Functionalism and Education

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Functionalism and Education

• Durkheim

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Functionalist research into education has been
motivated by two main questions.

• 1. What are the functions of education for
  society as a whole?
• How does it fit in with the social solidarity of
  society as a whole?

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2.

• What is the functional relationship between
  education and other parts of the social system?
• This links to the relationship of education to
  the economic system and how this helps to
  integrate society as a whole.

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• Functionalism - as you would expect - focuses on
  the positive contributions that education makes
  to society.
• Here are some quotes

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• The function of education is to transmit
  societys norms and values - Emile Durkheim.
• Society can only survive if there exists among
  its members a sufficient degree of homogeneity
  education perpetuates and reinforces this
  homogeneity. Emile Durkheim.

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• It is by respecting the school rules that the
  child learns to respect rules in general.
  Emile Durkheim.

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Education is needed in a modern industrial society

• Because of the complex division of labour that
  such societies have.
• The skills needed for a specialised work-force
  cannot be taught by the family.
• The social solidarity of modern society is based
  upon the interdependence of specialised skills.
• Schools provide the homogeneity through the
  transmission of general values and also specific
  skills needed for co-operative behaviour.
• This is called unity based on value consensus
  e.g. rules on property rights and the promotion
  of a specialised labour market the members of
  which combine to produce goods and services.

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School serves as a function which cannot be
provided by peer group or by family.

• To have friends you make personal choice to
  belong to a family is based on kinship.
• Being a member of a society is based on neither
  of these principles.
• People in society need to co-operate with people
  who are neither their kin nor their friends.
• School provides the context by which these skills
  can be learnt.
• It is a society in miniature.
• Interaction is needed with other people following
  the rules of the institution.
• This is preparation for adult integration into
  full membership of society.

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Example but not followed by all American States
anymore

• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
  States of America. And to the Republic, for which
  it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible,
  with liberty and justice for all.

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Talcott Parsons 1902-1979

• Writing in the 1950s this functionalist
  sociologist has been the representative for
  education views.
• He argued that the school, after the family,
  takes on the role of the focal socialising
  agency.
• School acts as bridge between the family and
  society as a whole.
• In a family the child is judged against
  particular standards whereas in society the child
  is set against universalistic standards.

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and

• A childs status is ascribed in that it is fixed
  by birth in modern societies status is largely
  achieved.
• The usual example being occupational status.
• School begins this process by providing
  universalistic standards for children to achieve
  their status.
• Conduct is measured against school rules their
  achievement against performance in tests. This
  is applied to all regardless of background.
• This is referred to as a meritocracy - success is
  achieved through individual merit.
• This compares equally with Emile Durkheims view
  on the school being society in miniature.
• Industrial society rewards its people according
  to achievement rather than to an ascribed status.
  Achieved v. Ascribed status

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The Value System

• Schools socialise into the basic value of
  society. In the USA the two most important value
  that education instills is-
•    1. The value of achievement
•    2. The value of equal opportunities.
• This is important in an industrial society when a
  highly motivated achievement orientated workforce
  is required. Everybody perceives it as fair even
  the losers as it is based on meritocracy.
• How does this compare to the UK system?
• Are we at the same point or, moving towards it?
• Selection
• Parsons also identified education as a way
  towards selection of individuals for their future
  role in society. Human resources are allocated
  roles and therefore education is involved in role
  allocation - matching occupations to talents.

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Criticisms

• Do schools transmit values of society or the
  values of the ruling classes?
• Are schools truly meritocratic?
• Kingsley Davis W.E. Moore - role allocation
  1945 and 1967
• The education system sifts, sorts and grades
  individuals in terms of their talents and
  abilities - it rewards the most talented with
  occupations that are functionally more important
  in society.
• End