Functionalism, New Right and postmodernism

Durkheim

Social and economic function

Identified that two functions of education reinforced homogeneity in children.

• secondary socialisation as ‘society in miniature’, helps develop social solidarity

• Specialist skills and knowledge organised by the complex division of labour

Parsons

Socialisation into value consensus

Education helps children to adopt a meritocratic view of achievement, which gives children an equal opportunity to achieve rewards through effort and ability.

Therefore, the education system is a focal socialising agency.

Davis and Moore

Role Allocation

Schools functioned as an important mechanism for the selection of individuals for their future occupations in society. Thus, education allows social mobility.

The New Right - Chubb and Moe

Marketisation of education

Argued that State run education in the US has failed due to low expectations. Their solution for this is to privatise education, where institutions run like a business through a voucher system.

Postmodernism - Usher et al.

Argue that education should be understood in a postmodern way, not as a fixed system with universal truths. Education is less about transmitting objective knowledge and more about supporting individuals in making meaning in a complex, changing society.