Sociology-functionalism-education flashcards

What two positive functions did Durkheim believe education performs for society?

.promoting social solidarity

.teaching specialist skills

What was the traditional form of social solidarity known as according to Durkheim?

Mechanical solidarity-this was the norm in the pre-industrial era

What were 3 features of mechanical solidarity according to Durkheim?

.People lived nearby each other in small communities

.People believed in the divine right of monarchs

.People worked together in agriculture

What is the modern form of social solidarity known as according to Durkheim?

Organic solidarity-this has been the norm as a result of the Industrial Revolution

What are 3 features of organic solidarity according to Durkheim?.

.rise in secularisation

.mass urbanisation

.the fall of monarchs

How did organic solidarity threaten the traditional bonds in society according to Durkheim?

The shift from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity meant that the traditional bonds in society through similarity and shared values was replaced with a complex division of labour ,eroding the unified collective conscience and increasing the risk of anomie and excessive individualism

Why is social solidarity essential in society according to Durkheim?

If individuals feel they belong to a wider community ,this embeds individuals with a shared collective conscience and mutual interdependence to ensure society is functioning harmoniously

How can education promote social solidarity according to Durkheim?

Education can promote social solidarity by acting as a society in miniature ,where schools teach a shared norm ,culture and rules through subjects such as history so that individuals form a sense of belonging greater than themselves ,therefore they begin to have a collective identity through secondary socialisation

What are the 3 ways in which schools provide social solidarity in practice according to Durkheim?

.subjects such as history ,literature and music ,pass on a shared heritage so students have a sense of shared culture and values in order to form a national identity

.assemblies and prize-givings promote values of community to form a sense of unity

.enrichment clubs ,sports activities and house systems promote social cohesion to ensure belonging and harmony

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¼ -Contemporary application for education promoting social solidarity:

.the statutory prevent duty(2015) states schools are legally required to embed mutual tolerance of all faiths ,democracy and individual liberty into everyday lessons which creates a moral framework across a diverse population

2/4-Contemporary application for education promoting social solidarity:

.in 2013-Michael grove as the secretary of the state of education published the final adjustments to the national curriculum which mandated that all key stage 3 history students must be taught the ‘island story of britain’ which includes historical anchors such as the development of the society ,state ,economy and human nature in Britain eg the Magna Carta and Industrial Revolution to instil a sense of pride in shared heritage

3/4-Contemporary application for education promoting social solidarity:

The English literature specifications stated that assessed students must be tested on a William Shakespeare play , a 19th century British novel and poems dating back to 1789 which should be representative of British culture ,American texts such as ‘of mice and men’ were banned from the syllabus ,poetry had to be memorised to internalise its values

4/4-Contemporary application for education promoting social solidarity:

Between 2010 and 2012 , multi academy trusts introduced ‘no excuses’ behavioral guidelines to legally enforce strict uniform codes and silent transitions between classrooms and immediate detentions to force students to see themselves as part of a larger ,disciplined body ,preparing them to respect the legal and structural boundaries of adult society

1/3-Criticism of Durkheims view on social solidarity:

Critics argue the ethnocentric curriculum and the elitism of British values can lead to marginalised students and anti school subcultures rather than unity

2/3-Criticism of Durkheims view on social solidarity:

Hargreaves argues the education system promotes individualism rather than social solidarity ,norms like punishing copying of work engineers self interest over collaborative social bonds

3/3-Criticism of Durkheims view on social solidarity:

Marxists argue the education system produces a dominant ideology known as the ideological state apparatus which benefits the ruling class rather than society as a whole and neglects as well as exploits working class students

Why does the education system need to teach specialist skills according to Durkheim?

To prepare individuals for the complex division of labour in modern industrial societies

1/4-how does the education system teach specialist skills to prepare individual for the workforce according to Durkheim?

Students learn the skills needed for the workforce through the national curriculum ,this prepares students for future employment through students learning literacy ,numeracy etc

2/4-how does the education system teach specialist skills to prepare individual for the workforce according to Durkheim?

For students who want to go into advanced roles such as medicine etc ,specialist knowledge can be gained through offering subject choices at a levels

3/4-how does the education system teach specialist skills to prepare individual for the workforce according to Durkheim?

Students can be trained for vocational professions which require skills in plumbing ,construction etc ,specialist qualifications are required to be gained in order to require these roles

4/4-how does the education system teach specialist skills to prepare individual for the workforce according to Durkheim?

The creation of ‘red brick universities’ which was a group of uk universities founded in major industrial cities during the late 19th and 20th century allowed specialist knowledge to be gained at an advanced level

1/3-Contemporary application that the education system teaches specialist knowledge:

The government has announced initiatives to provide additional funding for students pursuing maths level 3 qualifications as maths is seen as a shortage skill within society

2/3-Contemporary application that the education system teaches specialist knowledge:

For subjects which lack teachers ,the government has provided additional funding for the recruitment and training of teachers for any foreign languages etc as these skills are increasingly in demand

3/3-Contemporary application that the education system teaches specialist knowledge:

Educational policies have introduced standardised assessments such as SATs ,GCSE, and a levels to test students for specific skills required for certain roles

1/4-Criticism of Durkheims view of specialist skills:

Feminists argue girls are discouraged from taking certain subjects which are outside of their gender domain

2/4-Criticism of Durkheims view of specialist skills:

Marxists argue students develop into an overqualified workforce which creates a reserve army of labour and excessive competition in job markets

3/4-Criticism of Durkheims view of specialist skills:

NEET claimed there are high levels of youth employment within the uk

4/4-Criticism of Durkheims view of specialist skills:

There are skill shortages in the uk which involve sciences ,engineering etc