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Read this article about the conflict theory.

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Read this article about the conflict theory.

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Upon reading the provided article, what is your own understanding of Conflict Theory?

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Conflict Theory on Education | Introduction to Sociology

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Conflict theorists do not believe that public schools reduce social inequality through providing equal opportunity. Rather, they believe that the educational system reinforces and perpetuates social inequalities that arise from differences in class, gender, race, and ethnicity. Where functionalists…

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Listed below is a link about the Functionalist Perspective in Education. Read the article and answer the following question.

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Listed below is a link about the Functionalist Perspective in Education. Read the article and answer the following question.

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What are the types of functions discussed? Give one example of each of the functions.

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If you've come across functionalism before, you know the theory focuses on the positive functions social institutions like the family (or even crime) play in society. So, what do functionalists think about education?

In this explanation, we will study the functionalist theory of education in detail.

First, we will look at the definition of functionalism and its theory of education, as well as some examples.

We will then examine the key ideas of the functionalist theory of education.

We will move on to study the most influential theorists in functionalism, evaluating their theories.

Finally, we will go over the strengths and weaknesses of the functionalist theory of education overall.

The functionalist theory of education: definition

Before we see what functionalism thinks of education, let's remind ourselves what functionalism is as a theory.

The individual is not more important than the society or the organism; e ach part performs a vital role, a function, in maintaining balance and social equilibrium for the continuity of society.

Functionalists argue thateducation is an important social institution that helps meet the needs of society and maintain stability. We are all part of the same organism, and education performs the function of creating a sense of identity by teaching core values and allocating roles.

The functionalist theory of education: key ideas and examples

Now that we are familiar with the definition of functionalism and the functionalist theory of education, let's study some of its core ideas.

Education and value consensus

Functionalists believe that every prosperous and advanced society is based on a value consensus - a shared set of norms and values everyone agrees on and is expected to commit to and enforce. For functionalists, society is more important than the individual. Consensus values help establish a common identity and build unity, cooperation, and goals through moral education.

Functionalists examine social institutions in terms of the positive role they play in society as a whole. T hey believe education serves two main functions, which they call 'm

Manifest functions

Manifest functions are intended functions of policies, processes, social patterns, and actions. They are deliberately designed and stated. Manifest functions are what institutions are expected to provide and fulfil.

Examples of the manifest functions of education are:

Education is the main agent of secondary socialisation. I t teaches pupils how to behave, function, and navigate society. Pupils are taught age-appropriate topics and build their knowledge as they go through education. They learn and develop an understanding of their own identities and opinions and society's rules and norms, which are influenced by a value consensus.

Schools and other educational institutions are responsible for preparing people and sorting them for their future roles in society. Education allocates people to appropriate jobs based on how well they do academically and their talents. They are responsible for identifying the most qualified people for the top positions in society. This is also referred to as 's ocial placement'

Transmission of culture: Education transmits the norms and values of the dominant culture to pupils to mould them and help them assimilate into society and accept their roles.

Latent functions

Latent functions are policies, processes, social patterns, and actions that schools and educational institutions put in place that are not always obvious. Because of this, they might result in unintended but not always unanticipated consequences.

Some latent functions of education are as follows:

Establishing social networks: Secondary schools and higher education institutions gather together under one roof individuals of a similar age, social background, and sometimes race and ethnicity, depending on where they're located. Pupils are taught to connect with each other and build social contacts. T his helps them network for future roles. Forming peer groups also teaches them about friendships and relationships.

By law, children must be enrolled in education. They are required to stay in education until a specific age. B ecause of this, children cannot fully participate in the job market. In addition, they are required to pursue hobbies their parents and carers might want them to, which may at the same time distract them from engaging in crime and deviant behaviour. Restricting activities: Paul Willis (1997) argues that this is a form of working-class rebellion or anti-school subculture.

Key functionalist theorists

Let us look at a few names you will encounter in this field.

For French sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917), school was a 'society in miniature', and education provided children with necessary secondary socialisation. E ducation serves the needs of society by helping pupils develop and creating ' . Society is a source of morality, and so is education. Durkheim described as consisting of three elements: discipline attachment . Education aids in fostering these elements.

Social solidarity

Durkheim argued that society can only function and survive...

... if there exists amongst its members a sufficient degree of homogeneity". ¹

By this, he referred to cohesion, uniformity, and agreement between individuals in society to ensure order and stability. Individuals must feel themselves to be part of a single organism; without this, society would collapse.

