Marxist Perspectives on Education

Althusser
1. saw education as the main Ideological State apparatus
  1. used to pass on ruling class ideology
  2. Selects people for the different social classes and equips them with attitudes & behaviours that makes them good, submissive employees.
    1. For example, education teaches workers to accept exploitation and always obey managers.
Bowles and Gintis
1. Schooling and the long shadow of work
  1. Say education's main focus is to reproduce a disciplined and skilled workforce to fuel capitalism: this happens in two ways
    1. Similar to Althusser
    2. The school is run similarly to a business through the Hidden curriculum, so children become used to being a good workforce
      1. 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
    3. Education justifies and replicates social inequality
      1. How does education justify and replicate social inequality?
2. Believe meritocracy is a myth
  1. Class background, in fact, determines how well a person does.
CRITICISMS
Education only benefits the ruling class
1. Functionalists believe it benefits society as a whole; feminists believe it benefits men rather than the ruling class

Resource summary

	Created by gnatzo about 9 years ago