Education - Marxist theory - Flashcards in A Level and IB Sociology

Who are the three main Marxist thinkers?

Althusser, Bowles & Gintis and Willis.

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What are Althusser's main beliefs?

Main role of education in a capitalist society is the reproduction of an efficient and obedient workforce.
- Transmitting the ideology (Cap being Just and Reasonable)
-Train future workers (Submissive to authority).

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Why does Althusser argue that the education system is an important Ideological state apparatus and performs two functions?

- Reproduces class inequality by transmitting it from generation to generation, by failing successive generation of w/c pupils in turn.
-Legitimates class inequality by producing ideologies that disguise its true cause. Persuade workers that inequality i

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Explain Bowles and Gintis theory on education.

- Reproduction of the workforce.
- Close correspondence (correspondence principle) between social relationships and those in the workplace.
- Education is a 'Myth Making Machine' designed to justify inequality by promoting the idea that failure is due t

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How does the correspondence principle occur through school and the workplace?

- School mirrors the workplace through hierarchal structures.
- Pupils have little control over their work. They are rewarded for punctuality and obedience and are dismissive of independence, critical awareness, creativity and independence - This mirrors

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How does the correspondence principle occur through social inequality in education?

- Meritocracy, everyone has an equal chance and those that work hard deserve the top jobs.
- Inequality is justified. B&J argue rewards are based on social background.
- The higher a persons class or origin the more likely they are to attain top qualifi

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What do Bowles & Gintis mean by the hidden curriculum?

- R/C can manipulate the w/c through hidden curriculum.
- Consists of things that pupils learn informally from their experience of going to school on a day to day basis. The hidden curriculum teaches the w/c the values needed within employment.

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What is the best theory to use to evaluate marxist theories of education?

Functionalist

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What does Willis argue about education?
And what two approaches does he combine?

- Willis study shows working class pupils attempting to resist the system.
- Willis combines the Marxist approach with an Interactionist approach that focuses on the meaning pupils give to their situation and how these enable them to resist indoctrinatio

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What is Indoctrination?

The process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.

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What are some Disadvantages of Marxist theories on education?

- Marxists disagree with each other.

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Evaluation of Bowles and Gintis

- Determinist view (assumption of no free will)
- Postmodernists criticise the correspondence principle on the grounds that today's post-Fordist economy requires schools to produce a different labour force to the ones Marxists discuss.
-

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Evaluation of Althusser

-Useful in explaining the myth of meritocracy
-Show the role education plays as an ISA.

-Morrow and Torres criticise Marxists for taking a 'Class first' approach

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Advantages of Willis.

- Rejects the idea of school brainwashing. Shows how students may resist but still end up with w/c jobs.
- Stimulated more research into how education reproduces and legitimates other inequalities.

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Disadvantages of Willis

- Critics argue he romanticises the 'lads', portraying them as w/c heroes despite their antisocial behaviour and sexist attitudes.
- His study on 12 boys can also be seen as unrepresentative and too risky to generalise.

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What was Willis' study on the 'Lads'?

- 12 w/c school boys
- In an anti school subculture
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Education - Marxist theory

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