent roles of cultural and social capital in the distribution of educational opportunities. The research finds that institutional arrangements, family cultural accumulation, social networks, and digital literacy collectively constitute the latent structure of urban-rural educational inequality, determining the access to and conversion efficiency of educational opportunities. Cultural capital influences students’ educational adaptability through cognitive abilities, learning habits, and the accumulation of educational resources, while social capital expands educational opportunities through information access and social support. Their interaction exacerbates urban-rural disparities. The study further suggests that achieving educational equity requires a multidimensional coordinated strategy encompassing institutional restructuring, cultural empowerment, social capital development, and digital empowerment, providing both theoretical guidance and practical pathways for policy formulation and educational practice.