Sociology Education AQA Unit 2 & Research
Methods
1) ROLE OF EDUCATION & ECONOMY
CONSENSUS PERSPECTIVES (FUNCTIONALISTS – EMILE DURKHEIM)
1) teaches skills needed in work and economy 2) sifts and sorts people into
their appropriate job roles - allocation 3) plays a part in secondary socialisation
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Positive aspects of school going,Durkheim noted the importance of education in preventing anomie (state
of chaos) also emphasized the role of subjects such as History for teaching the students heritage, integration
and solidarity.
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Teaches children to interact outside their families. Durkheim said families use affective relationships
society is based in instrumental relationships. Children’s experiences with adults become increasingly
formal. Parsonsdeveloped this idea, saying children gain achieved status through education; also school rules
acclimatised children to universalistic standards. Parsons also argued that education instils values of competition,
equality and individualism. All help to function a capitalist society.
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES
(MARXISTS and FEMINISTS)
1) prepares children for work 2) justifies inequality 3)ruling class ideology that supports capitalism
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Education operates as an ideological tool, manipulating people to think certain ways to legitimise exploitation
by the ruling class and inequality.
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Schools render the proletariat passive and resigned to their fate. Louis Althusser argued that education
operates as an ideological apparatus, therefore hidden curriculum transmits values such as obedience and respect
for authority.
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Bowles and Gintis (1976) school mirrors the workplace (correspondence principle) prepares children to
fit with their exploited future by the proletariat. Use strict hierarchy, share the same values (punctuality), external
rewards (grades/money) and fragmentation and alienation in both (individuals are split by forms subjects etc)
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Feminists argue that education...