marxist perspective on education

Question 1

althusser

Answer 1

education is part of the ideolgical state aparatus used to maintain the rulling classes’ dominant place is society. this is achieved by:

• reproducing class inequality by transmitting the ruling class ideology from generation to generation by. failing each generation of working class pupils leading them to becoming manual workers
• legitismises class ineqaulty by persuasing pupils that ineqaulity is inevitable and that they deserve their suborniante class in society as hierarchy is natural. making them less likely to uprise against capitalsim

Question 2

criticsm of althusser

Answer 2

durkheim argues that instead of teaching norms and values that protect capitalism education system

it teaches norms and values which creates a vlaue concnecus over the whole population which has a postivve effect at creating social soldiarity and a sense of togetherness keep society functioning nad wokring together as an oranic organism

Question 3

correspondance principle

Answer 3

bowles and gintis found in thier study of schooling in captialist america that the traits that benefit capitalism are rewarded in school

they beleive that school marks the ‘long shadow of work’ mirroring the workplace from hierarhcy to subserviance and hard work which then perpares students to fit in and feel comfortable in the workplace

Question 4

criticsm of the correspondance principle

Answer 4

post modernists argue that we are now in a post-fordist society. and that our workforce no longer respebles and assembly line but is now instead fragmented and diversitifed it no longer respebles hierahcy therfore schools no longer repoduse this but repoduced creativity to fit the new work style

Question 5

hidden cirriculum

Answer 5

bowles and gintis argue that the traits neeceary for workers are taught in school through a hidden cirriculum of ‘life lessons’ which are taught non explicitly ex thouhg everyday workings of the school like compeition and working for rewards

Question 6

example of hidden cirriculum

Answer 6

cohen
argues youth trainign schemes dont provide people with jenuine job skills but rather the attitdues and values needed to be subordinate in the workforce by lowering aspriations sp they accept low pay

Question 7

myth of meritocracy

Answer 7

bowles and gintis argue that the myth of meritocracy is used to make workers believe that they are ona. level playing feild and those who wokr the hardest get the higher places in society

this legistimises class inequality as workers who are exploited are led to beleive that theire low place in society is warranted by the fact that they didnt work hard enough so they dont uprise

when in reality working and rulling classes dont have the same opportunites to succseed

Question 8

crticisms of the myth of meritocracy

Answer 8

parsons argues that life is meritocratic and meritocracy is neccecary for role allocation ot make sure the most capable people are doing the hardest jobs to keep society running as it is meant to

Question 9

feinstein evidence of myth of meriotracy

Answer 9

found that by 2 years olf people alreay y have different cognaite ability therfore there is no such thing as a level playing field

Question 10

willi’s lads

Answer 10

neo marxist study crticises bowles and giniti’s ideas that all pupilsa re clam and dosile and acept the authority
the lads created a counter school subculture and rebelled against the school and its values which is the opposite of subserviance