Sociological Perspectives On The Role Of Education In Society

Question 1

Who are the 2 sociologists for education from a functionalist perspective

Answer 1

-Durkheim
-parsons

Question 2

What are the 4 basic functions of education

Answer 2

-passing on society’s culture and building social solidarity
-providing a bridge between the particularistic values and ascribed status of the family and the universalistic values and achieved status of contemporary advanced society’s
-developing human capital
-selecting and allocating people for roles in a meritocratic society and legitimising social inequality (role allocation)

Question 3

How is society’s culture passed on and how does education build social solidarity?

Answer 3

-shared values are directly taught (overt curriculum) and indirectly taught (hidden curriculum)
-this creates social solidarity by giving them a value consensus and shard cultures

Question 4

How is a bridge between the particularistic values and ascribed status of the family and the universalistic values and achieved status of contemporary advanced societies achieved through education?

Answer 4

-Durkheim- schools are a small scale version of society as a whole
-parsons- secondary socialisation
-status is only ascribed as a child and not as an adult
-teachers mark essays on same criteria (universalistic values)
-places at university dependant on exam grades, not because they know someone who worked there

Question 5

How is human capital developed through education?

Answer 5

-Schultz theory of human capital- high levels of spending on education is justified as it provideds a capable, qualified and properly trained labour force, which is an important factor in a successful economy
-education system prepares the labour force

Question 6

How does eduction select and allocate people for roles in a Meritocratic society and legitimise social inequality?

Answer 6

-Davis + Moore role allocation
-education is a major method of role allocation through grading people through streaming and exam results
-in a meritocratic society access to jobs, money, status and power depend mainly on educational achievements
-inequalities in society are legitimised- those who succeed deserve their success, and those who fail only have themselves to blame