theory Flashcards
Blau and Duncan (1978)
human capital is necessary for modern capitalist states to prosper
a meritocratic education system enables each person to be allocated to the best job suited to their abilities
we make effective use of talents to maximise profits
Davis and Moore (1945)
role allocation - education helps to match individuals to the job they are best suited
organic analogy
institutions act as organs working together/ relying on each other
macro theory
belief that institutions directly impact individuals
consensus
institutions have a positive affect on society
Durkheim function of education
main function of education = solidarity and skills
creating social solidarity
teaching specialist skills
functionalist evaluation
marxists have a problem with the idea that ‘norms’ and ‘values’ are being promoted in schools to create social solidarity
teaches us to conform - become robotic members of society
Parsons
education acts as a bridge between home life and work life
‘marketisation’
advertising/ selling the 'product' (school) to a particular market (parents) through things like open days league tables (progress 8) photos and website prospectus off-stead specialist schools
cream skimming and silt shifting
schools pick the students they believe will achieve the highest grades (generally MC white) and discard the others
evaluation of marketisation
A-C economy
educational triage - setting and streaming
cream skimming and silt shifting
role of the state - Althusser
the state contains elements which serve to keep the bourgeoisie in power
the ISA and the RSA
RSA repressive state apparatus
maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by force of threat
physical force may be used to repress the WC
e.g police, army
ISA ideological state apparatus
maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by controlling peoples ideas, values and beliefs
e.g the church
marxist functions of education
reproducing class inequality legitimising class inequality
reproducing class inequality
passes on that capitalism is right
continues the underachievement of the WC
results in streaming and labelling
legitimising class inequalities
justifies class inequality by blaming failure on students ability (meritocracy) and emphasises fairness at school
Bowles and Gintis case study
schools try to create robotic obedient students preparing them to be submissive compliant workers
negative from marxist viewpoint everyones taught the same norms and values - no one disagrees with the system and people won’t challenge capitalism
Bowles and Gintis = correspondence principle
correspondence principle takes place through ‘the hidden curriculum’ (all the ‘lessons’ that are learnt in school without them being directly taught - rules and norms you learn)
AO3 - functionalists with these morals society would crumble
Bowles and Gintis
argue that meritocracy doesn’t exist because the education system prepares you for work and creates failure to fill the lower skilled jobs
functionalist evaluation
interactionalists argue this theory on the role of education is deterministic and ignores free will
the new right perspective
they favour the marketisation of education because the state cannot meet peoples needs and that people are best left alone to meet their own needs in the free market
the state education system takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach imposing uniformity disregarding local needs
Chub and Moe
each family should have a voucher to spend on buying education at the school of their choice
this would make schools compete and would improve quality
