PSE4801
Assignment 2
Detailed Answers
Due June 2025
,PSE4801
Assignment 2: Detailed Answers
Due June 2025
Chapter 1: Sociological Perspectives on Schooling
1.1 How does functionalism view schooling?
Functionalism, a macro-level sociological perspective, views schooling as a vital social
institution that contributes to the stability and smooth functioning of society (Durkheim,
1956; Parsons, 1959). From this perspective, education serves several key manifest
and latent functions.
Firstly, schooling is seen as a primary agent of socialisation, transmitting the dominant
norms, values, beliefs, and skills necessary for individuals to integrate into society and
perform their roles effectively. This includes teaching shared cultural heritage, promoting
social cohesion, and fostering a collective consciousness (Durkheim, 1956). Students
learn to conform to societal expectations, respect authority, and internalise the moral
fabric of their community.
Secondly, functionalism posits that schools prepare individuals for their future
occupational roles by sorting and selecting them based on their aptitudes and
achievements. This meritocratic process ensures that the most capable individuals are
allocated to the most important positions, thereby contributing to societal efficiency and
productivity (Parsons, 1959). Education, therefore, acts as a mechanism for social
placement and role allocation, ensuring that the right people fill the right jobs.
Thirdly, schooling fosters social integration by bringing together individuals from diverse
backgrounds and promoting a sense of shared identity and belonging. Through
participation in school activities, students learn to cooperate, compromise, and
appreciate different perspectives, which are crucial for maintaining social order
(Durkheim, 1956).
, However, a critical functionalist perspective acknowledges potential dysfunctions, such
as educational inequalities or the reproduction of existing social hierarchies, which can
impede social mobility for some groups. Nevertheless, the overarching view remains
that schooling is fundamentally a positive force, essential for societal equilibrium and
progress.
1.2 How does conflict (Marxist) theory view schooling?
Conflict theory, particularly its Marxist variant, offers a starkly contrasting perspective to
functionalism, viewing schooling not as a benign force for social good, but rather as an
institution that perpetuates and legitimises social inequality and serves the interests of
the ruling class (Bowles & Gintis, 1976). This macro-level approach emphasizes power
imbalances and economic determinism.
From a Marxist standpoint, the education system is part of the ideological
superstructure that reflects and reinforces the economic base of society, which is
capitalism. Schools are seen as instruments of social reproduction, replicating the class
structure by preparing working-class children for working-class jobs and middle-class
children for middle-class jobs (Bowles & Gintis, 1976). This is achieved through various
mechanisms, including the curriculum, disciplinary practices, and the hidden curriculum,
which instill values such as obedience, punctuality, and respect for authority – traits
deemed desirable for an amenable workforce.
Furthermore, schooling is viewed as a mechanism for the transmission of dominant
ideology. It propagates a capitalist worldview, naturalizing social inequalities and
presenting them as merit-based outcomes rather than products of systemic injustice.
This process, often referred to as cultural reproduction, ensures that the values, beliefs,
and knowledge of the dominant class are privileged, while the experiences and cultures
of subordinate groups are marginalized or devalued (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1990).
Ultimately, Marxist theory argues that schooling contributes to the maintenance of
capitalist relations of production by producing a disciplined and compliant workforce,
legitimising social stratification, and suppressing critical consciousness among the
working class. Education, therefore, is not an emancipatory force but rather a tool for
social control and the perpetuation of existing power structures.
Assignment 2
Detailed Answers
Due June 2025
,PSE4801
Assignment 2: Detailed Answers
Due June 2025
Chapter 1: Sociological Perspectives on Schooling
1.1 How does functionalism view schooling?
Functionalism, a macro-level sociological perspective, views schooling as a vital social
institution that contributes to the stability and smooth functioning of society (Durkheim,
1956; Parsons, 1959). From this perspective, education serves several key manifest
and latent functions.
Firstly, schooling is seen as a primary agent of socialisation, transmitting the dominant
norms, values, beliefs, and skills necessary for individuals to integrate into society and
perform their roles effectively. This includes teaching shared cultural heritage, promoting
social cohesion, and fostering a collective consciousness (Durkheim, 1956). Students
learn to conform to societal expectations, respect authority, and internalise the moral
fabric of their community.
Secondly, functionalism posits that schools prepare individuals for their future
occupational roles by sorting and selecting them based on their aptitudes and
achievements. This meritocratic process ensures that the most capable individuals are
allocated to the most important positions, thereby contributing to societal efficiency and
productivity (Parsons, 1959). Education, therefore, acts as a mechanism for social
placement and role allocation, ensuring that the right people fill the right jobs.
Thirdly, schooling fosters social integration by bringing together individuals from diverse
backgrounds and promoting a sense of shared identity and belonging. Through
participation in school activities, students learn to cooperate, compromise, and
appreciate different perspectives, which are crucial for maintaining social order
(Durkheim, 1956).
, However, a critical functionalist perspective acknowledges potential dysfunctions, such
as educational inequalities or the reproduction of existing social hierarchies, which can
impede social mobility for some groups. Nevertheless, the overarching view remains
that schooling is fundamentally a positive force, essential for societal equilibrium and
progress.
1.2 How does conflict (Marxist) theory view schooling?
Conflict theory, particularly its Marxist variant, offers a starkly contrasting perspective to
functionalism, viewing schooling not as a benign force for social good, but rather as an
institution that perpetuates and legitimises social inequality and serves the interests of
the ruling class (Bowles & Gintis, 1976). This macro-level approach emphasizes power
imbalances and economic determinism.
From a Marxist standpoint, the education system is part of the ideological
superstructure that reflects and reinforces the economic base of society, which is
capitalism. Schools are seen as instruments of social reproduction, replicating the class
structure by preparing working-class children for working-class jobs and middle-class
children for middle-class jobs (Bowles & Gintis, 1976). This is achieved through various
mechanisms, including the curriculum, disciplinary practices, and the hidden curriculum,
which instill values such as obedience, punctuality, and respect for authority – traits
deemed desirable for an amenable workforce.
Furthermore, schooling is viewed as a mechanism for the transmission of dominant
ideology. It propagates a capitalist worldview, naturalizing social inequalities and
presenting them as merit-based outcomes rather than products of systemic injustice.
This process, often referred to as cultural reproduction, ensures that the values, beliefs,
and knowledge of the dominant class are privileged, while the experiences and cultures
of subordinate groups are marginalized or devalued (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1990).
Ultimately, Marxist theory argues that schooling contributes to the maintenance of
capitalist relations of production by producing a disciplined and compliant workforce,
legitimising social stratification, and suppressing critical consciousness among the
working class. Education, therefore, is not an emancipatory force but rather a tool for
social control and the perpetuation of existing power structures.
