Explain and briefly evaluate the view that education is the most important agent in shaping class identity

On the other hand, the family too does a play an important role in shaping one’s class identity as they create the norms and values which are class based. For example; events like mealtime or bedtime can be portrayed as being class based. For example, the middle class are believed to eat dinner in the evening, sitting down together to share a family meal. In contrast to this, the working class family eat earlier in order to coincide with the end of the working day for most manual workers.  They are also associated with eating the meals whilst in front of the television. Another way in which the family shapes class identity would be by passing on cultural capital as well as economical capital, as research by Sociologist Reay he demonstrates how the middle class mothers are able to influence their children’s primary schooling more than the working class mothers. His research also showed that the working class had less time to devote to their children due to the demands of balancing housework, childcare and paid employment but crucially they lacked the confidence and understanding of the school system. This contrasts the above statement that education is the most important agency in shaping class identity as the family is part of an individual’s life as well as the norms and values being passed on during their childhood giving the individual an overall class identity.

However another way in which education shapes class identity would be going to university; this indicates an individual’s social class as the upper/middle class tend to go universities after finishing their private education as well as they will have enough money to pay for university fees (which is £9,000 in 2012), in contrast to the working class having to start work as soon as they finish public education. Sociologist Bourdieu suggests that for the middle class who go to university is like being a ‘fish in water’ compared to the working class experience of university life, which could be portrayed as isolating and daunting. As the middle class have already experience in private study education and would be a dramatic change for likes of the working class.

Conversely, education isn’t just the only significant agent which shapes class identity another important agent would be that media as it can encourages the formation of class identity by the way class is portrayed in television news and programmes.  An example would be television programme ‘This is England ‘88’ depicts the working class as highly aggressive , violent as well as good at playing the social security system, however a different programme ‘The Royale Family’ illustrates the working class as being mainly based around a front room and watching television. There are different interpretations of the wider range of social classes, e.g. the upper class are seen as well dressed and professional and the working class are seen as scruffy dressed and tempered individuals.

To conclude from this I can say that there are other more significant agents of shaping class identity that just education but I would say media and family are the most important. Education is important as it reinforces the culture and values of different social classes but the family provides a basis as they teach you norms and values which has a major impact on your class identity. Overall I consider family to be the most important and education to be third important after the media.