Institutional Mediation of Educational Discourse: A Comparative Study of Technocratic and Gendered Metaphors in China, Flemish, and International Organizations

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Women and the Superintendency

Abstract

This comparative critical discourse analysis examines how institutional logics and cultural values shape educational policy metaphors in China (n=20), Flanders (n=9), and international organizations (n=7). Integrating Fairclough's (2003) framework with Thornton et al.'s (2012) institutional logics and Schmidt's (2008) discursive institutionalism, mixed-methods analysis reveals distinct discursive patterns: Technical rational discourse predominates in Flanders (76.9%) and international contexts (75.0%), while maternal metaphors feature disproportionately in Chinese policies (38.7%), reflecting collectivist values. Statistical analysis confirms institutional rationalization (χ²=22.824, p<0.001) and cultural collectivism independently moderate discourse formation, with no significant interaction effect (p=0.180). Findings demonstrate how governance structures and cultural norms distinctly regulate technocratic and maternal narratives, suggesting pathways for gender-equitable policy discourse design.

Author

• Xinyi Li, Vrije Universiteit Brussel