Sociology Topic 2 - Secondary Socialisation

Theories about Education

Durkheim - Hidden Curriculum

• Functionalist view

• HC teaches value consensus

• e.g students conform to rules when misbehaving

• Children learn importance of working hard through sanctions

• Example of informal social control

Davis and Moore - Meritocracy

• Functionalist view

• Meritocracy - achievement based on talent and ability to work hard rather than status

• People who have achieved have earned their success

Bowles and Gintis - Hidden curriculum

• Marxist view

• HC teaches values of the ruling class so students accept hierarchy

• Education says that failures are of a student’s making, B&G argue because of the unfair system

The Sutton Trust (2019)

• Education benefits ruling class

• e.g. 1/3 of MP’s attended private school even though they are meant to represent all backrounds

• Social mobility is much harder than its made out to be as upper class are at an advantage

Becker - labelling

• Interactionist perspective

• Theory: teachers apply labels to students that lead them to act like their label (self fufilling prophecy)

• Education teaches us to be aware of our behaviour

Peer Group

Valerie Hey - informal sanctions

• Study done on groups of teenage girls, found they excluded peers not conforming

• Working class girls - called each other ‘slags’ if too promiscuous

• Middle class girls - promoted sexual behavior

• Sanctions are more subtle (not written)

Elizabeth Poole - Islamophobia

• Compared two peer groups, multicultural (friends with Muslims) and uni cultural (had no Muslim friends) and if they believed Islamophobia in the media

• Multicultural - reject racist abuse in the media

• Uni cultural - likely to believe Islamophobia in the media

• Found peer influence had more influence that media

Mass Media

Sherry Turkle - more time on social media

• More time spent on social media means less time on relationships - danger to identity

• More of a failure to communicate - breakdown of family

• Criticism: media can connect people over long distances

Natasha Walter (2010) - media impact on women

• Media judges women on physical appearance - makes sexism more acceptable

• Hypersexual culture - women are sexual objects and more pressure to conform to impossible standards

• Criticism: women have more sexual freedom and break away from conservative views, and both genders should use attractiveness to climb the ladder (Hakim, post -feminist)

Tony Sewell (1997) - Ethnic Identity

• Media shapes African-Caribbean youth (boys) as it shows them to idolize/role model rap stars (who may compensate for no father figure as 50% of Black British families are single-parent)

• Encourages them to prioritise wealth and consumer culture to education - leads to underachievement and crime

• Also teaches them to be hypersexual, homophobic and misogynistic

• Criticism: Rap culture influences all ethnic groups - white boys also imitate them

Religion

Julie Burchill (2000) -

• Critical of hijabs on Muslim women - thought they were to socially control them and that men had a patriarchal motive to force modesty

• Criticism: veil is symbol of freedom to liberate women from the ‘male gaze’ and they have chosen to wear it (Helen Watson)

Paul Ghuman (1999) - Religious Training

• In British-Asian families, choice of marriage partner was the parent’s decision and children were taught dangers of pre-marital sex and dating

• Religious Training enforced above and humility and loyalty

• Criticism: too general - Not all families are strict and some children are rebellious, also 2nd or 3rd gens move away from traditional values (Modood)

Steve Bruce (2002) - The elderly and religion

• Religion is a cultural defence, the elderly can retain traditions in a fast changing world to gain stability of their norms and values

• Reinforces norm of conservatism in old age

• Criticism: 46% of the population still claims to believe in God (acc. to 2021 national census)

Work

Formal/Informal socialisation and Canteen Culture

• Formal - management socialise employees through training courses and set rules around behaviour and appearance

• Informal - workplace peer groups socialise newcomers by introducing informal culture of the workplace

• Canteen Culture - informal culture of police officers spending off duty hours together

Workplace socialisation of men and women - glass ceiling

• Women - Have limited role models in the top jobs, teaches them to expect less and conform to the rules

• Glass ceiling - invisible barrier stopping women from climbing career ladder

• Men - will rise through the ranks easier

Gannon - older women

• Older women are discriminated against after they’ve gone through the menopause

• Because they are seen as pointless (being unable to bear children)

• Example of informal social control

Waddington (1999) - Canteen culture

• Telling colleagues practical advice or how they overcame tricky situations as a police officer helps them deal with their stressful jobs, as it boosts their ego

• Prioritises values of strength and courage

• Damaging values - values based on racism, sexism and homophobia are celebrated, and become norms. This affects fairness in the police force

Beverly Skeggs (1997) - re socialisation

• Found that as working class women who dressed promiscuously became health care workers, they adapted their dress code and imitated the other workers

• Shows that gender and class have a link