Topic 1 - Functionalism

• Who are the 4 main key theorists that look at the functionalist view?

  • Durkheim
  • Parsons
  • Davis and Moore
  • Schultz
• What are the 4 functions of education?

  • Passing on society's culture and building social solidarity
  • Providing a bridge between the particularistic values and the universalistic values
  • Role allocation on meritocracy
  • Developing human capital
• What are the views on functionalism?

  • Value consensus
  • Helps maintain social stability and harmony, leading to social cohesion
  • Sees the links between education and other institutions e.g family and the workplace
  • Education is an agency of socialisation (secondary)
  • Prepares young people for adulthood, improving their life such as life chances/upward social mobility
• Passing on society's culture and creating social solidarity

  • Functional prerequisites - passes on core values to society
  • Through the hidden curriculum (covert) and through the subjects at school (overt)
  • Teaches that it unites or 'glues' people together and builds social solidarity by shared values
• Providing a bridge between particularistic and universalistic values

  Durkheim

  • Schools are a 'society in miniature' (small scale version of society that prepares young people for life).

  Parsons

  • Provides the bridge between the particularistic values (family and the ascribed status) and the universalistic values (education and the achieved status)
  • sees education as a part of secondary socialisation, as the children grow older, the education system takes over.
• Developing human capital

  Schultz

  • High levels of spending on education/training to develop peoples skills which is seen as an important factor to the economy
  • This could lead to the expansion of schooling and provide a qualified training labour force which arises from the specialisation division of labour
  • Education system prepares children for the workalike to make sure that the most qualifies end up with the most responsibilities
• Role allocation for a meritocratic society

  Davis and Moore

  • The education system is selecting people for the job market, the most talented are allocated to the most important jobs
  • There is equality of opportunity - those who succeed deserve success, those who fail have themselves to blame