2. The Real Role of Education for Society - Marxist perspective Flashcards
What is the Marxist view on education?
Education is a key institution that serves the needs of the ruling class
What do Marxists see education as a form of?
Form of social control - young people are encouraged to conform and accept their social position
Where should working class children/middle class end up?
Working-class children to do working class jobs, middle class children to take positions of power
What does the meritocratic education system make out?
Those who fail in education do so because of their lack of ability or effort and only have themselves to blame
Whose Theory is the class reproduction theory?
Louis Althusser
What did Althusser believe was reproduced in education?
-An efficient and obedient labor force
-Necessary skills for a capitalist economy
-Workers who accept their position in society without question
Define false class consciousness
Acceptance of your social position through failure to recognize what is and is not in your best interests.
What was in order to stop working class rebellion?
WC need to assume the ruling class way is the only way it can be
What is the ideological state apparatus main function?
Main function is to pass on the dominant ideology of the ruling class.
Whose theory is cultural reproduction?
Pierre Bourdieu
Bourdieu - What are his 3 main concepts?
-Habitus
-Field
-Capital
Define Habitus
Habitus is your understanding of life. Your ‘norm’ and ‘what is natural to you’
Define field
Life is a game with different fields, each field has its own set of rules
Bourdieu - What are the 3 capitals?
-Cultural capital
-Social capital
-Economic capital
Define Cultural capital
Your social resources - your understanding of life, norms and values and experiences. The skills your equipped with during socialisation
Define Social capital
Family connections. Your social network.
Define economic capital
Financial resources - having plenty of money brings more choices and opportunities. Housing, education, food, cars. Wealth is usually associated with power
What does Pierre argue Habitus, field, cultural, social and economic capital leads to?
Bourdieu argues these lead to the reproduction of class inequalities,
Bourdieu - What does the education system devalue?
Working class skills, knowledge, ways of speaking and behaving are devalued by the education system, giving them less chance of success
What does Illich argue?
Schools are repressive institutions
Why does Illich argue schools are repressive institutions?
-They promote conformity, acceptance of inequalities
-Do not encourage critical, independent through
-Reward those who accept the school regime
-Put barriers in the way of those who do not conform
What does Illich mean by wanting to see schools abolished
De-schooling
Why does Freire see schools as repressive?
Learners are conditioned to accept oppressive relations of domination and subordination - obey teachers and accept superior knowledge.
What do Bowles and Gintis argue schools do?
Schools mirror the world of work in order to prepare pupils for manual labor.
What do Bowles and Gintis say the world of work casts?
The world of work casts a long shadow over education - the hidden curriculum corresponds with features of the work place (correspondence theory)
What else do Bowles and Gintis criticize education for?
Bowles and Gintis also criticise education for legitimising inequality
Criticisms of the marxist approach:
What do Marxists emphasise?
Marxists emphasize class inequality in education and pay no attention to inequality based on gender or ethnicity
Criticisms of the marxist approach:
What does much work now require?
Believes much work now requires teamwork rather than obedience and authority
Criticisms of the marxist approach:
What does Willis believe about the hidden curriculum?
Willis believes the hidden curriculum is not always accepted and debates whether education is really constructed by the ruling class
What does Henry Gilroux believe pupils actively shape?
WC pupils actively shape their own education and often resist discipline imposed on them by school
Paul Willis - What idea was he trying to challenge?
Challenging the marxist idea that working class pupils submit to the power of the hidden curriculum
What did Willis do in his research?
He conducted his study using interviews and observations in school.
The ‘lads’ saw themselves as superior to teachers who they called ‘ear’ ‘oles’ - they weren’t interested in academic qualifications
Paul Willis - What was the ‘lads’ aim
aim was to do as little work as possible while ‘having a laff’ through bad behaviour
Paul Willis - What was their behavior classed as?
Their anti-school culture was sexist and racist
Paul Willis - What happened when Willis followed the ‘lads’ into their jobs?
Their jobs were unskilled manual jobs in factories
Define shop floor culture/ counter-school culture
Involves lack of respect for authority and ‘having a naff’ to cope with boring work
Paul Willis - What was the outcome of the ‘lads’ rejecting aspects of ruling class ideology?
Although the ‘lads’ rejected ruling class ideology their rebellion against school meant they still ended up reproducing class inequality since they moved on to working class jobs
What is the myth or meritocracy
Those who fail is due to lack of effort and have themselves to blame and ignore middle class advantage
