functionalists

• durkheim- 3 functions of education

  -teaches co-operation

  -encourage a sense of social solidarity/social glue (america)

  -teach societies norms and values
• Parsons 5 functions of education

  -bridges gap between work and home

  -selection process

  -secondary socialisation

  -reinforces value consensus

  -has universalistic standards
• Davis&Moore

  -inequality is necessary to ensure most important jobs go to most talented people

  -well paid jobs encourage competition

  -education is where individuals show what they can do
• Blau&Duncan


  for any modern economy to thrive it needs human capital
• critique of functionalist perspective

  -schools teach ruling class norms and values

  -education is not meritocratic-sets and banding