Topic Summaries

Relationship to class structure

A-Level > Sociology > AQA > A Level Sociology Topic Summaries > Education > Relationship to class structure
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Exam overview
  • Functionalist view (👤 Parsons, 1961):
    • Schools are meritocratic, bridging family and society’s universal values.
      • Myth of meritocracy; class background remains key to success.
  • Functionalist view (👥 Davis and Moore, 1945):
    • Education allocates roles based on ability, matching talent to jobs.
      • New Right say equality of opportunity still lacking.
  • Marxist view (👥 Bowles and Gintis, 1976):
    • Meritocracy is a myth; class determines outcomes.
      • 👤 Willis shows working-class pupils may resist but still end up in low-paid jobs.
  • Neo-Marxist view (👤 Willis, 1977): working-class boys form anti-school subcultures, resisting school yet entering workingclass jobs.
    • Postmodernists stress gender and ethnicity also matter.
  • New Right view (👤 Chubb and Moe, 1990): state education fails to meet needs; private schools do better due to parentocracy.
    • 👤 Saunders (1990) argues markets promote mobility, but middle-class people benefit most.

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