Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul's School

Sociologist Shamus Rahman Khan returns to his alma mater St. Paul's School as a teacher to study how this elite boarding school shapes its students. Through immersive fieldwork and participant observation, he documents daily life at one of America's most prestigious educational institutions. The book examines how students at St. Paul's learn to navigate privilege and power in the contemporary era. Khan follows students through their classes, extracurricular activities, social interactions, and personal development while analyzing how the school cultivates a particular form of elite status. The research reveals the ways privilege operates in the 21st century and how elite institutions reproduce social inequality while embracing a rhetoric of openness and meritocracy. Through his dual role as both insider and researcher, Khan provides unique insights into the formation of America's upper class. This ethnographic study challenges common assumptions about privilege and raises important questions about education, class, and social mobility in modern America. The work contributes to ongoing discussions about inequality and the role of elite institutions in society.

Readers found Khan's insider perspective as both alumnus and faculty member provided unique access and insights into elite education at St. Paul's School. Many appreciated his sociological analysis of how privilege operates and reproduces itself, rather than just describing wealthy student life. Positives cited: - Clear writing style that balances academic rigor with accessibility - Specific examples and student stories that illustrate broader themes - Examination of both race and class dimensions - Fresh take on "new elite" mindset of openness and hard work Common criticisms: - Too much personal reflection/memoir content - Some repetitive points and arguments - Limited scope focusing on one school - Lack of concrete solutions or recommendations Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (50+ reviews) JSTOR: Recommended by 92% of academic reviewers Multiple readers noted it paired well with other books on education inequality like "Excellent Sheep" and "The Privileged Poor."

Preparing for Power by Peter W. Cookson Jr. and Caroline Hodges Persell A sociological examination of how elite boarding schools shape students into future leaders through cultural and social conditioning.

The American Elite High School by Peter W. Cookson The study documents how exclusive private high schools create social networks and instill cultural capital in wealthy students.

Posh Boys: How English Public Schools Ruin Britain by Robert Verkaik This investigation reveals how Britain's private education system perpetuates social hierarchies and maintains power structures across generations.

The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills The text analyzes how educational institutions work with military and corporate sectors to maintain and reproduce elite power structures in America.

Creating a Class: College Admissions and the Education of Elites by Mitchell Stevens An inside look at how selective college admissions processes contribute to social stratification and privilege reproduction.

🎓 St. Paul's School, founded in 1856, counts among its alumni multiple US senators, Pulitzer Prize winners, and business leaders like John Jacob Astor IV. 📚 Author Shamus Rahman Khan is himself a graduate of St. Paul's School (class of 1996) who returned as a sociology teacher to conduct his research for the book. 💰 The school's endowment as of 2020 exceeded $600 million, making it one of the wealthiest private secondary schools in the United States. 🎯 The book reveals how modern elite students are taught to be "cultural omnivores" - equally comfortable discussing opera, hip-hop, fine dining, and street food - rather than focusing on traditionally highbrow interests. 🔄 Khan's research shows a shift from "entitled" to "earned" privilege, where students are encouraged to view their advantages as meritocratic achievements rather than inherited birthrights.