Role Of Education : Functionalist

Question 1

Durkheim: Social solidarity

Answer 1

Society needs a sense of solidarity; its individual members must feel themselves to be part of a body or community.
— without social solidarity, co operation will be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires. 
— The education system helps to create this by transmitting societies culture from one generation to the next — Durkheim argues that the teaching of a country’s history instilled in children a sense of shared heritage and a commitment to the wider social group
— School also acts as a ‘society in miniature’ preparing us for life in wider society : at school and work we have to interact with others according to a survey impersonal rules that apply to everyone

Question 2

Durkheim : Specialist skills

Answer 2

Modern economies have a complex division of labour with the production of even a single item involves the cooperation of many different specialists.

— this promote social solidarity but for it to be successful each person must have the specialist knowledge and skills to perform their role, Durkheim argues education teaches individuals and knowledge and skills they need to play their part in the social division of labour.

Question 3

Parsons views

Answer 3

Parsons draws on many of Durkheims ideas, he sees the school as the ‘focal socialising agency’ in modern society, acting as a bridge between the family and wider society
— this bridge is needed because family and society operate on different principles.
— children need to learn a new way of living if they are to cope with the wider world

Question 4

Parsons : Meritocracy

Answer 4

Within the family the child is judged by particularistic standards, by contrast, school and wider society judges us all by the same universalistic and impersonal standards. 
— in society the same laws apply to everyone
— in school each pupil is judged against the same standards

In both school and wider society a persons status is largely achieved not ascribed.

In meritocracy, everyone is given an equal opportunity and individuals achieve awards through their own effort and ability. 

Question 5

Davis and Moore : role allocation

Answer 5

Functionalists argue that schools also perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles
— By assessing individuals attitudes and abilities school helps to allocate them to the job they are best suited to.
— Davis and Moore argue inequality is necessary to ensure that the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people

Question 6

Human capital

Answer 6

Blau and Duncan argue a modern economy depends for its prosperity on using human capital — its workers skills
— they argue a meritocratic education system does this best since it enables each person to be allocated to the job best suited to their abilities. 

Question 7

Evaluation

Answer 7

— neoliberals and the new right argue that the state education system fails to prepare young people adequately for work
— interactionist argue that functionalist have over-socialised view of people as mere puppets of society
— Tumin criticises Davis and Moore for putting forward a circular argument