functionalists

• education is a vital institution society
• ed. contributes to social solidarity
• murdock - education has 4 functions
• 1. durkheim - secondary socialisation passes on shared norms and values
• 2. durkheim - ed. trains and qualifies for the future work force

  • fragmented division of labour = jobs divided into different skills
  • fragmented curriculum = different subjects teach different skills
• 3. parsons - ed. acts as a bridge between home and wider society

  • in home - treated with particular values
  • in wider society - treated with universal values

  ed. acts as a mini society
• 4. davis & moore - role allocation and legitimisation of inequalities through meritocracy

  ed. sorts people into best suited roles in society - creates inequalities, but is fair as ed. is meritocratic

  ed. acts as a sieve by sorting by skill and ability through tests