Chapter 5: Education and Society (Key Theories and Influences)

A set of practice flashcards covering major theories and themes from the Education chapter, focusing on theories of the role of education, inequality, curriculum influences, intelligence, social mobility, and gender/ethnicity.

What is Emile Durkheim's main view of the function of education?

Education transmits society’s norms and values, produces social solidarity, and links the individual to the larger social order (often via teaching history).

What is Talcott Parsons' view of education as a bridge between family and society?

Education acts as secondary socialisation, using universalistic standards, creating value consensus, promoting achievement, and allocating individuals to appropriate adult roles (role allocation).

What is the key idea behind Bowles and Gintis' ‘correspondence theory’?

There is a close correspondence between social relations in the workplace and those in the education system, which reproduces the capitalist system by training a compliant, disciplined workforce.

Define the hidden curriculum.

The messages, norms, and values learned in school that are not part of the formal curriculum (e.g., conformity, obedience, attitudes toward authority).

What are Louis Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) and their relevance to education?

ISAs are institutions that transmit ruling-class ideology, including education, contributing to ideological control and the reproduction of the capitalist system.

Who studied the ‘counter-school culture’ and what was its key finding?

Paul Willis; he found a counter-school culture among working-class boys (the ‘lads’) that resisted school norms, creating a bridge to shop-floor masculinity and revealing limits of schooling for forms of capitalist socialisation.

Name the four forms of capital in Bourdieu’s theory.

Economic capital, social capital, cultural capital, and symbolic capital.

What is cultural capital and why does it matter for education?

Non-financial assets (knowledge, tastes, language, manners) that help individuals succeed in education; more prevalent among dominant classes, giving them advantages in schooling.

Explain the concept of habitus in Bourdieu’s framework.

Durable dispositions, tastes, and ways of thinking learned from early family life that shape how individuals engage with education and opportunities.

What is the idea of cultural reproduction in Bourdieu’s work?

Education transmits and reproduces the culture of the dominant classes, helping to maintain social inequality across generations.

What is the ‘false class consciousness’ concept associated with Althusser?

A distorted perception among the exploited class that justifies the capitalist system and their own subordination.

What is the ‘hidden curriculum’ in Bowles and Gintis’ view?

The hidden curriculum trains students for obedience, conformity, and acceptance of hierarchical relations, contributing to the justification of social inequalities.

What is the difference between universalistic and particularistic standards as described by Parsons?

Universalistic standards apply to all members of society (e.g., universal exam criteria), while particularistic standards apply to individuals or groups (e.g., family-specific expectations).

What is the concept of meritocracy in education?

A system where achievement is supposed to be based on merit (talent and effort) rather than social origins, though it may not ensure equal outcomes.

How did the Oxford Mobility Study (OMS) measure mobility and what were its limitations?

OMS measured intergenerational mobility using a seven-class scheme and occupational status for British men; limitations include male bias, exclusion of elites, and ignoring women.

Differentiate intragenerational and intergenerational mobility.

Intragenerational mobility is movement within one generation’s life (e.g., career change). Intergenerational mobility is movement across generations (e.g., son’s occupation vs father’s).

What are absolute vs. relative intergenerational mobility?

Absolute mobility is the overall level of movement across generations; relative mobility is how mobility chances compare across class origins.

What is the ‘educational triage’ concept from Gillborn and Youdell?

A process where teachers group students into likely to succeed, borderline, and hopeless cases, often allocating more effort to borderline cases and disadvantaging lower groups.

How do Gillborn and Youdell explain racial disparities in attainment?

They argue for institutional racism in schools, where Black Caribbean students are disproportionately placed in lower sets and face harsher discipline and lower expectations.

Define ethnocentric curriculum.

A curriculum centered on one culture’s perspective, with other cultures marginalized or underrepresented.

Define the ‘hidden curriculum’ critique from feminist and radical perspectives.

Radical and feminist critiques argue the hidden curriculum transmits neoliberal or patriarchal ideologies, reinforcing gender and inequality through everyday school life.

What is the significance of the ‘knowledge economy’ for education policy?

Knowledge-intensive economies see education as essential for growth; policy emphasizes higher-order skills, lifelong learning, and global competition.

How does the New Right view education and marketisation?

Education should operate in a free market with competition, choice, privatization, league tables, and performativity to raise standards.

What are the main criticisms of New Right perspectives on education?

Markets may be unfair; gains are modest and uneven; creaming occurs; education may neglect non-economic values like creativity and democracy.

Describe the concept of marketisation and its policy tools.

Competition between schools, parental choice, funding following choices, transfer of information through league tables, and teacher/producer accountability.

What is globalisation’s argument about education (Rikowski’s view)?

Education is becoming a global commodity; private provision and multinational education services expand as part of capitalist globalisation.

What is FAWE’s STEM model and its goal?

A program to boost girls’ participation in SMT—Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics—through teacher training, role models, and gender-responsive pedagogy.

What is postmodernism’s view of knowledge in education?

Knowledge is relative and partial; there is no single universal truth or best curriculum; multiple truths and perspectives should be acknowledged.

What factors beyond school influence ethnic group attainment (cultural explanations)?

Parental attitudes, access to cultural capital, family resources, and social networks that shape educational expectations and support.

Explain the idea of intersectionality in education.

