Slide 1:Conflict Perspectives of the Sociology of the school


Functionalist and conflict theories compared :Functionalist and conflict theories compared Functionalism (esp. orthodox functionalism) focuses on functional aspects that are effective to maintain stability and unity in society. Conflict theories focus on change and conflict in society and dysfunctional aspects that enable the upper/middle class to dominate and oppress the working class effectively. Social Classes – The Vast Gap in Life Chances…


Types of conflict theories :Types of conflict theories Conflict theories can be divided into: 1. Marxist theory 2. Neo-Marxist theories


MARXIST THEORY OF SOCIETY AND ECONOMY :MARXIST THEORY OF SOCIETY AND ECONOMY Karl Marx (1818-1883)


Slide 5:Basic Concept (Historical materialism) Human society evolved/will evolve according to the history of “materialism”: primitive ? feudal ? capitalist ? communist. Society has 2 parts: 1) the base (economy), and, 2) the superstructure (society & social structures). Ultimately, “the base determines the superstructure.” Historically, “alienation of man from nature” decreased but “alienation of man from man” increased.


Slide 6:Primitive society – equal, unstratified (no class division) but man was at the mercy of nature.


Slide 7:Feudal society – technological progress enable man to control nature but an exploitative class relationship emerge – stratification according to land owndership. L S


Slide 8:Capitalist society – further technological progress and a new class structure that is even more exploitative emerge, stratification based on capital ownership. C W


Implications of marxismfor school effectiveness :Marx did not write much about education but his followers generated neo-Marxist theories of education – how the capitalist class used education as a dysfunctional tool of false consciousness to reproduce social and cultural inequality in society. Implications of marxismfor school effectiveness


NEO-MARXIST theories of education :NEO-MARXIST theories of education 1. Bowles & Gintis 2. Louis Althusser 3. Pierre Bourdieu


Bowles & Gintis :Bowles & Gintis Correspondence Theory


Slide 12:The social hierarchy (top-down division) of capitalist economies directly correspond with the hidden hierarchical structure of schooling. Basic Concept


Slide 14:Take 5 ...


Louis Althusser :Louis Althusser Social Reproduction Theory


Slide 16:Two types of superstructure dysfunctionally reproduce capitalist societies & economies: Repressive state apparatus (RSA) Ideological state apparatus (ISA) ISAs play a more important role than RSAs. Basic Concept


Slide 17:The school is an ISA that uses the curriculum as an overt ideological tool to indoctrinate pupils in order that they submit to the unequal division of labour in capitalist societies.. Curriculum content – knowledge, skills, language, culture, morality, religion – teach pupils to behave submissively. The School as an ISA


Pierre Bourdieu :Pierre Bourdieu Cultural Reproduction Theory


Slide 19:There is cultural diversity in society but only the dominant culture of the capitalist class is transmitted in the school curriculum. Success in school and capitalist society depends on how well one has consumed ‘high cultural capital’ (intellectual knowledge, language, values, etc.) Basic concepts ‘Convertibility of capital’ : economic capital ? cultural capital ? economic capital.


SUMMARY :SUMMARY 1. The neo-Marxist perspective present an image of the school as an effective dysfunctional tool of capitalism to reproduce class inequality. 2. Research findings partially support the neo-Marxist perspective – schools have failed to democratize educational opportunity. 3. However there is too much negativism in neo-Marxism: it denies individual autonomy (agency) and suggests a mass conspiracy in society.