Role And Function Of Education Marxism

Question 1

What are the 4 roles and function of education according to Marxists?

Answer 1

1. Reproduces class inequality
2. Reproduces class inequality by reinforcing and rewarding the culture of the middle and upper classes
3. Legitimate class inequality through ideological control
4. Teach exploitable skills for the capitalist workforce

Question 2

Who said reproduces class inequality?

Answer 2

• Willis

Question 3

What did Willis say about reproduce class inequality?

Answer 3

• Willis study learning to labour found counter school culture amongst lads characterised by: rejection of academic success and qualifications, prioritising having a laugh, valuing masculinity associated with manual labour and resistance to school rules and authority
• study illustrates Marxist view that the role of education is to reproduce class inequality in the following ways: self sabotage of educational attainment, embracing working class identity, seeing through the myth of meritocracy and preparation for the capitalist workforce (in a negative sense); while Bowles and gintis argued that the hidden curriculum actively socialises students into obedient workers, Willis study shows a form of resistance that still resulted in the same outcome

Question 4

Who said reproduces class inequality by reinforcing and rewarding the culture of the middle and upper classes?

Answer 4

• Bourdieu

Question 5

What did Bourdieu say about reproduces class inequality but reinforcing and rewarding the culture of the middle and upper classes?

Answer 5

• theory of cultural capital offers significant perspective on how education system contributes to reproduction of class inequality
• rejected the idea of cultural deprivation which blames working class underachievement on their home background and instead argued that education system is biased towards culture of dominant classes
• cultural capital (knowledge, skills, tastes and behaviours valued by higher social classes constitute cultural capital transmitted through family), educational advantage (students who possess more cultural capital are at an advantage within education system), habitus (working class habitus might be less attuned to the academic environment and its demands compared to middle class habitus), social function of elimination (education system performs a social function of elimination) , legitimation of inequality (concluded that the real function of education is not to provide equal opportunities but to ensure a process of social reproduction)

Question 6

Who says legitimate class inequality through ideological control?

Answer 6

• Althusser

Question 7

What did Althusser say about legitimate class inequality through ideological control?

Answer 7

• education system plays a crucial role in legitimating class inequality through ideological control
• ruling class maintains its power by controlling people’s ideas and beliefs through what he terms ideological state apparatus
• education transmits capitalist ideology in two primary ways: teaching capitalism as normal and natural, making inequality appear fair and legitimate
• althussers perspective is that the education system functions as an ideological state apparatus that perpetuates class inequality by shaping students beliefs and values in ways that support the capitalist system

Question 8

Who says teach exploitable skills for the capitalist workforce?

Answer 8

• Bowles and gintis

Question 9

What did Bowles and gintis say about teach exploitable skills for the capitalist workforce?

Answer 9

• primary role of education in capitalist societies is social reproduction, ensures inequalities of the existing capitalist system are maintained across generations
• education system teaches exploitable skills and prepares students to become obedient workers for the capitalist workforce
• correspondence principle suggest the organisation and structure of schools closely mirror the organisation and structure of the capitalist workplace and operates through the hidden curriculum teaching discipline, hierarchy, competition, extrinsic rewards and fragmentation of knowledge which mirrors the nature of many jobs in the division of labour within capitalist production