Role of Education - Marxism and Functionalism Flashcards
Which functionalist sees school as a “society in miniature”?
Durkheim
What does Durkheim believe schools prepare students for?
Wider society
Which Marxists believe that education prepares students for the workplace?
Bowles and Gintis
How can Durkheim’s beliefs of schools preparing everyone for wider society contrast with Marxist arguments?
Marxists argue education in capitalist society only transmits ideologies of the bourgeoise which doesn’t prepare everyone
What do feminists such as McDonald believe that Bowles and Gintis ignore?
Fact that schools reproduce patriarchy
In what concept does Durkheim state that school is ‘society in miniature’?
Concept of social solidarity
Social solidarity (Durkheim)
Everyone in society needs to feel like part of a community and school helps this by acting as a ‘society in miniature’
Which functionalists believe education is a device for selection and roll allocation?
Davis and Moore
Why do Davis and Moore believe inequality is necessary?
So the most talented people get the most important jobs
Which Marxist believes that education legitimises class inequality?
Althusser
According to Althusser, how does the education system legitimise class inequality?
By saying that it’s inevitable
What do Davis and Moore believe the education system acts as for ability?
Acts as a proving ground for ability
What is inequality in school based on according to Davis and Moore?
Intelligence and hard work
What does legitimises mean?
Justifies
Quote from Bourdieu (Marxist) about class inequality
“Education system legitimises and reproduces class inequalities”
What does the education system legitimising class inequality mean?
It means the education system justifies reasons for people being in the positions they are in
Why does Tumin criticise Davis and Moore?
He criticises them for putting forward a circular argument of jobs are important because they are highly rewarded and jobs are highly rewarded because they are important
How do Postmodernists criticise the Marxist view of inequality?
They argue that education reproduces diversity instead of inequality and that the view is outdated because schools encourage self-motivation and creativity rather than alienation
What does Althusser believe the education system is?
An ISA (Ideological state apparatus) concerned with passing on beliefs and values of Bourgeoise
Davis and Moore’s concept of role allocation
Schools select and allocate roles of students in workforce
What does Durkheim argue that the education system teaches?
Specialist skills needed to play a role in the social division of labour
What does Bowles and Gintis’ concept of the ‘correspondence principle’ show?
It shows how aspects of school are mirrored in the workplace
Examples from ‘correspondence principle’
School and workforce have a hierarchy
Privileges given to people who have been there for long
Extrinsic satisfaction (rewards external to work itself). Schools - good grades rather than interest in subject. Workplace - Pay rather than purpose
How can Durkheim’s view of the education system teaching specialist skills be criticised?
It can be seen as incorrect as curriculum isn’t catered for specific jobs
Criticisms of ‘correspondence principle’
Bowles and Gintis conducted their research in 1976 so one could argue that it was more applicable to workplace at the time then in the present day. Factories were most common workplace in 1970s and in the present day the workplace has been modernised and it very different.
What do functionalists see as education success equally?
IQ + effort = success
