Sociology- education full notes

Theory: Functionalism 

• Durkheim (1925)- main role is to transmit society's accepted norms and values to maintain social solidarity 

• Saw education as a society in miniature where individuals learn to interact with others and follow a fixed set of rules 

• Believed education taught specific skills necessary in an industrial society with specialised jobs = division of labour 

• Parsons (1961)- acts as the bridge between family and wider society > socialises children into the basic values of society 

• Acts as the bridge between particularistic values (treatment of children as particular individuals) and universalistic values (standards that apply equally to everybody) 

• Davis and Moore (1945)- education allocates roles based on meritocracy > those who are high achievers will be rewarded with functionally important jobs 

AO3:  

• Marxists believe education benefits the ruling class 

• Feminists believe education benefits the patriarchy 

• Hargreaves (1982)- education promotes competition and individualism 

• Gender, ethnicity and class influence attainment, not meritocracy 

• Other factors increase chance of functionally important jobs (social contacts) 

Theory: Marxism 

• Marx and Engels- bourgeoisie use their ownership of means of production to form the infrastructure of society > control society's institutions to instil exploitative values 

• Bowles and Gintis (1976)- education prepares people for workplace using the hidden curriculum > teaches people to accept their position in hierarchy and motivates them with external rewards (exam success) 

• Althusser (1971): schools legitimise class inequality through meritocracy/parentocracy (ideological state apparatus) 

• Bowles and Gintis: schools correspond to the world of work; teach values need for capitalism to thrive (Correspondence Theory) 

• Example: teachers are like bosses/students are like workers 

AO3: 

• Brown et al (1997)- work now requires team work, not obedience 

• Reynolds (1984)- some subjects encourage critical thinking (sociology) 

• Willis- hidden curriculum is not always accepted (AO2: Learning to Labour study)  

• some education authorities have independence and do not have to follow wishes of capitalism 

• Functionalists believe education benefits society as a whole 

• Feminists believe education benefits patriarchy 

• Bowles and Gintis' research is outdated and USA-based > may not apply to contemporary UK society 

Theory: Neo-Marxism 

• Giroux (1984)- WC pupils shape own education and can resist discipline.  

• Schools are sites of ideological struggle for different class/genders/ethnicities 

• The education system has relative autonomy (some independence) 

• Paul Willis (1977)- studied WC teenage boys at a comprehensive school in Birmingham. Believed they were superior to teachers > misbehaved as they were uninterested in getting qualifications > formed a counterculture to feel like adults and were sexist/racist > ended up working in factory jobs  

Theory: New Right 

• Private enterprise > competition between businesses > essential as it raises standards 

• Hargreaves: ‘Kentucky Fried Schooling’ schools have to compete for students and should be ran like businesses  

• Chubb and Moe: Compared private and state schools, argued the education system should be managed privately  

• Main focus of education should be on…