ROLE OF EDUCATION IN SOCIETY - MARXISTS Flashcards
What does Althusser say about ideological state apparatus?
State as the means by which the capitalist ruling class maintain their dominant position. Althusser argues that education both legitimises and reproduces class inequality.
What do Bowles and Gintis say about schooling in capitalist America?
Argue capitalism requires a workforce with the kind of attitudes, behaviour and personality-type suited to their role as alienated and exploited workers willing to accept hard work. Essentially reproduces an obedient workforce that will accept inequality as inevitable.
What is the correspondence principle and the hidden curriculum?
Bowles and Gintis - close parallels between schooling and work in capitalist society. The relationships and structures found in education mirror or correspond to those of work. Correspondence principle operates through the hidden curriculum - lessons in school that are learnt without being directly taught
What is the myth of meritocracy?
Marxists argue that the appearance of meritocracy is nothing but ideology. They argue that the proletariat are persuaded to believe that the rich and powerful reached their positions through their hard work and natural ability rather than because of their privileged birth because this led them to accept inequality as fair.
What does Willis say about learning to labour?
His studies show that working class pupils can resist such attempts to indoctrinate them. Willis is interested in the way schooling serves capitalism. Focuses on the meanings pupils give to their situatuon and how these enable them to resist indoctrination.
What is the lads’ counter-culture?
Willis - studied counter culture of ‘lads’ - a group of 12 working class boys as they make a transition from school to work. They form a distinct counter culture opposed to the school. They were stalked, kind of.
What is an evaluation of marxists view on the role of education in society?
Marxist approaches are useful in exposing the myth of meritocracy. Shows that the role of education plays a role in legitimising and reproducing class inequality. However, some reject the view that schools brainwash students, pupils may resist the school and yet this still leads them into working class jobs.
