Durkheim argues that education system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture- its shared belief and culture from one generation to next. He furthermore argues that education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play their part in the division of labour. Education is organised on meritocratic principles and rewards pupils’ ability, not their social background. However, functionalist perspective can be criticised as there does not always exist an equal opportunity in education. For example, achievement is greatly influenced by class background rather than ability.
Functionalism is a sociological theory society has certain basic needs the most important of which is social order. Without order society would fall apart. Functionalist Emile Durkheim argues that social solidarity and social unity is essential for the survival of society. Social solidarity is based on ‘essential similarities’ between members of society. According to Durkheim, one of the main functions of education is to develop these similarities to bind members of society together.
Education functions as a key mechanism which glues children together and helps them by giving them a value consensus through the “hidden curriculum”. Parsons describes education as a bridge between the families and adult roles of society. Although functionalists think that socialization is important, they also think that it’s not the only purpose of education. Education also teaches the right skills needed for work and sorts people for appropriate jobs. Functionalists think that education gives students an equal chance to get the qualifications for their future jobs and if they rather choose to mess about, the only person to blame for their failure is themselves.
Many sociologists have given alternate views about the main function of education. Functionalists argue that the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus – agreed social values – whereas Marxists argue that education transmits values that benefit the ruling class. Durkheim (1903), a functionalist, argues that society needs a sense of social solidarity because without it, social life and cooperation would be impossible as individuals would pursue their own selfish desires. The education system helps create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture from one generation to the next so the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society. However, Marxists criticise this and argue that education in capitalist society only transmits the ideology of the ruling class and not the shared values of society.
Some think it as promoting value consensus and some see otherwise. Functionalists believe that education transmits society's norms and values and therefore promotes value consensus, with the educational and economic system working hand in hand to develop the skills required for the world of work. Emile Durkheim provides the basic framework of the functionalists view on the education system, agreeing with its function of transmitting norms and values. He believed that for society to operate effectively they have to develop a sense of belonging to something, becoming 'social beings' with a loyalty and commitment to society as a whole. The education system creates this effectively by teaching subjects such as history, which enables children to see the link between themselves and wider society.
Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism are common theories. Using the family and education system as examples, evaluate their effectiveness in explaining the social system. In this assignment, I am going to explain the theories of Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism. I will give examples that expand the definitions and show that such ideologies still have an impact on the society we live in. Functionalism is a macro theory, which looks at society as a whole rather than focuses on each individual.
Education is also one of the main influences on role allocation within society; allocating people to the most appropriate jobs for their talent, using examinations and their results from these. Durkheim views the education system as an institution that can create social solidarity. This is done by teaching students about the common norms and values of the British culture through the national and hidden curriculum, this enables people to establish a common view on society as a whole, therefore, in theory, creating a more harmonic society. In addition to this, schools create a miniature society, teaching students to cooperate, follow rules and respect their seniors. Parson views the education system as being meritocratic, enabling everyone to have equal opportunities, and success being down to individual desire to succeed and ability.
For example, children are taught to conform by the family and education, which allows them to conform to the rules of wider society and become aware of what, is socially acceptable. Education also trains by teaching the skills needed for later life, for example punctuality, and interview skills. Unlike conflict structuralism, functionalists believe that society is based on merit, and those who work the hardest will be the ones to make it to the top, ensuring jobs are filled by those most capable, with the required skills. Those who don’t work, will stay at the bottom of the hierarchy, and carry out the more menial, but equally essential jobs. However not all functionalists see society exactly the same, as they have similar but different views towards it also functionalists are also externally criticised of their views of society as a functional unit.
An example of a value which is important to most of our society is going to school, going to church or volunteering. Functionalists see social structure or the organisation of society as more important than the individual itself. They say that people are born into society and become the product if all social influences around them because they’re socialised by different institutions such as family, education, media and religion. Sociologist Talcott Parsons sees society as a system that works together to keep things running smoothly just like the human body. Social consensus is a key belief of functionalism.
Assess the view that the education system exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles One perspective that supports this is the functionalist view that secondary socialisation prepares children for work later on in life. They believe secondary socialisation does this as in a school environment you learn the norms and values of authority figures, for example, the teachers. Functionalists therefore believe that this can then later be applied in the work place as the norms and values are carried on however the authority figure role changes from teacher to boss. Generally, the text implies that primary socialisation isn’t enough in preparation for a large-scale society. Education, a secondary agency of socialisation