Theories

Question 1

What is the key argument of marxists regarding education?

Answer 1

Education legitimises + reproduces social class inequalities, maintaining capitalism

Question 2

How does education socialise students, according to marxists?

Answer 2

Socialises students into their social class position, ensuring students accept and do not challenge capitalism

Question 3

What roles are WC students prepared for compared to MC, according to marxists. Give example jobs for each

Answer 3

WC - prepared for low paid, boring. repetitive jobs (e.g factory, retail)
MC - prepared for higher level + respectable jobs (e.g lawyer, doctor)

Question 4

What do marxists Bowles and Gintis argue the education system does for capitalism?

Answer 4

Maintains capitalism through the myth of meritocracy and the hidden curriculum

Question 5

What is the myth of meritocracy according to Bowles and Gintis?

Answer 5

The belief that education is fair and students have an equal chance of succeeding based on their abilities, which is false as success is determined by social class

Question 6

How does myth of meritocracy disadvantage WC?

Answer 6

WC more likely to fail/poor results because they’re materially deprived, but they believe this is their own fault rather than the systematic inequality

Question 7

What is the hidden curriculum in marxist theory?

Answer 7

Informal lessons taught that transmit the N+V of the ruling class to make students accept their place in capitalist society, preparing WC for low level future jobs

Question 8

Who argues about the hidden curriculum and myth of meritocracy?

Answer 8

Bowles and Gintis

Question 9

Give examples of the hidden curriculum

Answer 9

• Obedience
• Dealing with boredom
• Communicating to teachers/classmates

Question 10

What is the correspondence principle according to Bowles and Gintis?

Answer 10

Schools mirror work to prepare students for future roles in capitalist workplace

Question 11

How does the education system support inequalities in society?

Answer 11

the education system makes educatuon seem fair by convincing WC that their failures are due to their own lack of ability.

This hides the fact that the system itself is unfair, preventing students from challenging capitalism

Question 12

Who developed the correspondence principle?

Answer 12

Bowles and Gintis

Question 13

Name two parallels between the workplace and school.

Answer 13

Hierarchies: Headteacher + Boss
Rewards: High grades + Promotions

Question 14

Which sociologist says education reproduces the class structure and reflects the dominant class’ (MC) habitus?

Answer 14

Marxist Bordieu

Question 15

What is ‘habitus’ according to Bourdieu?

Answer 15

A cultural framework and set of ideas of a social class influencing their tastes and choices

Question 16

How does the dominant class impact education according to marxist Bourdieu?

Answer 16

By imposing its habitus, which gives its members an advantage in the education system

Question 17

What is symbolic capital? Which class has this?

Answer 17

Status and recognition that the MC gain as they’ve been socialised at home into MC values and ideas

Question 18

What is symbolic violence? Which class faces this?

Answer 18

The devaluation of the WC culture, seeing them as inferior and forcing them to adopt to MC values

Question 19

How does symbolic violence affect WC students/

Answer 19

Causes them to drop out/not go to university due to feeling uncomfortable leading to only getting low status jobs = reproducing class structure

Question 20

What is Althussers view on education?

Answer 20

Education is part of the ideological state apparatus, which promotes ruling class beliefs and maintains social class inequality

Question 21

What is ‘false class consciousness’ and who says this?

Answer 21

Althusser says the WC don’t recognise their exploitation and believe the capitalist system is meritocratic and fair.

Education misleads students into believing their lack of success is due to personal failings rather than systematic inequality

Question 22

According to Althusser how do institutions like schools help maintain control in society?

Answer 22

Institutions like schools spread ruling class ideology, reinforcing these beliefs for social control

Question 23

How does the educational ISA contribute to the maintenance of class inequality? Give examples

Answer 23

By teaching students to accept and internalise capitalist N+V’s, such as obedience and meritocratic ideal

Question 24

Who is Willis and what is his view on education

Answer 24

Willlis = neo-marxist
Argues students aren’t always passive, some rebel against the system

Question 25

What did Willis find in his study of the WC boys ‘the lads’

Answer 25

the lads formed an anti-school subculture, rejecting school values and engaging in disruptive behaviour

Question 26

What was the outcome of the lads who rejected school according to Willis?

Answer 26

They ended up in low paid low skilled jobs due to failures in exams, showing that rejection of schools still leads to exploitation

Question 27

How do functionalists evaluate on marxist views?

Answer 27

Schooling provides positive values and benefits all students, supporting societal stability

Question 28

What is the functionalist view on meritocracy?

Answer 28

Believe success is based off individual effort, education is meritocratic

Question 29

Critique: Althusser’s ideas are too d_______ …..

Answer 29

Althusser’s ideas are too deterministic. not all students are passive and often challenge authority about school rules

Question 30

What do postmodernists critique about marxist views?

Answer 30

Marxist views are outdated and education now fosters diverse skills for a post modern, specialised society

Question 31

What is the feminist critique of marxist views

Answer 31

Education reproduces patriarchal ideology, with gender inequalities evident in higher number of male headteachers compared to female teachers