East Asian Educational Involution: A Comparative Study Based on Literature Review

Abstract

This article primarily examines the manifestations and impacts of educational involution in selected Asian countries, proposing strategies to mitigate these effects. Using a regional comparative analysis approach, this study focuses on China, Japan, and South Korea — three representative East Asian nations — as its primary research subjects. For a comprehensive comparative analysis, India and Singapore are chosen as counterparts representing diverse Asian contexts. Through an in-depth examination of the contemporary educational landscape in these countries, the study elucidates the causes and characteristics of educational involution in East Asia, as well as its influence on national policies. By analyzing existing literature, this article develops an assessment coordinate graph to illustrate the dimensions of educational involution across Asia. As the concept of educational involution in the representative East Asian countries indicates the insufficient and uneven distribution of educational resources, it is divided into two different solvable pathways summarized as policy and capital. Since the specificity of all the selected countries’ contexts is essential for practical articulation of educational involution, two value orientations, pluralism and meritocracy, are identified to qualitatively differentiate among the countries. The graphical representation serves to illustrate the current concept of educational involution, while the study proposes actionable solutions that can lead to more equitable and sustainable educational practices in East Asia.