Marxist Analysis of Education Flashcards
What approach to Marxists take to society?
Conflict approach
What do Bowles and Gintis say the role of the education system is?
To create an easily exploitable workforce
What is correspondence theory?
The similarities between pupils experiencing school to them eventually experiencing work
How does the school sanction system relate to work?
If you do lots of hard work then you get a reward. If you disobey then you will get a sanction
How is a hierarchy present in school similar to work?
Pupils obey teachers, similar to them eventually having to obey their managers
What are you taught to be motivated by in schools?
External rewards
What are external and internal rewards?
External rewards are possibly pay rises. Internal rewards are happiness
What is the hidden message in the education system?
To obey authority
What is the hidden message in the education system in terms of benefit to the ruling class?
A conformative work force is created, easy to exploit
What is the overall views of Marxists on Education?
Negative
What would Marxists say about Michaela Community School in terms of time efficiency?
They are taught this so that the ruling class can get as much work from them as possible
How would Marxists say the praising teachers activity in Michaela Community School is benefitting the ruling class?
It is veering these children away from negatively seeing the people with power over them and instead admiring them
What 2 types of apparatus are there in society?
Ideological State Apparatus, Repressive State Apparatus
Who created the concept of Ideological and Repressive state apparatus?
Althusser
What does the Education socialise students into?
Capitalism
What structure of society do Functionalists believe is present that Marxists would criticise?
Meritocracy
What is Ideological State Apparatus?
Institutions in society that spread ruling class norms and values and the necessity of conformity
What is Repressive State Apparatus?
Institutions in society that force you to conform if you go against the norms and values of society
Which Marxist Education Analyser says there is a capitalist hegemony?
Althusser
Who created ‘Correspondence theory’?
Bowles and Gintis
What is ‘Correspondence Theory’?
The idea that what is taught in school and how you are meant to act is similar to the workplace.
How do Marxists believe the ruling class norms and values are taught in schools?
Through the Hidden Curriculum
Who said that Meritocracy was a Myth?
Bowles and Gintis
What do Bowles and Gintis argue helps a child to succeed in Education and in Society?
Their material and Cultural capital
Which classes in society are more likely to have material and cultural capital?
Middle Class
What is Material Capital also known as?
Economic Capital
What does the myth of meritocracy mean for working class students when they fail?
They will believe that it is a personal failure of themselves
What 3 types of Capital are there?
Social Capital, Cultural Capital, Material Capital
Who created the concept of the 3 capitals someone has?
Bourdieu
What does it mean if a student has cultural capital?
They are more able to understand what a teacher is saying and understand lessons better so will be a higher achiever in the class
How does Bourne add on to Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital aspect?
Highlights the importance of parents’ education of children is what will help them to decide which norms and values to follow
Who did a study on an anti-school subculture?
Willis
How long did Willis study the “lads” for? At what places?
Final year of education, first 6 months of employment
What did Willis find “The Lads” did while in school?
They “had a laff” to pass the time when in school
Why did the boys “have a laff” in school?
So that they could develop skills to cope with the boredom of factory work
Why did the “lads” only aspire to get a job in a factory?
Because their dads had done the same job and they would just follow in their footsteps
What did Willis conclude with his study on “The Lads”?
The Education system was an inefficient agent of socialisation
How does Willis’ study show the reproduction of social inequalities?
The lads could not relate to middle class norms and values so failed to achieve things in school and eventually accepted their fate of being factory workers
What key term did Willis create for The Lads and the belief that they would only end up in low-status jobs?
Fatalism
Which social group did Archer study?
Working class pupils from different backgrounds who were unlikely to go on to higher education
How did the pupils in Archers study see their schools?
They saw them as schools in ‘rubbish’ areas
How did the working class pupils dress in school in Archer’s Study?
They often did not wear uniform
What did Archer find about the style of the working class youth?
It linked to their class identity
Why did the clothes worn by students in Archers study give them value?
It made them feel that they could resist the worthlessness of the area that they lived in and their attainment at their school
What did Archer find about why pupils felt worthless when in School?
They got poor exam results
What are the working class pupils doing to the education system in Archers study?
They are resisting its norms and values
What concept did Willis create which said that the lads knew they would fail anyway?
Fatalism
