Social Theory in the Function of Education

Social Theory in the Function of Education

Introduction

Over the last three decades , the social sciences have witnessed a number of exciting theoretical developments . Regrettably , the sociology of education has not always reflected these new developments , preferring instead to restrict its reading of social life to a truncated theoretical framework and epistemological parochialism . Social theory and education strands as an important exception to such sociological inertia . The whole history of educational thought has developed in the context of a dialogue with the social theory of its time . Social theory encompasses

meta-theory , on the one hand and the range of substantive questions entailed in the construction of the theories of society within which sociologists of education are elaborated (Morrow and Torres , 1995 br

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The patterns in social life are not simply the accidental result of people who happen to run into each other they are not just causal connections between events that happened to be discerned . When human beings act socially , they become enmeshed in relationships institutions , and societies that maintain a distinct unity (Turner , 2000 br

.112 . The primary concepts of Functionalism , Marxism , Interpretive and Post-modernism are the main theoretical frameworks introduced in the overall discussion . These theories not only form part of large sociological theoretical systems , but also evidently , provide actual explanation in terms of social angles present in the community . In the course of the discussion , these theories have been critically scrutinized and assessed in to provide the strengths and weaknesses that might play special contribution in the stand of American education perspectives , which is also the primary aim of the entire course discussion

Discussion

Functionalism

Functionalism in social theory is part of a broad stream of ideas developed since the late 19th century , a set of beliefs and values that underlines utility and functional relations . In modern social theory functionalism emerged as a distinct school , first in social anthropology early in this century , and later in sociology , beginning in the 1930s Despite the drubbing it has taken from its critics over many years functionalism is still probably the most favored social theory in the social sciences produced in English-speaking countries (Andersen and Kaspersen , 2000

.214 . The concept of social roles stems largely from functionalism . The stability that functionalists emphasize in society stems from the socialization process - that is , people learning the values , norms , and social identities that help to hold society together As the social institution where people first learn social roles , the family helps stabilize society . Socialization occurs in social institutions that function to maintain social (Andersen and Taylor , 2000

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Functionalism emphasizes that social structure , not just individual motivation , produces deviance . The emphasis in functionalist theory is on social structure and culture , not individual action . Utilizing functionalism , education functions not for basic units of the society but plays as a needed role for societal and cohesion . As emphasized by the theoretical perspective , education plays significant roles in the society as a whole contributed by the subunits (Arnove and Torres...