Conclusion

This chapter concludes the book. It first summarizes the findings of this study, illustrating how social structures and agency contribute to the state’s reconstruction of responsible socialist citizenship and how its impact on students is mediated by competing social structures, such as high-stakes testing and individualism, along with the agency of teachers and students. It then revisits the field of citizenship teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of understanding these dynamics through the lens of social structures and agency. It suggests that policymakers improve the civic environment, make the CE curriculum more relevant to students’ lives, and broaden teachers’ understanding of CE. Finally, the chapter discusses the future possibilities of Chinese CE, acknowledging its constraints while expressing hope that society will reconstruct a form of citizenship that not only ensures individual freedom and welfare but also fosters democracy, equality, and solidarity.