ABSTRACT

The well-established yet under-theorised body of ‘Traditional International Schools’ warrant much greater sociological analysis and inquiry as ‘elite’ educational institutions. This paper uses Basil Bernstein’s Sociology of the School to discuss the ‘expressive culture’ of such schools, representing an idealised model of conduct, character and manner. The role of rituals in transmitting this culture is discussed by applying Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual Chain Theory showing how every-day festivals and fundraising events (commonly conceptualised as forming the ‘Five Fs’) can help build up positive emotional energy, which can be used to facilitate action, and embed the expressive culture. Maurice Halbwachs’ concept of Collective Memory is then used to show how interaction rituals can deliver a permanent group recollection, essential for enduring class solidarity and cohesion. Overall, an introductory and coherent theoretical framework for identifying a Sociology of International Schoolingis presented, focusing on what aspects of the schooling experience makmakes it an attractive and elite, privileged one.

摘要

“传统国际学校”的根深蒂固但理论不足，需要作为“精英”教育机构进行更多的社会学分析和探究。本文使用罗勒·伯恩斯坦（Basil Bernstein）的学校社会学来讨论这类学校的“表达文化”，代表行为，性格和方式的理想模型。通过应用兰德尔·柯林斯（Randall Collins）的互动仪式链理论，探讨了仪式在传播这种文化中的作用，该理论展示了日常的节日和筹款活动（通常被概念化为“五个F”）如何有助于建立积极的情感能量。用来促进行动，并嵌入表现文化。莫里斯·霍尔布瓦奇（Maurice Halbwachs）的集体记忆概念然后用来说明互动仪式如何提供永久的群体回忆，这对于持久的阶级团结和凝聚力至关重要。总体而言，本文提供了一个介绍性和连贯性的理论框架，用于确定国际学校教育的社会学，着重于使学校教育经历的哪些方面使马克成为一种吸引人的，精英的，特权的人。