Describe the Functionalist (Emile Durkheim), Conflict...

Describe the Functionalist, Conflict and Interactionist approach to the Socialization of Education. Education - A Functionalist Perspective Emile Durkheim proposed an explicitly functionalist explanation of the role of education in society. The major function/task of education was, according to Durkheim, the transmission of society s norms and values. Durkheim considered that all societies must have means of passing on their norms and values to the young. If they did not, they could not continue. Such transmission then is a functional prerequisite, and it is the educational system which has the job of carrying it out. Or at least this is so for modern industrial societies, says Durkheim. (In traditional societies - in pre-industrial†¦show more content†¦Indeed, the school is society in miniature; as such it demands that individuals follow rules of conduct so that the organization / school can continue to function and to carry out its responsibilities. Summary For Durkheim, modern education has two functions: - The MAJOR function is the transmission to the young of cultural norms and values. Here are included all manner of beliefs. - The teaching of skills so as to occupy a position in the modern division of labor. Education - A Conflict Perspective (Marxist) For Marxists, the analysis focuses upon the workings of the CAPITALIST economic system and the degree of conflict within society between social groups, notably between the ruling, capitalist class and the working class. The Education System is seen as a tool by which the working class are kept in their place, in a position of subservience, exploited and oppressed. They maintain that education reproduces the social class structure: or more simply education promotes the interests of a society s power elite and perpetuates a society s class divisions. They say this is accomplished by the Hidden Curriculum - where teachers insist on proper English and good manners from students with prosperous backgrounds because the teacher knows where they are headed. Lower status children are not encouraged to use these skills by the teachers and are destined for low status positions. Therefore they are blocked from higher education. Education - The InteractionistShow MoreRelatedEssay about Structural-Functionalism and Conflict Theory2741 Words   |  11 Pagesperspectives: the structural-functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the symbolic interactionist perspective. Each perspective offers a variety of explanations about the causes of and possible solutions for social problems (Rubington Weinberg, 1995). Structural-Functionalist Perspective The structural-functionalist perspective is largely based on the works of Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton. According to structural-functionalist, society is a systemRead MoreThe Importance of Demography to Development11868 Words   |  48 Pagesstudy of social interactions. It is a relatively new academic discipline which evolved in the early 19th century. Because sociology is such a broad discipline, it can be difficult to define, even for professional sociologists. One useful way to describe the discipline is as a cluster of sub-fields that examine different dimensions of society. For example, social stratification studies inequality and class structure; demography studies changes in a population size or type; criminology examines criminalRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesand Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of work that today qualify as constituting the subject of organisational theory. Whilst their writing is accessible and engaging, their approach is scholarly and serious. It is so easy for students (and indeed others who should know better) to trivialize this very problematic and challenging subject. This is not the case with the present book. This is a book that deserves to achieve a wide