Marxism and education

Question 1

What does Althusser say about education?

Answer 1

Education performs ideological state apparatus, where the bourgeoisie uses the education system to control peoples ideas, values and beliefs

Question 2

What do Bowles and Gintis say about education?

Answer 2

1. Argue that education operates through the hidden curriculum, where students are prepared to become exploited workers, known as the correspondence principle
2. meritocracy is a myth, and educational institutions discriminate in favour of the middle class

Question 3

EVAL - postmodernists

Answer 3

See Bowles and Gintis’ approach as outdated, as today’s economy requires school to create a different workforce as the one they described

Question 4

EVAL - Willis

Answer 4

Rejects the idea that pupils are passive and are brainwashed into accepting their future

Question 5

EVAL - Torres

Answer 5

Critcises marxists for having a class first approach that ignores other forms of inequality