Elite Schools as Sites for Elite Class Reproduction and Identity Formation

Abstract

Elites are a socially distinct group, defined by a set of practices and lifestyles that distinguish them from other social groups. The democratisation of education and status in contemporary societies, however, has meant that elites (as well as those seeking membership of elite groups) have become increasingly reliant on elite schools for their reproduction and preservation. Studies have shown that one of the primary functions of elite schools is to protect the exclusivity of elites, by inculcating their pupils with so-called ‘attributes of excellence’. As educational institutions for the established elites as well as for those seeking entry into the elite classes, elite schools are not only ‘status seminaries’ whereby the correct ways of speaking, (re)acting, walking, eating, etc., which help to distinguish elites from non-elites, are learnt, they also act as social cocoons, which prevent undesirable social mixing.