Durkheim believed that pre-industrial societies had mechanical solidarity. Cohesion and integration came from people feeling and being connected through cultural ties, religion, work, educational achievements, and lifestyles. Industrial societies progress towards organic solidarity, which is cohesion based on people being dependent on each other and having similar values.

Teaching children helps them see themselves as part of the bigger picture. They learn how to be part of society, cooperate to achieve common goals, and let go of selfish or individualistic desires.

Education transmits shared moral and cultural values from one generation to the next, to help promote commitment between individuals.

History instils a sense of shared heritage and pride.

Education prepares people for the world of work.

School prepares pupils for life in wider society. Durkheim believed society requires a level of role differentiation because modern societies have complex divisions of labour. Industrial societies are based mainly on the interdependence of specialised skills and need workers who are able to carry out their roles.

Schools help pupils develop specialised skills and knowledge, so they can play their part in the division of labour.

Education teaches people that production requires cooperation between different specialists; everyone, no matter their level, must fulfil their roles.

David Hargreaves (1982) argues that the education system encourages individualism. Instead of seeing copying as a form of collaboration, individuals are punished and encouraged to compete with one another.

Postmodernists also believe the Durkheimian theory is outdated. Durkheim wrote that when there was a ' Fordist' economy , specialist skills were needed to sustain economic growth. Today's society is a lot more advanced, and the economy needs workers with flexible skills.

Marxists argue that the Durkheimian theory ignores the inequalities of power in society. They suggest schools teach pupils and students the values of the capitalist ruling class and do not serve the interests of the working class, or proletariat'

Like Marxists, f eminists argue there is no value consensus. Schools today still teach pupils patriarchal values; disadvantaging women and girls in society.

Parsons built on Durkheim's ideas, arguing that schools were agents of secondary Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) was an American sociologist. focal socialising agency' socialisation. He thought it was essential for children to learn societal norms and values, so they could function. Parson's theory considers education a ' , which acts as a bridge between the family and wider society, detaching children from their primary caregivers and family and training them to accept and successfully fit into their social roles.

According to Parsons, schools uphold universalistic standards, meaning they are objective - they judge and hold all pupils to the same standards. The judgments of educational institutions and teachers about pupils' abilities and talents are always fair, as opposed to the views of their parents and carers, which are always subjective. Parson referred to this as particularistic standards, where children are judged based on the criteria of their particular families.

Particularistic standards

Children are not judged by standards that can be applied to everyone in society. These standards are only applied within the family, where children are judged based on subjective factors, in turn, based on what the family values. Here, status is ascribed.

Ascribed statuses are social and cultural positions that are inherited and fixed at birth and unlikely to change.

Girls not being allowed to go to school in some communities because they view it as a waste of time and money.

Parents donating money to universities to guarantee their children a place.

Hereditary titles such as Duke, Earl, and Viscount that give people a significant amount of cultural capital. The children of nobility are able to acquire social and cultural knowledge that helps them advance in education.

Universalistic standards

Universalistic standards mean that everyone is judged by the same standards, regardless of family ties, class, race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. Here, status is achieved.

Achieved statuses are social and cultural positions that are earned based on skills, merit and talent, for instance:

Parsons argued that both the education system and society are based on ' meritocratic' principles is a system which expresses the idea that people should be rewarded based on their efforts and abilities.

The 'meritocratic principle' teaches pupils the value of equality of opportunity and encourages them to be self-motivated. Pupils gain recognition and status through their efforts and actions only. By testing them and evaluating their abilities and talents, schools match them to suitable jobs, while encouraging competition.

Those who do not do well academically will understand that their failure is their own doing because the system is fair and just.

Evaluating Parsons

They refer to it as the Marxists believe meritocracy plays an integral part in developing false class consciousness. myth of meritocracy because it persuades the proletariat to believe that the capitalist ruling class obtained their positions through hard work, and not because of their family ties, exploitation, and access to top educational institutions.

The criteria by which people are judged serve the dominant culture and class, and do not take into account human diversity.

Educational attainment is not always an indicator of what job or role someone might take up in society. English businessman Richard Branson performed poorly at school but is now a millionaire.

Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore

They developed a functionalist theory of social stratification, which views social inequalities as Davis and Moore (1945) added to both Durkheim's and Parsons' work. necessary for functional modern societies because it motivates people to work harder.

