,HED4809 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025 - DUE
2025;100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Theoretical Perspectives on Social Inequality, Class, and Education
1. Introduction (10 marks)
Sociology offers various theoretical lenses through which the
structures, dynamics, and inequalities of society can be critically
analysed. Among the most influential are Conflict Theory,
Functionalism, and Marxist Theory, each providing a distinct
framework for understanding how education, social inequality, and
class intersect within modern society. These paradigms not only offer
theoretical insights but also serve as tools for evaluating the systems of
power, privilege, and opportunity that shape individuals' lives and life
chances.
Conflict Theory, rooted in the foundational work of Karl Marx and
extended by sociologists like Max Weber and C. Wright Mills, views
society as composed of groups in constant struggle for limited resources,
where power is unequally distributed and social structures serve
dominant interests (Giddens et al., 2017). According to this view,
inequality is not accidental but is systematically maintained by those in
positions of authority, particularly through institutions like education,
which legitimize existing hierarchies (Collins, 1979).
In contrast, Functionalism, associated with theorists such as Émile
Durkheim and Talcott Parsons, conceives of society as a stable,
orderly system composed of interdependent parts, each fulfilling a
function to maintain social equilibrium (Durkheim, 1956; Parsons,
1959). Education, from this perspective, plays a key role in social
integration, value transmission, and role allocation, ensuring that
individuals are prepared to contribute productively to society
(Haralambos & Holborn, 2013). However, this perspective has been
, critiqued for overlooking power relations and failing to explain
persistent structural inequalities such as poverty, racism, and class
oppression.
Marxist Theory, while closely aligned with Conflict Theory, goes
further by focusing specifically on economic power relations, the
capitalist mode of production, and how the ideology of the ruling
class is reproduced through institutions, particularly education (Marx &
Engels, 1848/2008). Marx argued that the base (economy) determines
the superstructure (institutions and culture), including schools, which
function as Ideological State Apparatuses (Althusser, 1971) to
maintain the dominance of the bourgeoisie. Education, thus, becomes a
site for class reproduction, rather than a vehicle for mobility.
These three theoretical frameworks are particularly relevant in today’s
context, where educational inequality, resource disparity, and class
stratification remain significant societal challenges. Global neoliberal
reforms, unequal access to quality education, and market-driven
curricula often widen the gap between social classes, making it crucial to
critically examine the ideological functions of education (Apple, 2004;
Ball, 2003).
This assignment seeks to critically engage with the above sociological
theories to assess their respective explanations of the role of education in
society and its relationship to social inequality and class structure. The
analysis will be structured as follows:
1. A comparative analysis of Conflict Theory and Functionalism,
exploring their competing visions of education’s societal role.
2. An exploration of Marxist Theory, focusing on Marx’s
foundational concepts such as the means of production, surplus
value, and class struggle, and their relevance to the educational
sphere.
3. A detailed examination of ideological mechanisms in education,
particularly class consciousness, false consciousness, and
hegemony, drawing on the work of Antonio Gramsci.
2025;100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Theoretical Perspectives on Social Inequality, Class, and Education
1. Introduction (10 marks)
Sociology offers various theoretical lenses through which the
structures, dynamics, and inequalities of society can be critically
analysed. Among the most influential are Conflict Theory,
Functionalism, and Marxist Theory, each providing a distinct
framework for understanding how education, social inequality, and
class intersect within modern society. These paradigms not only offer
theoretical insights but also serve as tools for evaluating the systems of
power, privilege, and opportunity that shape individuals' lives and life
chances.
Conflict Theory, rooted in the foundational work of Karl Marx and
extended by sociologists like Max Weber and C. Wright Mills, views
society as composed of groups in constant struggle for limited resources,
where power is unequally distributed and social structures serve
dominant interests (Giddens et al., 2017). According to this view,
inequality is not accidental but is systematically maintained by those in
positions of authority, particularly through institutions like education,
which legitimize existing hierarchies (Collins, 1979).
In contrast, Functionalism, associated with theorists such as Émile
Durkheim and Talcott Parsons, conceives of society as a stable,
orderly system composed of interdependent parts, each fulfilling a
function to maintain social equilibrium (Durkheim, 1956; Parsons,
1959). Education, from this perspective, plays a key role in social
integration, value transmission, and role allocation, ensuring that
individuals are prepared to contribute productively to society
(Haralambos & Holborn, 2013). However, this perspective has been
, critiqued for overlooking power relations and failing to explain
persistent structural inequalities such as poverty, racism, and class
oppression.
Marxist Theory, while closely aligned with Conflict Theory, goes
further by focusing specifically on economic power relations, the
capitalist mode of production, and how the ideology of the ruling
class is reproduced through institutions, particularly education (Marx &
Engels, 1848/2008). Marx argued that the base (economy) determines
the superstructure (institutions and culture), including schools, which
function as Ideological State Apparatuses (Althusser, 1971) to
maintain the dominance of the bourgeoisie. Education, thus, becomes a
site for class reproduction, rather than a vehicle for mobility.
These three theoretical frameworks are particularly relevant in today’s
context, where educational inequality, resource disparity, and class
stratification remain significant societal challenges. Global neoliberal
reforms, unequal access to quality education, and market-driven
curricula often widen the gap between social classes, making it crucial to
critically examine the ideological functions of education (Apple, 2004;
Ball, 2003).
This assignment seeks to critically engage with the above sociological
theories to assess their respective explanations of the role of education in
society and its relationship to social inequality and class structure. The
analysis will be structured as follows:
1. A comparative analysis of Conflict Theory and Functionalism,
exploring their competing visions of education’s societal role.
2. An exploration of Marxist Theory, focusing on Marx’s
foundational concepts such as the means of production, surplus
value, and class struggle, and their relevance to the educational
sphere.
3. A detailed examination of ideological mechanisms in education,
particularly class consciousness, false consciousness, and
hegemony, drawing on the work of Antonio Gramsci.
