The New Right Flashcards
Who is the key New Right thinker?
Charles Murray
Why are The New Right described as ‘worried functionalists’ ?
They share the same ideals but worry the education system is not doing their job.
What are some key beliefs of TNR?
- Some people are more talented than others
- Education is meritocratic
- Education should socialise students into shared values and provide a sense of national identity
- The nuclear family is the best one
- Neoliberalism
What is neoliberalism?
The state should not intervene in society and allow more freedom. Encourages competition and more privatisation of state-run businesses.
What do NR thinkers say the role of education is?
Socialisation - shared national culture
Skills - skills for jobs so families are self reliant with men as primary earners equipped with education.
How is dependency culture continuing?
- The authorities assign students to schools and the state decides the curriculum.
- Regardless of grades, bad schools still stay open and are assigned students.
- A continuation of a lack of qualifications and skills from a ‘one size fits all’ curriculum.
What are the effects of state control?
Inefficiency, lack of business initiative, no reason to try and improve standards, not being held accountable to their consumers, dependency culture.
How can the effect of state control be criticised?
Functionalists believe schools perform all of its roles well and are overall more positive.
What is the ‘One size fits all’ curriculum?
Teaching a large group of people a national curriculum that does not meet individual and community needs as well as the needs of employers.
Who agrees with TNR worrying about the One size fits all curriculum?
Postmodernists agree that there should not be a definitive curriculum as the economy has changed therefore more creative and problem solving skills should be taught for modern jobs.
How do TNR plan to solve their problems?
Impose marketisation and make sure schools pass on a shared culture.
What is Marketisation?
Introducing competition structure giving schools incentives to improve.
What are two examples of marketisation policies?
OFSTED ratings, League Tables
What is the shared culture TNR discuss?
Social Solidarity preventing social issues once they leave school (e.g reducing crime rates)
British Values
What did sociologists Chubb and Moe find?
Children from low income families who go to private schools perform 5% better because private schools have to answer to there consumers.
Marketisation should be introduced to improve standards of schools.
