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

St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, is an elite private school that prepares its students for success. Shamus Khan's book "Privilege" provides an inside look at the institution, showing how students learn to embody privilege in a more diverse environment. They must be at ease with everything from highbrow art to everyday life and view hierarchies as ladders to scale.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 14 September 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, has long been a prestigious high school exclusive to the wealthiest sons of America. However, times are changing, and a new elite of boys and girls is being molded at St. Paul's, reflecting the hope of openness and the persistence of inequality. In his book "Privilege," author Shamus Khan returns to his alma mater to provide an inside look at an institution that has been the private realm of the elite for the past 150 years. Khan demonstrates that St. Paul's students continue to learn the same thing they always have: how to embody privilege.

While students once leveraged the trappings of upper-class entitlement, family connections, and high culture, current St. Paul's students learn to succeed in a more diverse environment. To be future leaders of a more democratic world, they must be comfortable with everything from highbrow art to everyday life, from Beowulf to Jaws, and view hierarchies as ladders to scale. Khan deftly portrays the relationships among students, faculty, and staff, showing how members of the new elite face the opening of society while still preserving the advantages that allow them to rule.

St. Paul's School is known for its rigorous academic program, which emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and cultural awareness. The school's curriculum is designed to challenge students and prepare them for success in college and beyond. In addition to academics, St. Paul's offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, music, theater, and community service.

The school's alumni include many notable figures, including politicians, business leaders, and artists. St. Paul's has a strong reputation for producing well-rounded individuals who are committed to making a positive impact on the world.

Despite its reputation for exclusivity, St. Paul's School is committed to diversity and inclusion. The school has a diverse student body and faculty, and the school's administration is actively working to promote diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the school's operations.

In conclusion, St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, is a prestigious high school that has been the private realm of the elite for the past 150 years. While times are changing, the school's commitment to excellence, diversity, and inclusion remains unwavering. Through its rigorous academic program and wide range of extracurricular activities, St. Paul's prepares its students for success in college and beyond and helps them to embody the privilege that comes with their status.

Weight: 238g
Dimension: 132 x 203 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691229201