Marxist Perspective On The Role Of Education Flashcards
(9 cards)
What are the main ideas of Marxism?
-capitalism: society is capitalist as it’s divided into two unequal classes
-proletariat: working class who have no means of production and are forced to sells their labour
-bourgeoisie: the ruining class who owes the means of production and exploits the working class.
Who are the main Marxist sociologists?
-Althusser
-Bowles and Gintis
-Willis
What does Althusser believe ?
The ideological state apparatus.
The ruining class power is maintained through two complementary apparatuses:
-ideological state apparatus which is maintains the rule of the bourgeoisie by controlling people’s ideas, values and beliefs. Included religion and the media.
-repressive state apparatus which maintains the rule of the bourgeoisie by force or the threat of it. Includes police, courts and armed services.
Education is an example of ideological status apparatus since it passes 2 main ideas:
-that inequality is inevitable and it’s a normal part of society
-an individuals position is based on their ability and hard work so they deserve their position.
What do Bowles and Gintis say about the correspondence principle?
The role of education is to socialise students into conformity. The education system has close parallels to the workforce, arguing schools takes place in the shadow of work. The structures found in education mirrors the workforce. Examples of the correspondence principle is:
-respecting authority in schools is being polite to teachers and in the workplace is reposting their boss or manager.
-competition in schools is competing on sports or who gets the best grades and in the workplace is competing for promotions.
-punishments in schools are detentions or calls home in the workplace is formal warnings or dismissal.
What do Bowles and Gintis say about the myth of meritocracy?
Bowles and Gintis disagree with meritocracy as they believe the education system is a ‘giant myth making machine’ and a key myth is that society is meritocratic. It gives the illusion that everyone has an equal chance to do well, and this persuades the working class to accept inequality as inevitable and legitimate and not rebel. The education system actually judges pupils based on their family income and class and not education ability. Success is not based on what you know it’s who you know.
What does Willis study about leaning to labour?
Willis studied a group of 12 working lass boys during their last year and a half in school and their first few months at work. he conducted a series of interviews and observations within a school, with the aim of covering why working class kids get working class jobs. And so he identified two groups of pupils as the ‘lads’ and ‘ear’oles’.
Who were the lads in Willis study of learning to labour?
The lads were the working class boys who expressed a negative attitude to academic work and also showed strongly sexist and racist attitudes. They tried to drink and smoke to become a part of the adult world, the lads recognised that there was no such a thing as equal opportunity for them. No matter how hard they tried they still wouldn’t be as successful as middle class students.
Who were the ear’oles in Willis study of learning to labour?
They were the school conformists by the lads and were the complete opposite of them when it came to academic progress. They looked down on the lads as they were the children who followed the rules, respected teachers and committed to their education. The lads thought they were superior to the ear’oles because they thought that ear’oles were just wasting their time at school by not being able to have fun or be independent.
What was some findings and conclusions from Willis study?
He found a number of similarities between the attitudes and behaviours developed by the lads in school and those on a shop floor at work. The lads rejected school and mentally prepared themselves for a place in the workforce invariably at manual level. They learnt to put up with boredom and had a laugh to accept the labour and the low skill and low pay jobs.
