This article examines the pedagogical challenges and opportunities involved in teaching Media Studies in Chinese Mainland’s private liberal arts colleges, where demographics indicate that students are predominantly Han Chinese from upper-middle-class backgrounds, with limited exposure to social diversity. Employing a mixed-methods approach—quantitative analysis on enrollment data analysis, qualitative classroom observations and case studies of pedagogical initiatives, this article investigates the structural homogeneity of the student body and its implications for critical thinking. Findings reveal that while students initially focused on specific diversity topics (e.g., gender), structured pedagogical interventions broadened their critical awareness to include disability, religion, migration and cross-cultural representations. By emphasizing social-inclusion pedagogies centered on “social difference” rather than static “diversity,” this research demonstrates how educators can counter neoliberal marketization in higher education and foster critical engagement with plural communities. The study contributes to global debates on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by advocating for curricula that bridge privilege and social realities, thus preparing students to navigate and address inequality in a divided world.