Elizabeth Hamre

As we’ve approached the end of first semester, I have begun reflecting on what I have learned from our research project and the ED324 course in general. I didn’t quite know what to expect when I initially signed up for the course. Yet, over the past three months, I feel that I have gained a better understanding of the privilege I attain by simply attending an elite institution. I have learned what it means to research elitism and elite schooling as an “elite” individual myself. I have a newfound understanding of what elite bias looks like, as I consciously challenged my inherent privilege while analyzing data. I now realize the importance of separating my preconceived beliefs from my own personal educational experience.

I think it is essential that every Colby student, regardless of class, race, etc., recognize this privilege of elitism. That does not mean that every Colby student is equally privileged by any means. As we have learned, social hierarchies persist in any field, regardless of how selective/exclusive the environment may be. As a result of this, I believe that ED324 is not only beneficial to Colby students interested in Education, but to all Colby students in general. It’s the courses like these that encourage students to grow– not just academically, but socially. It is our duty as privileged Colby students to educate ourselves and each other on issues of elite service, global citizenship, post-colonialism, and the white savior complex.

One of the most interesting things I have studied at Colby is the white savior complex. Or rather, how oftentimes upper-class, white individuals feel as though it is their duty to enter less-privileged societies as “saviors”. Again, entering in to developing communities is not the duty of elite individuals. However, we must utilize our privilege to break down these concepts and recognize the underlying, embedded patterns of classism and racism. Ask yourself why the movie “The Blind Side” may be more problematic than you originally realized. Ask yourself why taking photographs with children in developing communities, without their consent, is problematic and upholds the historic concept of post-colonialism.

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One example that pertains to Colby specifically would be service trips in which students are in educational or medical positions without legitimate certification. This is damaging in so many ways, as it only reinforces the socioeconomic/racial power dynamic between those who are privileged and those who are not. Less-privileged communities only become more dependent on privileged communities, like Colby.

In addition, ED324 has encouraged me to look at Education from a sociological standpoint; utilizing theory and research to formulate analysis. This course ensures that students reflect on their own educational career, and how certain choices/experiences have thus shaped our education and who we are today. So, ask yourself; In what ways does my privilege make my life easier than others? In what ways can I utilize my privilege to educate myself on what conscious social justice looks like?

Throughout my recent research, I have been mindful of the concept of bias and how it may influence my overall findings and analysis. I have been met with difficulty while coding, as I feel that I am not finding enough information to fit my group’s research question. Our research focus is meant to explore role of sports in an elite environment like Everdeen, and how the pressures of elite athletics promote global citizenship. However, the data available to our group is limited and often seems surface-level. Thus, it is essential to incorporate theory into my analysis in order to acquire in-depth findings. So, I am constantly wondering; am I forcing connections between the data and my analysis based off my own knowledge of how important sports are in elite fields? I fear that I may generalize themes and findings in order to fit my own preconceived perception of the data.

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Even though Colby and Everdeen fall into the same Field of globally-elite institutions, I imagine Everdeen to be a completely different experience than Colby. At Colby, I would argue that athletes fit the “elite” mold in terms of maintaining and promoting not only physical capital, but cultural. Athletics at elite institutions are reflections of one’s physical, cultural, social capital. Physical capital– as elite athletes must know how to control their bodies or display a privileged habitus. Cultural capital– as these athletes have been exposed to sports as a result of their privilege. And social– as athletes at elite institutions are hierarchically dominant to their non-athlete peers. These variations of capital together demonstrate how well an individual can absorb and mimic the holistic view of elitism. In short, in order to be elite, you must look and act elite through the various forms of capital. To better compete for recognition and the expansive opportunities at Colby, you must be an athlete.

Yet, since the only understanding of Everdeen that I have is through transcript interviews and online research, I cannot apply these observations from Colby’s environment to that of Everdeen, although familiar narratives surface through the process of data analysis. Thus, I struggle to feel connected to my research. For now, my group must constantly reflect on any of our own personal bias that may affect our research.

As we have discussed in class, Bourdieu’s core concept of Field pertains to the interaction of individuals within a given environment. More specifically, Field is the setting in which individuals compete for a higher hierarchal status and various forms of capital. His theories of Hexis and Habitus can therefore be understood as the “training” that either has or has not prepared individuals to succeed in their field.  

https://memegenerator.net/instance/56739778/giving-oprah-bourdieu-bourdieu-bourdieu

The Colby environment can be perceived as a Field, and the qualities and assets of students therefore contribute to their overall success. Fields, whether consciously or unconsciously, are always interacting with outside forces. Although Colby’s field is comprised of a slightly isolated, mall, tight-knit community; Colby interacts with outside fields. Here at Colby, a plethora of opportunities like off-campus study, internships, sports, and clubs prove the undeniable connectivity amongst different environments and Fields.  

