Circulation or Reproduction: Sociologists' Recruitment in Chinese Elite Universities 1982 to 2022

The transformation of elite circulation and reproduction in transitional societies, such as China, has progressively become a mainstream topic. While previous research predominantly focused on political and economic elites, intellectual elites have received comparatively less scrutiny. To address this blind spot, our study draws on biographical data of Chinese sociologists (N=853) from 31 top universities. We demonstrate that the reform of the Chinese Higher Education System, and more particularly, the willingness to recruit scholars capable of improving the international reputation of the university, has tremendously impacted the recruitment, circulation, and social origins of Chinese sociologists. When the Chinese government agreed to reinstitute sociological studies and departments in 1979, the socio-economic and academic backgrounds of sociologists were highly diversified. Scholars holding master’s degrees, enriched by interdisciplinary experiences, and from non-elite university backgrounds exhibited a great propensity to join elite sociology departments. Nonetheless, the cost of entry into the discipline has progressively become higher, the profile of sociologists more internationalized, and their academic background more closely related to Sociology. More precisely, scholars with undergraduate degrees in sociology, overseas study, and post-doctoral experiences emerged as more prominent in the youngest cohort of sociologists. Due to this process of professionalization, specialization, and internationalization, scholars sharing the same field of study, originating from elite academic institutions, and belonging to a network of influential alma maters literally monopolize the space of the most reputable sociology departments. Paradoxically, our investigation into the dynamics of the Ph.D. exchange network unveiled a shift from a homogenous landscape associated with inbreeding tendencies to a more complex pattern of circulation among Chinese sociologists. Ultimately, shedding light on these transformations contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of intellectual elites and the intricate interplay between individuals, institutions, and state policies in the dynamic realm of academia.