Multiple social identities (class, ethnicity, gender) intersect in complex ways to shape educational experiences and attainment.

What is the role of parity of opportunity vs parity of outcomes in meritocracy debates?

Meritocracy aims for equality of opportunity; but equal opportunity does not guarantee equal outcomes due to differences in background and capital.

What is the ‘habitus’ and how does it affect schooling (in relation to education)?

Habitus are the durable dispositions shaped by family background that influence how students engage with schooling and opportunities.

What does Sullivan’s study suggest about Bourdieu’s cultural capital?

Cultural capital explains only part of educational attainment; other factors like material resources and aspirations also matter.

How is gender linked to subject choice and attainment in education?

Girls often outperform boys overall; however, gendered patterns in STEM vs. humanities persist, influenced by socialisation, teacher expectations, and curriculum bias.

What is the ‘laddish’ masculinity concept?

A form of masculine identity among some boys characterized by anti-school attitudes, risk-taking, and social display that can hinder academic achievement.

Why is the concept of the ‘cognitive elite’ controversial?

Herrnstein and Murray argue that intelligence increasingly determines top jobs, leading to concentration of high-IQ individuals in elite positions; critics argue this overstates genetics and ignores social factors.

What is ‘educational equality of opportunity’ vs ‘equity’ in social democracy debates?

Equality of opportunity means equal chances to succeed; equity seeks to reduce structural inequalities to achieve similar outcomes.

What is 'embedded' or 'covert' gender bias in textbooks?

Under-representation of women, stereotyped roles, and masculine perspectives in curricular materials that privilege male experiences.

Briefly explain how parental interest in education affects attainment (Douglas study).

Parental interest and involvement (e.g., timely school visits, encouragement to stay in school) significantly influence children’s attainment, often more than innate ability.

What is the ethical critique of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s IQ-boosting study?

Critics point to methodological flaws, unreliable IQ testing, and ethical concerns about deceiving teachers by giving false information about student potential.

What is ‘meritocracy as a myth’ as argued by Bowles and Gintis?

Education appears meritocratic but serves capitalist interests by reproducing class structure rather than rewarding true merit.

What is the difference between 'material deprivation' and 'cultural deprivation' explanations of attainment?

Material deprivation emphasizes lack of resources (money, housing, health) influencing learning; cultural deprivation emphasizes deficit in language, norms, and values purportedly needed for success.

What is the ‘Ley of social reproduction’ in education?

Education reproduces social inequalities and maintains the power and privilege of dominant groups through curricular choices, prestige, and access to resources.

How does the concept of ‘educational capitalism’ relate to global education markets?

Education as a commodity within capitalist markets; globalization encourages cross-border private providers, private tutoring, and market-driven schooling reforms.

What’s the role of the mother’s education in child attainment (cultural capital discussion)?

Mother’s education level is a strong predictor of children’s educational success, often via shaped home learning environments and expectations.

What is the difference between ‘streams’ and ‘sets’ in ability grouping?

Streams are broad divisions; sets are narrower groupings within or across subjects based on perceived ability; both can reinforce class differences.

Why is the concept of ‘life chances’ important in education studies?

Life chances reflect how educational attainment, health, housing, and employment opportunities are distributed, shaping overall social inequality.

What does the literature say about the link between expenditure on education and growth (OECD findings)?

There is no universal, direct link; growth depends on inequalities, and more spending does not automatically lead to higher growth; key is equality of opportunity and productive use of education.

Explain how English spoken codes (Bernstein) relate to attainment.

Working-class students often use restricted code; schools use elaborated code, which can disadvantage those who rely on restricted codes and hinder mastery of abstract academic tasks.

What is the ‘world-class’ nature of knowledge in post-industrial economies?

Knowledge-intensive economies emphasize information, technology, and innovation as drivers of growth, shaping curriculum toward STEM and advanced skills.

What is meant by ‘ethnic subcultures’ in schools (e.g., Gang Girls, Muslim boys)?

Subcultures within ethnic groups that influence attitudes toward schooling, peer interactions, and identity, which can affect attainment.

What is the significance of ‘intersectionality’ for understanding attainment?

Attainment results from the interaction of race/ethnicity, class, gender, and other identities, not from any single factor in isolation.

How does sexism in the classroom affect girls’ attainment, according to Francis and Skelton?

Girls often receive less attention, are underestimated, and face gendered expectations; this can influence attainment and classroom dynamics.

What is the difference between the ‘formal curriculum’ and the ‘hidden curriculum’?

The formal curriculum is the official content; the hidden curriculum comprises implicit messages about norms, values, and power relations transmitted in daily school life.

Describe one strength and one limitation of ethnographic approaches in studying counter-school cultures.

Strength: rich, in-depth understanding of youths’ lived experiences; Limitation: small samples, limited generalizability.

Why do critics argue education cannot compensate for society’s inequalities?

Because structural inequalities in the wider society affect access to resources and opportunities beyond schools, limiting the effectiveness of schooling reforms.

What is the ‘marketisation’ critique by Giroux regarding neoliberal schooling?

Education becomes primarily about producing workers for the market, with less emphasis on critical thinking and civic responsibilities.

Summarise: Why has girls’ attainment risen relative to boys in many contexts?

Changing gender norms, increased female expectations, feminist movements, changes in labour markets, and targeted educational policies have contributed to improving girls’ attainment.