While analyzing the data for my final research project, I wonder how the Everdeen environment interacts with outside forces. Given the fact that it is an elite international school, I assume Everdeen’s Field is extremely connected to other environments, whether those be other international elite institutions or other Australian schools in general. This leads me to ask: Are interconnected fields a product of globalization? If so, how can the interconnectivity of different fields, specifically elite schooling environments, contribute to the overall success of an individual? Is global interconnectivity always positive?  

I try to consciously remind myself of the limitations of my research. Because I was not physically able to observe the Everdeen environment and meet the students and teachers who were interviewed, I am at an inherent disadvantage entering the research process. I worry that my own bias may lead me to draw conclusions that may not be apparent in our data. I wonder, will my findings be swayed due to the fact that I never meet the interviewees and experienced the school’s environment firsthand? More broadly, are an individual’s Hexis and Habitus substantially influential when retrieving and analyzing data? These are the questions I aim to answer through the continuation of our group research project and evaluation of Bourdieu’s philosophies.  

In order to successfully connect our class discussion regarding Bourdieu’s theories to my research, I must remain skeptical as a researcher. I must also recognize my own personal bias when reviewing and analyzing data. Ultimately, a better understanding of Bourdieusian theories can enhance my research experience and neutralize any biases that may come about throughout the process.  

The very idea of researching globally elite schools forces me to reflect on my own educational experience. I have attended public school for the entirety of my career as a student. The individuals who walked across the graduation stage beside me were the same four-year-old’s in my preschool class. I am eternally grateful for my public-school education, as I feel I developed a unique sense of community with my school system and town– something I may not have received at a private or boarding school. When researching themes of privilege and elitism, I aim to compare my results with that of my own public-school experience, drawing parallels and indicating differences.

My small suburban hometown, Holliston, is roughly 94% middle-class white people. The students, teachers, faculty, administrators, and coaches at my high school all represented this homogeneity. Upon entering the Colby environment, my eyes were opened to a new concept of elitism and privilege. Much of the Colby population comes from elite schooling experiences. Through meeting so many incredibly gifted students at Colby, I have become more aware of the upper hand we all attain simply by attending this institution. Yet, like in any highly-competitive environment, the hierarchy of social class, race and ethnicity is ever-apparent on Colby’s campus. Had I attended a public state school, I would not have been exposed to the degree of privilege and homogeneity present at Colby.

This brings me back to the questions; Do “elite” schools shape their students to become elite individuals? Or are inherently “elite” individuals the target population for small private institutions like Colby? Considering the lack of diversity I experienced throughout my own public-school education, do universities have more power over depicting a culturally, economically, socially, and politically diverse environment? Is this power truly utilized? A never-ending thread of questions drives my passion for our upcoming research project.

Privilege is rooted in every social institution, whether privately or publicly funded. Beginning my research for the elite Australian school, Everdeen, I immediately noticed striking differences between Everdeen and my former high school. The student interviews depict an intensely competitive academic and athletic environment. Everdeen’s student demographics also stood out to me. Students at Everdeen belong to over 60 nationalities, and many are children of Everdeen alumni. The diverse, service-driven student population at Everdeen appears to be tremendously different from the environment at my high school.

I feel a subtle sense of discomfort when researching such a prestigious international school. I try to remind myself of my privilege, having received a rewarding public-school education that shaped who I am today. However, the disparities between Everdeen and my public high school prove just how different educational institutions may be. Academic and athletic funding, quality of teachers, availability of resources, and attention to extracurricular programs all demonstrate how dissimilar the education of any two students may be. Moving forward, I wish to learn just how these privileges available at Everdeen have positively (and negatively) influenced the academic and athletic success, mental health, and social awareness of students. I wonder how certain programs available at Everdeen could be implemented into publicly-funded schools. Global citizenship is a reappearing concept within the Everdeen environment. Does this concept only have a place in elite international schools like Everdeen? Can smaller private and public schools promote a similar concept? Upon answering these pressing questions, I hope to compare the environment at Everdeen to that of Colby and other private institutions in the United States.

The opportunity to delve into the elite educational systems of other countries is exciting to me. I aim to learn about how culture, socioeconomic background, gender, race, ethnicity, and other factors contribute to the formation of character amongst young students. I plan to analyze how privilege, in addition to these factors, plays a part in an elite educational environment. Additionally, I will compare themes of privilege in globally elite schooling systems to that of which I noticed throughout my public-school education.