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The role of institutional reputation in mediating post-PhD careers. The case of Chinese elite universities.

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Title: The role of institutional reputation in mediating post-PhD careers. The case of Chinese elite universities.
Authors: Qi, Sangge1 (AUTHOR) sangge.s.qi@utu.fi, Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka1 (AUTHOR), Nori, Hanna1 (AUTHOR)
Source: British Journal of Sociology of Education. Mar2026, Vol. 47 Issue 2, p193-212. 20p.
Subject Terms: *Universities & colleges, *Institutional environment, *Doctoral students, *Postdoctoral programs, Labor market, Job vacancies, Organizational legitimacy
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: Amid rising doctoral populations and growing diversification in post-PhD careers beyond academia, the disproportionate increase in employment opportunities for doctorate holders has created heightened pressures on doctoral graduates to improve their relative employability. This is particularly pronounced in high-participation higher education systems such as China, where post-graduation competition is complicated by the reputational status of institutions attended. Drawing on interviews with Chinese Social Science and Humanities doctoral graduates associated with distinct institutional affiliations of C9 and non-C9 League universities, this paper explores the mediating role of institutional reputation in graduates' negotiations of labor market positionings. Building on the concept of institutional habitus, the analysis illustrates how institutional reputation is constructed and internalized such that it operates as both a structural and emotional mediator, shaping the ways graduates position themselves within the labor market queue and their strategic responses to positional competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of British Journal of Sociology of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: The role of institutional reputation in mediating post-PhD careers. The case of Chinese elite universities.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qi%2C+Sangge%22">Qi, Sangge</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> sangge.s.qi@utu.fi</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Isopahkala-Bouret%2C+Ulpukka%22">Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nori%2C+Hanna%22">Nori, Hanna</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22British+Journal+of+Sociology+of+Education%22">British Journal of Sociology of Education</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 47 Issue 2, p193-212. 20p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+environment%22">Institutional environment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+students%22">Doctoral students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postdoctoral+programs%22">Postdoctoral programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+market%22">Labor market</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+vacancies%22">Job vacancies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+legitimacy%22">Organizational legitimacy</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Amid rising doctoral populations and growing diversification in post-PhD careers beyond academia, the disproportionate increase in employment opportunities for doctorate holders has created heightened pressures on doctoral graduates to improve their relative employability. This is particularly pronounced in high-participation higher education systems such as China, where post-graduation competition is complicated by the reputational status of institutions attended. Drawing on interviews with Chinese Social Science and Humanities doctoral graduates associated with distinct institutional affiliations of C9 and non-C9 League universities, this paper explores the mediating role of institutional reputation in graduates' negotiations of labor market positionings. Building on the concept of institutional habitus, the analysis illustrates how institutional reputation is constructed and internalized such that it operates as both a structural and emotional mediator, shaping the ways graduates position themselves within the labor market queue and their strategic responses to positional competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of British Journal of Sociology of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=191629812
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/01425692.2025.2585323
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 20
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      – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Doctoral students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Postdoctoral programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor market
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      – SubjectFull: Job vacancies
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      – SubjectFull: Organizational legitimacy
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      – SubjectFull: China
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            NameFull: Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka
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              Text: Mar2026
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              Y: 2026
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