Functionalism And Education Questions

Question 1

Talcott Parsons: “education acts as a … between … values and … values”

Answer 1

• bridge
• particularistic
• universal

Question 2

Bowles and Gintis (1967); ‘Correspondence Theory’

Answer 2

• education produces a labour force for capitalism
• teaches qualities and skills needed for the workplace
• reproduces dynamic between workers and employer

Question 3

Davis and Moore

Answer 3

‘Role Allocation’:
- education/examination system “sifts and sorts” people into appropriate jobs; best candidates get skilled, high-paid jobs

Question 4

Bourdieu

Answer 4

‘Cultural Capital’

Question 5

Durkheim: “education is essential for … …”

Answer 5

Social cohesion

(Ties people to their culture)

Question 6

Patterson (1965)

Answer 6

‘Assimilation theory’:
- all cultures share norms and values
- minority ethnic groups should become ‘absorbed’ into mainstream British culture (“multi-culturalism”)

Footnote
(Education helps enforce this by instilling norms and values through positive and negative sanctions)

Question 7

What is ‘ethnocentrism’?

Answer 7

the belief that your own cultural or ethnic group is superior to other culture or ethnic groups

Question 8

Gillborn (2008)

Answer 8

‘Critical Race theory’:
- racism is a social construct
- racism is not individual bias, but a systemic and institutional challenge over time

Question 9

Roithmayr (2003)

Answer 9

Racism leads to “locked-in inequality” (critical race theory)