Language attitudes and ethnic or cultural identity among ethnic minority university students in China: a systematic bilingual knowledge synthesis

Abstract

Research on ethnic minority university students in China frequently links language attitudes with ethnic or cultural identity, but its findings are difficult to accumulate because studies operationalize different constructs and answer different questions. This systematic bilingual knowledge synthesis examined what the evidence collectively establishes and which explanations remain provisional. Searches of Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) yielded 303 records; 25 reports (individual publications) representing 23 distinct studies (underlying empirical investigations or datasets) were included. Seven reports representing six studies supplied direct evidence, while 18 reports representing 17 studies supplied contextual evidence. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and appraised the included studies using the 2018 Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Direct evidence showed a recurring association between language evaluation and ethnic or cultural identity, while direction, common magnitude, and causal ordering remain unresolved. Contextual evidence showed that heritage-language attachment can coexist with the instrumental value of Putonghua and English and identified opportunities for use and recognition as plausible explanations for variation in practice. The focal conclusion remained supported when it was based only on the six studies classified as direct evidence; contextual findings were not counted as confirmation. The review identifies a shortage of direct tests and limited comparability across constructs, designs, reports, and evidence roles as the main barriers to cumulative knowledge.