Education - Sociology

Functionalist Views of the Role of Education

Functionalists believe that education is a positive institution that benefits individuals and society. They argue that schools prepare young people for work and social life by teaching shared norms, values, and skills.

Key Ideas:

1. Social Solidarity & Social Cohesion (Durkheim)

   • Education creates social solidarity, meaning that individuals feel part of a larger community.

   • Schools teach shared norms and values, promoting social cohesion—a sense of belonging and unity in society.

   • Subjects like history and citizenship help students develop a collective identity, ensuring a stable and orderly society.

2. Role Allocation & Meritocracy (Davis & Moore)

   • Schools sort individuals into different jobs based on ability and effort.

   • Meritocracy ensures that the most talented get the best jobs, making society function efficiently.

   • Exams and qualifications act as a filtering system, ensuring the most capable individuals enter important roles (e.g., doctors, lawyers).

New Right Views on Role of Education

The New Right agrees with Functionalists that education should promote shared values and prepare individuals for work. However, they argue that the state education system is failing because it lacks competition and efficiency.

Key Ideas:

1. Marketization & Parental Choice (Chubb & Moe)

   • Schools should compete like businesses, meaning parents should have more choice over where they send their children.

   • Parental choice forces schools to improve standards because they must attract students, just like businesses must attract customers.

   • Policies like league tables, academies, and free schools were introduced to create a more competitive system.

   Key Definition:

   • Parental Choice – The idea that parents should be able to choose which school their child attends, rather than being restricted by location.

2. Traditional Values & Discipline

   • Schools should reinforce discipline, authority, and respect for traditional values (e.g., hard work, punctuality, patriotism).

   • The New Right criticises progressive education, arguing that it reduces discipline and weakens standards by focusing too much on student-centred learning.

   Key Definition:

   • Progressive Education – A teaching style that focuses on creativity, group work, and student-led learning, rather than strict discipline and memorisation.

Marxist View of the Role of Education

Key Ideas

1. Ideological State Apparatus (Althusser) – Education spreads ruling-class ideology, making inequality seem fair and natural. It teaches obedience and prevents revolution.

2. Correspondence Principle & Myth of Meritocracy (Bowles & Gintis) – Schools mirror workplace hierarchy (e.g., authority of teachers = authority of bosses). The "myth of meritocracy" convinces students that failure is their fault rather than due to class inequality.

How It Links

Marxists argue that education reproduces class inequality. Unlike Functionalists, they believe that meritocracy is a myth because the working class is systematically disadvantaged.

Key Definitions:

• Myth of Meritocracy – The false idea that success is purely based on effort when in reality, class background influences educational achievement.

Postmodernist View of the Role of Education

Key Ideas

1. Diversity & Individual Choice (Usher, Bryant & Johnston) – Education is no longer ‘one-size-fits-all’; students now have more choices (e.g., vocational courses, apprenticeships, online learning).

2. Fragmented Knowledge (Lyotard) – There is no single absolute truth in education; knowledge is diverse and ever-changing, reflecting a globalised and consumer-driven world.

How It Links

Postmodernists criticise Functionalist and Marxist views for being outdated. They argue that education no longer just transmits shared values or reinforces class inequality but instead adapts to a changing, digital society.

Key Definition:

• Globalisation – The increasing interconnection of the world, affecting education through technology, migration, and changing work skills.

Class and Educational Attainment

Key Ideas

1. Cultural Capital (Bourdieu) – Middle-class children have more advantages because they are socialized into the dominant culture (e.g., knowledge of ‘high culture,’ ability to use formal language)

2. Language Codes (Bernstein) – Middle-class children use elaborated code (complex, detailed speech), which schools favor. Working-class children often use restricted code (simpler, context-based speech), which puts them at a disadvantage.

How It Links

Class affects material (e.g., poverty, resources) and cultural (e.g., values, language) factors in education. Working-class students face barriers, making meritocracy less achievable.

Key Definitions:

• Cultural Capital – Non-financial assets (e.g., knowledge, skills, behaviors) that help in educational success.

• Material Deprivation – Lack of financial resources affecting educational success (e.g., poor housing, inability to afford books).

Gender and Educational Attainment

Key Ideas

1. Changing Aspirations (Sharpe) – Girls' ambitions have shifted from prioritising marriage (1970s) to focusing on careers (1990s+), leading to higher achievement in school.

2. Laddish Subcultures (Epstein) – Some boys reject schoolwork as ‘feminine’ and fear being labelled as ‘uncool’ if they try hard, contributing to their underachievement.

How It Links

Feminist movements, economic changes, and a decline in traditional male jobs have led to girls outperforming boys. However, boys still dominate top university courses in fields like STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Key Definitions:

• Feminization of Education – Schools emphasise behaviours (e.g., organisation, verbal skills) that favor girls over boys.

• Laddish Subculture – A culture among some boys that values ‘toughness’ and rejects academic achievement.

Ethnicity and Educational Attainment

Key Ideas

1. Institutional Racism (Gillborn) – Schools systematically disadvantage ethnic minority students through policies, teacher expectations, and curriculum bias.

2. Cultural Differences (Sewell) – Some ethnic minority groups, particularly Black Caribbean boys, develop anti-school subcultures due to racism and a lack of positive male role models.

How It Links

Ethnic minority students face both material (e.g., poverty) and cultural (e.g., language barriers, teacher expectations) barriers in education. However, some groups (e.g., Chinese, Indian) outperform white students, suggesting cultural factors play a role.

Key Definitions:

• Institutional Racism – Discrimination that is built into the structures of society, including schools.

• Ethnocentric Curriculum – A curriculum that priorities white, Eurocentric culture over other perspectives (e.g., history focusing on British achievements).