Cultural and Linguistic Capital:Another Take of it in Chapter Twocultural capital cultural capital

atfrom family school (fitting

in, academic performance)

economic capital high educational

credentials

The cultural capital at St. Paul’s

• Hierarchies are natural: preserve them but make them invisible

• Experiences (not heritage) matter

• Ease

This is the hidden curriculum at St. Paul’s: students are learning a particular view of the world that justifies and legitimates their elite position

Two groups of students do not make the hierarchy natural and comfortable:

their cultural capital from their families does not “pay off” in the school

1) Those who rely on their inheritance and connection to their school and make much of their privilege (e.g., Chase Abbott, Evan William)

2) Those who are more middle class and/or working class• Ignore the janitorial staff rather than relating to them• Too grateful to be here (lower academic performance)

• Jenna’s question about working-class students

The Re-Emergence of a Service Class

• No butlers or valets, but personal assistants• No chauffeurs; private jets and car service;

example from Liquidated by Karen Ho• Example from In Search of Respect by Philippe

Bourgois• What do you think of Khan’s analysis of “Milk

Gnome” and “Big Guy” (pp. 60-61)?