Educational accountability has long been developed and discussed within Western policy contexts, where it is typically associated with transparency, performance, and democratic responsiveness. However, as the concept has gained prominence in global education development agenda, it is increasingly applied in political systems that diverge significantly from these normative assumptions. This thesis investigates how accountability is instrumentalised within China’s public education system, with a particular focus on the education for ethnic minorities, as a mechanism of authoritarian governance, functioning both socio-culturally and ideo-politically.
Building on a critical perspective, this study is guided by a conceptual framework that integrates insights of authoritarianism, governmentality, and public administration. It conceptualises accountability as a disciplinary technology that reinforces state control through moral regulation, political surveillance, and anticipatory compliance. The research draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a key site for Hui Muslim education in China. Through interviews, document analysis, and observational data, it examines how accountability mechanisms in public schools enforce conformity and foster a culture of discipline and self-regulation among school actors.
The findings contribute to a more pluralistic and contextualised understanding of educational accountability, particularly in non-Western and authoritarian settings. This study highlights the possibility that accountability may be exploited for ideological reproduction to sustain authoritarian rule beyond merely as a tool for educational improvement. It further distinguishes between ‘good governance’ and ‘effective governance’, showing how accountability may be adapted to serves regime legitimacy rather than professional empowerment. Moreover, this research enriches China studies by foregrounding the voices of education professionals and exploring how they. Internalise, negotiate, and perform accountability under conditions of political scrutiny. In doing so, it offers new insights into how schooling becomes a critical site for the cultivation of disciplined, loyal, and governable subjects in contemporary authoritarian regimes.