Davis and Moore believe meritocracy works because of competition. The most talented and qualified pupils are selected for the best roles. This does not necessarily mean they achieved their position because of their status; it is because they were the most determined and qualified. For Davis and Moore:

Individuals have to prove their worth and show what they can do because education sifts and sorts people according to their abilities.

High rewards compensate people. The longer someone remains in education, the more likely they are to get a well-paid job.

Inequality is a necessary evil. The tripartite system, a sorting system that allocated pupils into three different secondary schools (grammar schools, technical schools, and modern schools), was implemented by the Education Act (1944). The system was criticised for restricting the social mobility of working-class pupils. Functionalists would argue the system helps motivate working-class pupils placed in technical schools to work harder. Those who did not manage to climb the social ladder, or get better-paid jobs when they finished school, had not worked hard enough. I t was as simple as that.

Social mobility is the ability to change one's social position by being educated in a resource-rich environment, regardless of whether you come from a wealthy or deprived background.

Evaluating Davis and Moore

Differential achievement levels by class, race, ethnicity, and gender suggest that education is not meritocratic.

Functionalists suggest that pupils passively accept their role; anti-school subcultures reject the values taught in schools.

There is no strong correlation between academic achievement, financial gain, and social mobility. Social class, disability, race, ethnicity, and gender are major factors.

The education system is not neutral and equal opportunity does not exist. P upils are sifted and sorted based on characteristics such as income, ethnicity, and gender.

The theory supports the reproduction of inequality and blames marginalised groups for their own subjugation.

The functionalist theory of education: strengths and weaknesses

We have evaluated the key theorists who espouse the functionalist perspective of education above in detail. Let's now look at the general strengths and weaknesses of the functionalist theory of education overall.

Strengths of the functionalist view on education

It illustrates the significance of the educational system and the positive functions that schools often provide for their students.

There does appear to be a connection between education and economic growth, indicating that a strong educational system is advantageous to both the economy and society at large.

Low rates of expulsion and truancy imply that there is minimal overt opposition to education.

Some argue that schools do make an effort to promote "solidarity"-for instance, through teaching "British values" and PSHE sessions.

Contemporary education is more "work centred" and therefore more practical, with more vocational courses being offered.

Compared to the 19th century, education nowadays is more meritocratic (fairer).

Criticisms of the functionalist view on education

Marxists contend that the educational system is unequal since the wealthy benefit from private schools and the best teaching and resources.

Teaching a certain set of values excludes other communities and lifestyles.

The modern educational system places more emphasis on competitiveness and individualism, rather than on people's responsibilities to each other and society. In other words, it is less focused on solidarity.

Functionalism downplays the negative aspects of school, such as bullying, and the minority of students for whom it is ineffective, like those who are permanently excluded.

Postmodernists assert that "teaching to the test" undermines creativity and learning because it is focused entirely on scoring well.

It is argued that functionalism ignores issues of misogyny, racism, and classism in education because it is an elitist perspective and the educational system largely serves the elite.

Functionalist Theory of Education - Key takeaways

Functionalists argue that education is an important social institutionthat helps meet the needs of society and maintain stability.

Functionalists believe education serves manifest and latent functions, which help create social solidarity and are necessary for teaching essential workplace skills.

Key functionalist theorists include Durkheim, Parsons, Davis and Moore. They argue that education teaches social solidarity and specialist skills, and is a meritocratic institution that enables role allocation in society.

The functionalist theory of education has a number of strengths, mainly that modern education does serve a very important function in society, both for socialisation and the economy.

However, the functionalist theory of education has been criticised for, among others, obscuring inequality, privilege, and the negative parts of education, and focusing too much on competition.

References

Durkheim, É., (1956). EDUCATION AND SOCIOLOGY (Excerpts). [online] Available at: https://www.raggeduniversity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/education.pdf

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If you've come across functionalism before, you know the theory focuses on the positive functions social institutions like the family (or even crime) play in society. So, what do functionalists think about education? In this explanation, we will study the functionalist theory of education in detail.

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Read the article about the symbolic interactionism and answer the following question.

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Read the article about the symbolic interactionism and answer the following question.

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Upon reading the article, why is your interactions amongst your environment important to you as a student?

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University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition, 2015. This edition adapted from a work originally produced in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that it not receive attribution.

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11.2 Sociological Perspectives on Education – Social Problems

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The major sociological perspectives on education fall nicely into the functional, conflict, and symbolic interactionist approaches (Ballantine & Hammack, 2012). Table 11.1 “Theory Snapshot” summarizes what these approaches say.