Durkheim; functions of education are social solidarity (by passing norms & values from one generation to the next) & teaching specialist skills, e.g, school teach their countries history because it instils a sense of shared heritage in children & a commitment to a wider social group.
School acts like a 'miniature society' because it prepares us for life in a wider society, e.g, teamwork. It produces a skilled workforce because they teach the specialist skills & knowledge needed for labour.
Parsons; education is a bridge between the family & wider society because in school you learn a new way of living, so you can cope with the wider world.
It has universalisticstandards because in school the same rules apply to everyone & we are all judged by the same standards, e.g, taking the same exam. Education is meritocratic because a person's status in achieved & people are promoted/ suceed through their own merit & ability.
David & Moore; education is a device for selection and role allocation for future work roles, inequality is necessary so that the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people. 'Human capital' are the workers skills which the modern economy depends on for its prosperity.
1 of 2
Criticisms
Marxism; education is not meritocratic, in a capitalist society it only transmits the ideology of the ruling class.
Wrong (interactionist); functionalist have an 'over-socialised view' of people being mere puppets of society, they imply that pupils passively accept all they are taught & never reject school values.
Neoliberals & New Right; the state education system fails to prepare young people adequately for work.
Tumin; Davis & Moore put forward a circular argument, how do we know that a job is important? (bc they are highly rewarded), why are they highly rewarded? (bc they are more important).
Comments
No comments have yet been made