Role of education - theoretical perspectives

• Durkheim - functionalism, value consensus


  • social solidarity - shared experiences

  • same basic education = equal opportunities

  • e.g. uniform, taught same curriculum

  • socialised into value consensus
• Critique: Durkheim - functionalism, value consensus


  • Marxists - argue that it is indoctrination into dominant ideology (capitalism), not socialisation

  • feminists argue it is indoctrination into patriarchy
• Parsons - functionalism


  • creates a bridge between home and society

  • school socialisation - moves from private sphere (ascribed status) to public sphere (achieved status)

  • meritocracy - everyone given equal opportunities, individuals achieve rewards through own effort and ability

  • taught achieved status: primary school = stickers as rewards, secondary school = exam results
• Critique: Parsons - functionalism

  • private school + inheritance - higher classes have more opportunities regardless of meritocracy/grades/working hard

  • Bowles + Gintis - myth of meritocracy - not everyone is equal due to inherited wealth + ascribed status
• Durkheim - functionalism, specialist skills


  • vocational education introduced by Margaret Thatcher

  • societal niches e.g. medical school

  • ensures individuals play their part in social division of labour with specialist skills

  • modern industrial economics requires people with specialised skills
• Critique: Durkheim - functionalism, specialist skills


  • educational inflation - people getting qualifications but there aren't enough jobs = skills might not be that useful

  • apprenticeship not funded properly

  • skills shortages: worsened by Brexit, e.g. builders, plumbers, carers
• Davis + Moore - functionalism, role allocation


  • fair inequality - given jobs based on ability and people accept that

  • social inequalities are necessary to ensure important roles are filled by most talented people e.g. surgeon, pilot
• Critique: Davis + Moore - functionalism, role allocation


  • Tumin - circular argument - how do we know that a job is more important? Because it is highly rewarded. Why are some jobs higher rewarded? Because they are more important

  • feminists - gender roles allocated e.g. girls netball, boys rugby

  • Marxists - capitalist biased towards U/C - glass ceiling: jobs that are traditional done by upper class get allocated to upper class: reinforces class divide
• Althusser - Marxism, ISA


  • education = most prominent ideological state apparatus

  • ruling class ideology passed through education

  • W/C forced to fail and take low status jobs

  • R/C 'go top of the pile' because of education - have the money/access to opportunities e.g. private school

  • Have cultural capital over W/C

  • Social class inequalities reproduced
• Critique: Althusser - Marxism, ISA


  • learn capitalist ideology through more than just education - family, media

  • theory suggests W/C are passive and can't do anything to control their fate

  • Willis - shows not all W/C are controlled by ISA - 'lads' anti-school subculture
• Bowles + Gintis - Marxism, hidden curriculum, correspondence principle