Mind map

Marxist Perspectives on Education

gnatzo English

Map content

Althusser
- saw education as the main Ideological State apparatus
  - used to pass on ruling class ideology
  - Selects people for the different social classes and equips them with attitudes & behaviours that makes them good, submissive employees.
    - For example, education teaches workers to accept exploitation and always obey managers.
Bowles and Gintis
- Schooling and the long shadow of work
  - Say education's main focus is to reproduce a disciplined and skilled workforce to fuel capitalism: this happens in two ways
    - Similar to Althusser
    - The school is run similarly to a business through the Hidden curriculum, so children become used to being a good workforce
      - How does the hidden curriculum reproduce a good workforce?
        school rules i.e. detentions, punishments and prizes
        you must conform to the rules of society or be punished
        division in male and female education (i.e. different uniforms + subject preferences)
        privileges given to sixth formers
        teaches respect for elders
    - Education justifies and replicates social inequality
      - How does education justify and replicate social inequality?
- Believe meritocracy is a myth
  - Class background, in fact, determines how well a person does.
CRITICISMS
Education only benefits the ruling class
- Functionalists believe it benefits society as a whole; feminists believe it benefits men rather than the ruling class