In Education Under Mao, an in-depth analysis of modern Chinese education, Jonathan Unger not only probes the policy issues and the nature of the debate between "Maoists" and modernizers but also shows, more concretely, how schools were organized, the changing attitudes and goals of students, and the tensions that permeated the schools. Unger focuses on Canton's schools through two tumultuous decades, and his rich factual presentation brings to life both the Chinese school system and its social milieu.