International capital and social class: a sociology of international certification in French urban school markets

Abstract

The internationalisation of educational trajectories has emerged as a new form of cultural capital in education systems. Research suggests that the ‘international capital’ offered by language enrichment programs has become appropriated primarily by middle- and upper-class families investing in new forms of educational distinction. However, little is known about the appeal of international capital to different class fractions. In this paper, I draw on Bourdieu’s theory of class and administrative data on French students and schools to examine the role of international certification in class practices of school choice. The analysis reveals that specific fractions of the upper-middle and upper classes are over-represented in schools offering international certificates. I use the findings to discuss the role of family resources and education system structures in the making of educational strategies. I conclude by highlighting the importance of empirically grounded analyses of the sociological significance and limits of international capital in education.

Keywords:

• Educational strategies
• Bourdieu
• class fractions
• international capital
• social class
• academic distinction

Acknowledgments

I thank the DEPP—Ministère de l'Éducation [producers] and ADISP [distributor] for granting me access to the Base centrale scolarité (BCS)—2018 data. I thank INSEE [producers] and ADISP [distributor] for granting me access to the Revenus fiscaux et sociaux (ERFS)—2018 data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 In this article, when considering international curricula and credentials, I use the concept of ‘international capital’ (as developed by Wagner 2015) rather than ‘cosmopolitan capital’ (preferred by Weenink 2008) so as not to presume of the relationship between these ‘international’ certificates and the development of ‘cosmopolitan’ dispositions, a relationship that is not self-evident (Doherty 2009).

2 Author’s analysis based on administrative information published in Thomas (2021a, 2021b).