Elite Schooling as the Global Dominant

This research process has shaped the way I view elite schooling not only in the United States, but as a global force. Our research findings have guided my understanding of elite schools as a global phenomenon, via the use of their social groups, expectations, and curriculum. As I have analyzed these findings through interviews and theoretical work by Bourdieu, it has become transparent that elite schools aid in the reproduction of elites and provide a platform for elite students to flourish in a globally unequal educational system. 

Social bubbles are a dominant theme in our research findings. The Croft school creates social bubbles by keeping the elites and the working-class separate through closing off admissions to the school by not offering financial aid, resulting in only admitting kids who live in wealthy neighborhoods, coming from wealthy families. Through this practice, it creates a social divide within the education system in Chile and more broadly, within the community by limiting interaction between elite students and non-elite students who might attend publicly-funded schools. In addition to the Croft school, we have been exposed to numerous elite schools who have similar elite networks of students like the Croft, for example at Colby. Bourdieu discusses this phenomenon through his explanation of elite networks and the field of the game. What he argues is that elite networks play in the field of the game by controlling the rules, creating a landscape that allows them to win. Within this field, social networks play a large role in connecting elites together to remain in positions of power extending globally. To be a member of the elite ‘in-group’, Bourdieu explains how an individual must possess the social and cultural capital as well as economic capital to remain a member of the elite circle. This concept undermines the social bubble at the Croft as well as the social bubble globally for all elite schools whose criteria is strictly based on forms of social, cultural, and economic capitals.  

Secondly, we discovered social and academic expectations as a main theme for students at the Croft, which seems to be consistent with elites across the world. There is an expectation that as an elite student, one must follow a certain path and follow in the steps of their parents to remain in the elite income brackets. At the Croft specifically, the students express a level of academic expectations in what they study and how high their grades are to be socially approved by their families and peers. Similarly, elite schools across the world set the same expectations for their students. For example, if you go to an elite American Prep school, the expectation is that you will land admission at an Ivy League school or another highly-selective college. And if you attend an elite college, you will likely land in a high-paying prestigious entry level career. Bourdieu touches on this with his idea of elite schools as ‘training grounds for executives’ (Bourdieu, 2010) and how elite students are curated to be in positions of power and serve the greater good for the public. His idea supports these prestigious positions that elites are expected to enter, who control and also ‘serve’ the public due to their elite credentials and power. In addition, his concept of cultural capital explains how elites expect a certain level of performance and if one does not meet the standards, they “fail”. Not only does this encourage students to take a specific success path but it also legitimizes the widely known placed expectations and reproduction of elites, regardless of the country.

Lastly, and maybe the most obvious is that Croft is a British school located in Chile. They also express their efforts to provide a cosmopolitan education, meaning they are encouraging students to become familiar with cultures and education centered around global topics. By increasing the students’ exposure to a globalized curriculum, the school is positioned to appear that they are inclusive and helping students prepare to participate as well-educated citizens. Since this is a British run school, this means that the Croft is incorporating exposure to the British curriculum and the English language in Chile while also preparing students in other ‘elite ways’ that students might not experience if they were not in this elite institution. A cosmopolitan curriculum is very prevalent in elite schools including various diversity and language requirements to balance a well-rounded education, which is meant to create a globalized experience for students, preparing them to participate in ‘elite’ circles across the globe. 

By using Bourdieu as a framework to analyze elite schools and by reflecting on our findings, it helps contextualize how similar elite schools are whether they are in the United States, Chile, or China. These discoveries ground how and why elites are successful in the education system and in society. More generally, outside sources have framed my thinking of elite schooling as a global force by gaining exposure to schools in Japan, China, Sweden, etc. that each experience various forms of elite systemic practices and ultimately embody the work of Bourdieu, the Croft school, and elite schools in the States. Elite education exists worldwide and will continue to dominate our societies from the Global North to the Global South. 

Sources: 

Bourdieu, Pierre, et al. The State Nobility: Elite Schools in the Field of Power. Stanford University Press, 2010.