functionalism Flashcards
social solidarity
durkeim
transmits cultural values and maintains value consensus - hidden curriculum to avoid anomie
society in miniature
eg assembly, sport teams, uniform
social solidarity criticisms
interactionists - over-socialised view - passively accepting rather than actively creating
marxists - ignores inequalities in society - culture and values passed on by ruling class
feminists - school passes on patriarchal views eg his story
school teaches specialist skills
modernist industrial economies have a complex division of labour
durkheim - vocational education provides skills
schools are essential as most parents do not have the skills to teach children
school teaches children to cooperate with people
school teaches specialist skills criticisms
wolf review of vocational education - doubts that education system teaches skills adequately - low quality and often don’t lead to good jobs
BTECs - reformed to make them more like alevels
content of what people learn in school often has very little to do directly with career
bridge between home and society
parsons - focal socialising agency
- secondary socisalisation
universalistic values rather than particularistic values
meritocratic
eg marking of essays, school day the same
bridge eval
marxism - no sense of universalistic values for lower class as not the same for them - upper class have advantage
feminism - no meritocracy or universalistic values and girls in disadvantages position
meritocracy and role allocation
davis and moore
social inequality necessary - allocation of appropriate jobs
fair system and equality of opportunity - fair chance of success - meritocracy
meritocracy eval
marxism - bowles and gintis - schools and society operate on myth of meritocracy - not based on universalistic values
ascribed status
also assuming everyone has the same equality of education
