role of education in society -education

Functionslist perspective

• Durkheim: Schools instill social solidarity; subjects like history teach a shared national identity, reducing anomie.

• Parsons: School encourages universalistic values (equality, merit) over family particularistic ones; acts as a role allocator.

• Davis & Moore: Exam success determines talent-based sorting; rewards (e.g., high pay) motivate effort.

• Human Capital Theory: Education as economic investment—skilled individuals increase productivity and competitiveness.

Criticisms

• Meritocracy is unrealistic: class, gender, and ethnicity bias outcomes.

• Human capital undervalues vocational stigmas.

• Ignores social conflict and discrimination within schools.

Marxist perspective

• Althusser: Education is an Ideological State Apparatus—reinforces dominant class ideology.

• Bowles & Gintis: Hidden curriculum teaches obedience and conformity; mirrors workplace hierarchy (correspondence principle).

  • Students learn punctuality, acceptance of authority, which fits them for low-status roles.

• Bourdieu: Cultural capital (e.g., familiarity with "high culture") gives middle-class pupils an advantage in assessments and school culture.

Criticisms

• Doesn’t explain upward mobility among working-class students.

• Underplays girls and ethnic minorities’ experiences; less focus on gendered/ethnic identities.

New right perspective

• Advocates marketisation to improve standards via competition (Chubb & Moe).

• Schools must be accountable to customers (parents) or face closure.

Criticisms

• Can entrench inequality: parental resources and knowledge determine success in "school choice."

What are the main 3 functions of education according to functionalism?

• Socialisation – Transmitting shared norms/values (e.g. democracy, solidarity).

• Skills provision – Teaching general (literacy/numeracy) and job-specific skills.

• Role allocation – Sorting individuals by ability to appropriate roles via meritocracy (Davis & Moore).

How does durkheim view education?

• Emphasises moral education & social solidarity.

• History teaching promotes a collective identity.

• Prevents anomie (normlessness).

How does Parsons see educations role in society

• Bridge between family (particularistic standards) and wider society (universalistic standards).

• Promotes meritocracy and value consensus.

• Teaches individuals to compete equally based on effort.

What is human capital theory

Investment in education increases a workforces value. Education= economic growth. Ties in with functionalism

What are criticisms of the functionalist view of education?

• Ignores inequality and conflict (e.g. class, ethnicity).

• Assumes value consensus in diverse, multicultural societies.

• Assumes schools are meritocratic (challenged by Marxists).

• British education system doesn’t always meet skill needs (e.g. poor vocational education).

• UK underperforms globally (e.g. Pisa scores in maths, science).

When did education become available to all children in the uk?

• 1870 Forster Education Act: School boards created.

• 1880: Education made compulsory to age 10.

• 1918 Fisher Act: State responsible for secondary education, leaving age raised to 14.

• 1947: Raised to 15, 1972 to 16.

• Since 1997: Compulsory participation in education or training until age 18.

Why did education expand in the 19th/20th centuries?

1. Economic needs – Skilled workforce to compete with countries like Germany.

2. Democratic needs – Educated voters after franchise expanded in 1884/1918.

3. Social reform – Reduce poverty and inequality (especially for working class).

4. Social cohesion – Common values through shared curriculum.

What is role allocation and who developed it?

• Davis and Moore (1945): Education selects most talented for crucial roles.

• Rewards (pay/status) linked to role importance.

• Exam system helps match ability to jobs.

• Assumes meritocracy – ability + effort = success.

What are criticisms of role allocation?

• Meritocracy is a myth (Bowles & Gintis).

• Middle-class advantage (cultural & economic capital).

• Education often reproduces inequality.

What is the main marxist view on the role of education?

Marxists beliee education serves the interests of the ruling class by reproducing class inequality and legitimisng it through ideology

What ideological stae apparatues according to Althusser?

ArgueS that education is an ISA maintining the power of the Bourgeoisie by controlling ideas and beliefs through curriculum and social norms.

According to Bowles and Gintis, what is the ‘correspondence principle’?

It suggests that school mirrors the workplace, preparing students to accept their future roles in capitalist society by promoting obedience, punctuality, and respect for authority.

WhaT is the hidden curriculum?

