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Sociology offers multiple theoretical perspectives on the problems of education in the United States. The three leading frameworks, functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism, all have their advantages, allowing researchers to concentrate on different aspects of the educational system. Functionalism examines the social goals that education is supposed to pursue. Conflict theory focuses on how education reinforces inequality in society and how this inequality manifests in educational institutions. Feminist theory, which may be regarded as a version of conflict theory, emphasizes the role of education in fostering gender inequality (Barkan, 2017). Social interaction within educational institutions in the area of focus for the interactionist approach. The functional theory seems most effective because it examines the big picture of education while incorporating insights from other perspectives.
The advantages of the functionalist perspective can be seen in the specific example of immigrant education. The main functions of education include teaching essential skills, passing on societal norms and values, helping students find their place in society, and fostering innovation (Barkan, 2017). Schooling for the children of immigrants emphasizes teaching English language skills and American values. From the conflict theory perspective, immigrant education tends to prepare immigrants for a subordinate position by depreciating their culture. Furthermore, it is of generally inferior quality and prepares them for lower-class jobs. In response, the functionalist theory can assume that expanding the working class and ensuring their cultural subordination are both logical societal goals. Alternately, if this situation does not benefit society, it may be regarded as a failure of the educational system to fulfill its function, necessitating reform. The interactionist approach tends to focus on smaller-scale dynamics, such as the interactions between children from different countries. It can illuminate the process through which the educational system attempts to perform its functions, such as socialization. Thus, all theoretical perspectives can be most effectively integrated within the functionalist framework.
Functionalist, interactionist, and conflict theories are invaluable tools for the study of the educational system. Despite their seeming ideological oppositions, those perspectives can complement each other with their focus on different aspects of the problem. Out of those three viewpoints, functionalism offers the most comprehensive perspective by focusing on the purpose of education within society. Ideas from both interactionism and conflict theory can be easily interpreted from within the functionalist framework.
References
Barkan, S. E. (2017). Social problems: Continuity and change. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
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