Sociological Approaches to Sociological Approaches to EducationEducation

Functionalist - DurkheimFunctionalist - Durkheim

Functionalism looks at society as if it Functionalism looks at society as if it were a human body were a human body

• Every part of the body has a Every part of the body has a function which helps keep it function which helps keep it alive and healthyalive and healthy

• Every part of society helps Every part of society helps to keep society goingto keep society going

• All the parts of the body link All the parts of the body link together into one big together into one big systemsystem

• All of the parts of society All of the parts of society work together and are work together and are dependent on each other – dependent on each other – they are interdependent.they are interdependent.

• Education is an important Education is an important part of how society part of how society functions functions

Functionalist ApproachFunctionalist Approach

• Emile Durkheim, one of the Emile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of Sociology founding fathers of Sociology and a key Functionalist and a key Functionalist thinker believed that;thinker believed that;

• All institutions of society All institutions of society exist because they have exist because they have useful functions, contributing useful functions, contributing to the general good. to the general good.

• Education had an important Education had an important role in the socialisation of role in the socialisation of children into key cultural children into key cultural values such as social values such as social solidaritysolidarity

Value ConsensusValue Consensus

• According to Durkheim, one According to Durkheim, one of the main purposes of of the main purposes of education should be to education should be to socialise children into the socialise children into the norms and values agreed by norms and values agreed by society – the society – the value value consensus.consensus.

• Instead of following their own Instead of following their own impulses, children must learn impulses, children must learn self-restraint, fit in with the self-restraint, fit in with the behaviour patterns of others behaviour patterns of others and accept the discipline and accept the discipline imposed by the school.imposed by the school.

• ““To act morally is to act in To act morally is to act in terms of the collective terms of the collective interest”interest”

Education and InequalityEducation and Inequality

• Durkheim acknowledged that Durkheim acknowledged that inequalities in society exist inequalities in society exist but viewed this as inevitable. but viewed this as inevitable.

• Some students would be Some students would be more academically successful more academically successful than others and this would than others and this would lead to different careers and lead to different careers and levels of wealth but all had levels of wealth but all had their roles to play.their roles to play.

• It was better for many people It was better for many people to accept their limits and to accept their limits and lowly roles and contribute to lowly roles and contribute to the greater good of society. the greater good of society.

Social SolidaritySocial Solidarity

• Durkheim stressed that the Durkheim stressed that the chief role of education should chief role of education should be to encourage in children a be to encourage in children a sense of sense of social solidaritysocial solidarity, a , a feeling of identification with feeling of identification with the group and responsibility the group and responsibility toward others. toward others.

• This was particularly This was particularly important in modern, important in modern, industrialised societies where industrialised societies where rapid changes were thrusting rapid changes were thrusting people from different people from different backgrounds together and backgrounds together and religion was becoming less religion was becoming less influential in binding society.influential in binding society.

EvaluationEvaluation

• Are Durkheim’s views relevant Are Durkheim’s views relevant today? Look at the work of David today? Look at the work of David Hargreaves.Hargreaves.

• What about the inevitability of social What about the inevitability of social inequality? Should schools accept or inequality? Should schools accept or challenge inequality?challenge inequality?

• Durkheim’s work is described as Durkheim’s work is described as taking a structuralist approach. Why?taking a structuralist approach. Why?