The Informal lessons taught in school, such as hierarcHy, discipline and compliance that support capitalist values

Bowles and Gintis; “myth of meritocracy”

Its the idea that success is based on ability and effort, when in reality it largely depends on social class and background- education legitimises inequality By disgusing thIs.

How does Willis’ study challenge traditional marxist views?

Willis found that working-class 'lads' formed anti-school subcultures and resisted school values, but still ended up in low-paid labour—showing agency, but reinforcing class inequality.

What are 2 criticisms of the marxist view of education?

1. It overemphasises class and ignores gender/ethnicity.
2. It underestimates students’ ability to resist school ideology (e.g. Willis’ study).

How do marxists view the role of education in social mobility?

They believe education maintans and reproduces existinf class structures, limiting real oppotunities for upword mobility

Whats Durkheim view of eductions role in promoting social solidarity?

Durkheim believed schools transmit society’s shared norms and values (e.g., through history).
This creates social solidarity — a sense of belonging to a larger whole.
Without this, modern societies risk anomie (normlessness).
Example: Citizenship and Religious Education promote moral responsibility.

How does Parsons explain education as a ‘bridge’ between family and society?

Parsons argued education helps children shift from:

• Particularistic values (in the family)

• to Universalistic values (in wider society)
  It teaches meritocracy: status is based on ability and effort, not family background.

What do Davis & Moore say about role allocation in education?

Education sifts and sorts individuals based on ability via exams.
Most talented → most important jobs → highest rewards.
Justified by meritocracy: this benefits the individual and society.
Critics say this ignores class inequalities that block fair access.

What is human capital theory?

Human capital = skills, knowledge & training in people.
Investing in education is like investing in machinery:
better-skilled workers → more productive economy.
Functionalists use this to argue education benefits the economy

What are the main criticisms of the Functionalist view on education?

• Overly positive — ignores inequality & conflict (e.g. class, gender, ethnicity)

• Assumes meritocracy exists

• Assumes all pupils accept school values (see Paul Willis’ study)

• Skills taught may not match real economic needs (vocational education often low status)

What do New Right theorists believe about education?

• Education should promote competition, choice, and individual responsibility.

• They agree with Functionalists: education should socialise pupils and prepare them for work.

• But they argue the state education system is inefficient and unresponsive to local needs.

Chubb & Moe (1990) – Marketisation of Education

• State education fails disadvantaged groups and lacks the drive to improve.

• Private schools are more efficient because they are answerable to paying customers.

• Proposed a voucher system where parents choose schools, creating a "parentocracy".

Key New Right Policies

Key New Right Policies

Criticisms of the New Right view

• Marketisation often benefits middle-class families more than working-class ones.

• Focus on standards ignores wider inequalities.

• League tables may encourage teaching to the test or excluding weaker students.

• Marxists argue it still serves capitalist interests.

Althusser (1971) – Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

• Education is part of the ISA, maintaining capitalism by spreading ruling class ideology.

• Teaches that capitalism is fair and natural, preventing rebellion.

• Reproduces class inequality generation after generation.

Bowles & Gintis (1976) – Correspondence Principle

• Schools mirror the workplace:

  • Obedience, hierarchy, punctuality.

  • Pupils learn to accept inequality and be compliant workers.

• Call this the "correspondence principle".

• Also argue school promotes the "myth of meritocracy" – success is said to be based on ability, but really it reflects social class.

Paul Willis (1977) – Learning to Labour

• Studied 12 working-class boys ("the lads") who rejected school.

• Created an anti-school subculture – mocking rules and authority.

• Ironically, this rebellious attitude led them into low-paid, working-class jobs — reproducing class inequality.

Criticisms of the Marxist view

• Too deterministic – not all students passively accept ideology.

• Ignores gender and ethnicity.

• Functionalists argue education is based on merit, not class.

• Willis’ study is small-scale and not representative.

Functionalism vs Marxism

Functionalism	Marxism

Education creates social solidarity

Education maintains capitalist inequality

Meritocratic system

Myth of meritocracy

Role allocation by ability

Role allocation by class

Is education meritocratic?

• Functionalists & New Right say: yes – based on talent & effort.

• Marxists say: no – reflects class inequality.

• Evidence:

  • Private schools, cultural capital, unequal funding.

  • Working-class kids face more barriers.