Sociology- education full notes
- Created by: indiawilkes
- Created on: 26-05-18 14:49
Theory: Functionalism
- Durkheim (1925)- main role is to transmit society's accepted norms and values to maintain social solidarity
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Saw education as a society in miniature where individuals learn to interact with others and follow a fixed set of rules
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Believed education taught specific skills necessary in an industrial society with specialised jobs = division of labour
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Parsons (1961)- acts as the bridge between family and wider society > socialises children into the basic values of society
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Acts as the bridge between particularistic values (treatment of children as particular individuals) and universalistic values (standards that apply equally to everybody)
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Davis and Moore (1945)- education allocates roles based on meritocracy > those who are high achievers will be rewarded with functionally important jobs
AO3:
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Marxists believe education benefits the ruling class
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Feminists believe education benefits the patriarchy
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Hargreaves (1982)- education promotes competition and individualism
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Gender, ethnicity and class influence attainment, not meritocracy
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Other factors increase chance of functionally important jobs (social contacts)
Theory: Marxism
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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
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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)
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Althusser (1971): schools legitimise class inequality through meritocracy/parentocracy (ideological state apparatus)
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Bowles and Gintis: schools correspond to the world of work; teach values need for capitalism to thrive (Correspondence Theory)
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Example: teachers are like bosses/students are like workers
AO3:
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Brown et al (1997)- work now requires team work, not obedience
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Reynolds (1984)- some subjects encourage critical thinking (sociology)
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Willis- hidden curriculum is not always accepted (AO2: Learning to Labour study)
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some education authorities have independence and do not have to follow wishes of capitalism
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Functionalists believe education benefits society as a whole
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Feminists believe education benefits patriarchy
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Bowles and Gintis' research is outdated and USA-based > may not apply to contemporary UK society
Theory: Neo-Marxism
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Giroux (1984)- WC pupils shape own education and can resist discipline.
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Schools are sites of ideological struggle for different class/genders/ethnicities
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The education system has relative autonomy (some independence)
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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
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Private enterprise > competition between businesses > essential as it raises standards
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Hargreaves: ‘Kentucky Fried Schooling’ schools have to compete for students and should be ran like businesses
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Chubb and Moe: Compared private and state schools, argued the education system should be managed privately
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Main focus of education should be on…
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