Study Gods: How the New Chinese Elite Prepare for Global Competition本书展示了中国青年如何为加入全球精英行列做准备。上海纽约大学社会学助理教授姜以琳展示了这些好胜的中国高中生是如何首先成为“学神”的——即学业成绩优异的学生。作者指出，不断学习并不能完全解释他们的成功，因为这些年轻人在取得种种卓越成就时毫不费力。在本书中，作者探索了精英青少年如何通过吸收和执行围绕地位的规则来取得成就。
通过八年的实地考察和大量访谈，作者揭示了中国青年在追求精英地位的过程中所吸取的重要教训。他们了解地位体系的等级制度，认识到并获得有价值的特征。他们通过期望区别对待和执行基于地位的行为来维持地位，这些行为指导他们与同龄人、老师和父母的日常互动。最后，在足智多谋的父母的帮助下，面对潜在的障碍和失败，他们还会依靠外部帮助。作者着眼于学生如何磨练这些技能，将它们应用到世界各地的大学和职业中，以及他们与同事和主管的关系中。作为中国崛起的另一个方面，Study Gods 宣布中国的新一代已经进入全球竞争领域。Introduction
Elite Education and the Game of Status Reproduction The Adolescent Elites from China Organization of the Book
1 The New Elites from China Training Grounds for the Future Elite: Top High Schools in
Beijing Pinnacle and Capital High Schools Applying to Universities in the United States The Chinese-Style Adolescent Status System Navigating the High School Status System Justifying the Status System Beyond High School: Change and Continuity Summary
3 Worshipping the Gods
Daily Interactions: General Friendliness and Peer
Relationships High Performers Enjoy Peer Adoration Low Performers Do Nothing Right Student Recognition of Differential Peer Treatment Beyond High School: New Friends, Same Interactions Summary
4 Hanging Teachers on the Blackboard
Daily Interactions: General Respect and Overall Entitlement High Performers Deal with Teachers Low Performers Follow Teacher Instructions Making Sense of Student-Teacher Interactions Teacher Reactions to Student Entitlement Beyond High School: Job Performance Is the New Test Score
Summary
5 Grooming the New Elites
Creating a College-Focused Environment High Performers Handle Their Parents Low Performers Obey Parents’ Orders Parent Perspectives of Family Interactions Beyond High School: Growing into Autonomous Young Adults
Summary
6 Saving the Day
Parents’ Contingency Planning Parents of High Performers Have a Winning Game Plan Parents of Low Performers Fight an Uphill Battle Beyond High School: Parental Involvement over Time Summary
Conclusion
Developments in the COVID-19 Pandemic Limits of Global Elite Formation Chinese and American Ways of Student Selection The New Generation of Elite from China Readjusting to the Nonelite World 
PUP China约 3 分钟