The quantum teacher: spatial mobility as a boundary condition for the collapse of affective superposition

This exploratory qualitative study examines how spatial conditions influence the resolution – or ‘collapse’ – of affective superposition among rural teachers. While policy interventions can catalyse this resolution, the conditions under which it occurs remain underexplored. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 28 rural teachers in eastern China during the transitional period of 2023, when residual Covid-19 restrictions continued to constrain spatial mobility in many rural schools, we find that spatial mobility – regular commutes, family visits, temporary escapes – is perceived as a necessary condition for resolution to occur. When spatial mobility is suspended, resolution is delayed or prevented, leaving teachers in unresolved superposition. We also identify three substitutes for spatial mobility – meaningful recognition, embodied mentorship, and curated evidence of impact – that can enable resolution despite spatial constraints. The study contributes a spatial boundary condition to the affective superposition framework, showing that collapse depends on teachers’ ability to move between worlds.