Sociology of Education Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key sociologists, theories, and concepts related to education, class, gender, and ethnicity.

Durkheim

Argued that education creates value consensus, produces social solidarity, teaches shared norms and values, and prepares students for the division of labour by developing specialist skills.

Parsons (Focal Socialising Agency)

Viewed school as the agency that translates particularistic standards into universalistic standards based on achievement, creating a meritocracy and performing role allocation.

Davis & Moore

Stated that education performs role allocation in a meritocratic society where inequality is functional because rewards motivate talent and effort.

Chubb & Moe

Criticised state education and supported marketisation, arguing that competition improves standards and schools must respond to parents as consumers.

Althusser

Defined education as an Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) that produces false class consciousness and reproduces capitalism through the hidden curriculum.

Correspondence Principle

Bowles and Gintis' theory that school mirrors the workplace through hierarchy, discipline, and obedience to produce submissive workers.

Willis (The Lads)

Studied an anti-school subculture that valued 'having a laff' and rejected authority, leading to working-class jobs and the reproduction of inequality.

Douglas

Found that working-class parents show less interest in schooling, offering less encouragement and stimulation, which leads to lower aspirations and underachievement.

Sugarman's Working-Class Culture

Identified four key barriers to achievement: Fatalism, Immediate gratification, Collectivism, and Present-time orientation.

Bernstein (Linguistic Codes)

Distinguished between the Restricted code (working class) and the Elaborated code (middle class), noting schools value the latter, creating a disadvantage.

Bourdieu

Concepts of Cultural capital, Habitus, and Field where middle-class advantage is legitimated as merit, leading to class inequality reproduction.

Sullivan

Measured cultural capital through reading habits and cultural participation, finding a strong link to exam achievement.

Feinstein

Found that class differences in attainment appear in early socialisation and that a gap exists before school entry due to home background.

Reay

Argued that working-class pupils feel alienated because middle-class norms dominate schools, making them feel like they do not fit in.

Keddie

Rejected cultural deprivation theory, arguing working-class culture is different rather than deficient, and that schools impose middle-class standards.

Smith & Noble

Identified material deprivation as a factor where poverty reduces resources and opportunity, having a direct impact on achievement.

Waldfogel & Washbrook

Noted that poverty affects early cognitive development, with disadvantages appearing before school and having a long-term impact on attainment.

Becker (Ideal Pupil)

Argued teachers use a stereotype based on middle-class behaviour, which leads to labelling and a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Rosenthal & Jacobson

Studied the Pygmalion effect, showing how teacher expectations influence performance via the self-fulfilling prophecy.

Rist

Observed early labelling in primary schools where pupils are placed into ability groups early, which determines future achievement.

Hargreaves

Determined that teacher labelling leads to the formation of subcultures as pupils form identities based on those labels.

Lacey

Found that streaming produces polarisation, leading to both pro-school and anti-school subcultures.

Ball

Argued that banding, streaming, and setting reinforce inequality as labels become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Sharpe

Conducted studies showing a shift in girls' aspirations from love, marriage, and children to career and independence.

McRobbie (Bedroom Culture)

The idea that girls have a private space that encourages study and autonomy, contributing to their educational success.

Mitsos & Browne

Suggested girls outperform boys because they are better at coursework, more organised, and reach maturity earlier.

Jackson (Laddishness)

Argued that boys reject schoolwork as 'uncool' due to peer pressure, leading to underachievement.

Mac an Ghaill

Identified various male identities, such as 'macho lads' and 'academic achievers,' and noted how masculinity influences achievement.

Epstein (Gender Domains)

Stated that subject choice is shaped by stereotypes and gender domains, which reinforces gender inequality.

Gorard

Linked the gender gap to changes in assessment methods, suggesting girls benefit more from coursework.

Sewell's Typology

Classified student responses to school into four groups: conformists, rebels, retreatists, and innovators.

Educational Triage

Gillborn and Youdell's concept of the A–C economy where schools prioritise borderline pupils due to institutional racism.

Wright

Found that teacher stereotyping resulted in ethnic minority pupils being treated differently, with lower expectations affecting their achievement.

Mirza

Identified 'colour-blind racism' and found that Black girls develop coping strategies to avoid reliance on teachers while seeking to succeed.

Fuller

Found that Black girls rejected negative labelling and maintained high self-esteem to achieve high educational results.

Modood

Argued that ethnic differences in values, aspirations, and family support significantly affect educational achievement.

Driver & Ballard

Highlighted that strong family support and high educational aspirations contribute to achievement in certain ethnic groups.

Troyna & Williams

Defined institutional racism as being built into school systems and policies rather than just individual teacher prejudice.