Sociology paper 1

• Functionalist theory is the idea that society has different parts, all working together like a machine.
• Functionalist theory


  Structural theory that believes society is based on a value consensus into which society socialises its members, enabling social harmony and social solidarity
• Functionalist view of education

  • Education is part of the organic analogy - without it society would collapse
  • Ignores inequalities in society and meritocracy is a myth
• Durkheim's view of education

  Education promotes feelings of belonging and togetherness between pupils, creating social solidarity by transmitting society's culture from one generation to the next
• Durkheim's view of education


  The school acts as society in miniature and teaches us to interact with other members of the school, preparing us to interact with members of society as an adult
• Durkheim's view of education


  The national curriculum promotes social solidarity through the teaching of subjects like history and English, instilling a sense of shared heritage
• Some pupils may see the education system as ethnocentric and whitewashed, giving priority to white culture, causing division as not everyone will feel a sense of togetherness due to some bad parts of history being taught in the curriculum such as the Slave trade
• There was the banning of non-British authors from the curriculum
• Durkheim's view of education

  Education system teaches children specialist skills needed for the modern economy, enabling them to take their place in the division of labour
• Postmodernists would disagree with Durkheim's view that the education system is needed to teach specialist skills as it is outdated and now education is flexible and can be accessed throughout life
• Parsons' view of education


  School is used as secondary socialisation, a bridge between the family and society, getting children used to the meritocratic society
• In the home, status is ascribed as it is fixed by birth, whereas in society status is achieved based on one's own ability and effort</b>
• School bridges this gap as like society it judges everyone by the same universalistic values whereby all students sit the same exams and are judged by the same criteria
• Meritocracy is evident in the education system as there is an equality of educational opportunity where every child regardless of their background has equal chances to succeed because of this universalistic value
• The new right would criticise Parsons as outdated and lacking contemporary relevance as it was found by the Wolf review 2011 that the education system is now failing to prepare pupils for work
• Davis and Moore's view of education

  The education system sifts and sorts pupils into their suitable future work roles in a meritocratic society, selecting the most talented and qualified for the most important and rewarding jobs
• Inequality of rewards ensures that the most talented end up in the most functionally important jobs, and success is seen as deserved
• Marxists point out that meritocracy is a myth as bourgeois students have access to private education which gives them a head start that proletariat students don't have, and higher paying jobs require higher requirements so there isn't equal opportunity
• New Right perspective on education

  They believe some people are naturally more talented than others and we live in a meritocratic society, but the current education system is failing to achieve these goals because it is run by the state
• Chubb and Moe's view

  State education is failing as it lacks competition, and a market system should be introduced with a voucher system giving parents choice and competition between providers (schools) to raise standards
• Gewirtz argues that parentocracy is a myth as marketisation advantages middle class parents who have the economic and cultural capital to make informed choices, while working class parents lack these resources
• Marxist perspective on education

  They acknowledge the class inequality in society and view education as an ideological tool to keep the proletariat passive while the bourgeoisie exploits them
• Marxists are criticised for being gender blind and often ignoring free will
• Althusser's view of education

  Education is a form of social control transmitting the ideology that capitalism is just and reasonable in order to keep people passive, giving them a false class consciousness so they don't rebel
• Interactionists would criticise Marxists for ignoring the free will that working class students have, and the fact that some students do rebel against working towards good grades and competing against each other
• Bowles and Gintis' view


  The education system socialises pupils into accepting the idea of meritocracy when in reality it's a myth, as a person's class determines how well they do in education
• Functionalists disagree, stating that meritocracy does indeed exist in the UK as there is a universalistic value whereby all children have access to education, sit the same exams and are judged by the same criteria
• Bowles and Gintis' view


  The education system delivers skills that prepare pupils for the capitalist workplace, mirroring the hierarchy, competition and obedience required in the workplace
• Postmodernists see this approach as outdated as today's society requires creative workers to meet the needs of post-Fordism and serve the global marketplace, with much work requiring teamwork rather than obedience to authority
• Marxist view


  The education system sifts and sorts pupils into sets and careers based on class status rather than ability, preparing working class pupils for working class jobs and middle class pupils for high status careers
• Willis' study of 12 working class boys demonstrated that they were set up to fail and pursue a life of manual labour, although they resisted the curriculum by joining anti-school subcultures
• Willis is criticised for romanticising the boys' failure, refusing to acknowledge that they contributed to their own failure, and there is evidence of working class pupils performing highly in education and pursuing high status job roles
• Tripartite system under Conservative government in the 1940s


  Secondary education was made compulsory and free for all pupils until age 15, with a system of Grammar schools, Technical schools, and Secondary modern schools based on 11+ exam results
• Functionalists viewed this as achieving equal opportunities as all sat the same exam to get in, allowing social mobility for working class students who got in
• The 11+ exam was culturally biased and disadvantaged girls, reproducing class and gender inequality
• Comprehensive system under Labour government in the 1960s


  All forms of education are taught in the same school with more of a mix of social class and abilities, and no entrance examination
• Functionalists viewed this as achieving more equal opportunities as it gives pupils a longer period to develop and show their abilities
• Bowles and Gintis argue that this still isn't meritocratic as it still reproduces class inequality through streaming and labelling which deny working class children equal opportunity
• Education Reform Act 1988 under Conservatives


  Aimed to raise standards by increasing competition between schools, giving parents more choice to find a school that is right for their child
• League tables


  Rank schools on % of pupils obtaining 5 GCSE grades at A*-C, with higher-performing schools being more attractive and in demand