Critically compare and contrast two theories of Western schooling with respect to the following statement: Education acts as an agent for the reproduction of the social order and the preservation of status of the privileged in society.

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                Subramanian Parameswaran

                Student Number: 3244302

Critically compare and contrast two theories of Western schooling with respect to the following statement: Education acts as an agent for the reproduction of the social order and the preservation of status of the privileged in society.

The term ‘school’ has its origins in a Greek word meaning leisure or recreation.  In pre- industrial societies, schooling was available only to the few who had enough time and money available to pursue to it (Giddens, 1989).  However, education in its modern form, involves the instruction of pupils within specially constructed school premises (classrooms).  Also, in advanced industrial societies education is provided by the state as a matter of right for all its citizens.  The acquisition of knowledge has become increasingly based upon abstract learning rather than upon the mere transmission of specific skills from parents to their children.  In a modern society people have to be equipped with basic skills such as reading, writing and calculating on top of having knowledge of their physical, social and economic environment (Gittler, 1957).  Modern education has been studied immensely by various sociologists.  There exist a number of theories on the nature of modern education.  We will review, compare and contrast two such theories of modern schooling in this essay.  

The primary goal of an educational institution is the socialization of young people.  Human culture is not biologically inherited but learned (Giddens, 1989).  Also, very young people develop social personalities through adult care and teaching.  It is due to these two reasons that educational institutions are of utmost necessity (Hebding and Glick, 1992).  We shall look at two theories proposed by different sociologists on the nature of Western schooling.  The first is a theory proposed by Emile Durkheim, which takes a functionalist approach and the second is a theory proposed by Bowles and Gintis, who look at education from an economic side (Allen, 2001).

Emile Durkheim:

Durkheim was a French sociologist who viewed the major function of education as the transmission of society’s norms and values (Haralambos and Heald, 1980).  The functionalist view of education focuses on the positive contributions made by education to the maintenance of the social system.  The subject of interest for Durkheim was to find out how to order the classroom so that what students learn would fit them for productive lives in the larger society (Haralambos and Heald, 1980).

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Durkheim argues that in complex industrial societies, the school serves as a function, which cannot be provided either by family or peer groups.  Membership of the family is based on kinship relationships and membership of the peer group is based on one’s personal choice.  Being members of these two societies contribute to a very small part of the society as a whole.  Durkheim feels that individuals must learn to cooperate with those who are neither their kin nor their friends (Haralambos and Heald, 1980).  He saw modern society as composed of interdependent individuals specializing in particular tasks that required ...

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