8-10pm

LESSON 2
SOCIOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Conflicting Functions and Processes in Education

DR. EDWARD DEVADASON

 LESSON 3

Conflicting
Functions and
Processes in
Education
Social Class and Social Stratification
This lesson disseminates and discusses the conflicting functions, processes, and
inequalities that exist within the system of education. It also brings to light the
social issues such as the growing inequality that exists in the education system.

The lesson facilitates students to examine education as a social institution with a

structure organized around inequality.
For some, schooling creates the pathway to a good job and a good future. For
others, schools replicate the inequalities that are prevalent throughout society,
rendering many children with less opportunity for success.

This lesson also describes the basic concepts in the study of class and social
stratification. Students will be aware of sociological concepts to analyse and
interpret the world that they live in and learn that inequality is pervasive and
divides society.
Social Class and Social Stratification

Learning about class inequality and the social structural origin of inequality is
fundamental to sociological study.

These questions are inherent in this lesson:

• What features of society cause different groups to have different

opportunities?
• Why is there such an unequal allocation of society’s resources?

At the end of the lesson, learners should think further about the implications of
the concepts they have learned and relate them to their own context.
WHAT IS SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION?

Definition:
hierarchical arrangement of
people within a society
STRATA

Definition:
the levels people are
placed within the
hierarchy of
stratification based on
6

various dimensions
 7

CONCEPT OF STRATIFICATION
 8

CONCEPT OF STRATIFICATION
EGYPTIAN SOCIAL
PYRAMID
9

Based on Wealth, Job &

Education
 INDIAN CASTE
SYSTEM

10

Based On Karma (Work)

& Dharma (Duty)
 EUROPEAN
FEUDAL
PYRAMID
Based on Aristocracy, 11

politics and power

Exchange of land for
military services
PYRAMID OF
CAPITALISM
Means of production and
distribution are owned by private 12

organizations.

Majority of the people are

employed by the capitalists and
they receive wages for the work
that they do.
 GLOBAL
STRATIFICATION

13
Types of social stratification?

14
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CASTE AND CLASS

15
Principles Of Stratification

16
 Education and Inequality
Conflict theory underlines how education perpetuates social inequality.

They believe that the educational system reinforces and

perpetuates social inequalities that arise from differences in class,
gender, race, and ethnicity.

Educational systems preserve the status quo and suppress people

of lower status into obedience.

The fulfillment of one’s education is closely linked to social class.

Students of low socioeconomic status are not given the same

opportunities as students of higher status, regardless of how great
their academic ability or desire to learn.
 Education and Cultural Capital
French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu researched how cultural capital or cultural knowledge determines
the experiences and opportunities available to students from different social classes.

Members of the upper and middle classes have more cultural capital than families of lower-class status.
The educational system maintains a cycle in which the dominant culture’s values are rewarded.

‘Cultural Capital’ - how much can and should schools seek to change?

Qualifications Knowledge Language

Possessions

Titles Accent Style

Institutionalised Embodied Objectified
Cultural Capital Cultural Capital Cultural Capital
Habits Tastes
Awards
Beliefs Property
Honours Mannerisms
 Education and Cultural Capital

Watch this video to better understand how cultural capital impacts a hypothetical student:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DBEYiBkgp8
 Conflicting Functions and Processes
in Education

01 02 03 04

Education Education
Tests and and The Tracking in and the
Equality Hidden Education Quality of
Curriculum Schools
Conflicting Functions and Processes in Education
01 Tests and Inequality
Tests cater to the dominant culture and leave others struggling to cope with values and competencies
outside their social class. These tests can be culturally biased:
• Standardised tests (e.g. SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Test) are
norm-referenced tests used to determine if high school students can be admitted to selective
colleges.)
These tests are culturally biased and help perpetuate social inequality. Many argue that the tests
differentiate students by cultural ability rather than by natural intelligence. The test questions may
refer to experiences that are unfamiliar or taboo to the culture of the child being tested. These
tests are in favor of white, middle -class students whose socio -economic status and backgrounds
have various experiences that help them answer questions on the tests.

• IQ tests have been attacked for being biased in testing cultural knowledge rather than actual
intelligence.
For example, a test item may ask students what instruments belong in an orchestra. To correctly
answer this question requires certain cultural knowledge —knowledge most often held by people
from a more affluent background who typically have more exposure to orchestral music.
Therefore, to conflict theorists, these tests are another way in which education does not provide
opportunities, but instead maintains an established configuration of power.
Conflicting Functions and Processes in Education
02 Education and The Hidden Curriculum
Conflict theorists say that schooling teaches a hidden curriculum, a set of values
and beliefs that support the status quo, including the existing social hierarchy. The
practice of rewarding those who possess cultural capital is found in formal
educational curricula as well as in the hidden curriculum.

The hidden curriculum refers to the type of non -academic knowledge that students
learn through informal learning and cultural transmission. This hidden curriculum
reinforces the positions of those with higher cultural capital and serves to bestow
status unequally.

For example, although no one plots behind closed doors, students perceive and
recognise social differences through interactions with their peers and through the
interaction with the teachers during various classroom activities. (Teachers could
unconsciously show bias towards those students from higher economic status).
Conflicting Functions and Processes in Education
03 Tracking in Education
Tracking or Streaming is a formalised sorting system that perpetuates inequalities.

It places students on “tracks” eg advanced versus low achievers.

Educators believe that students will perform better in tracked classes because
they are together with peers of homogenous ability and teachers can afford more
individual attention to them.

However, conflict theorists state that tracking tends to lead to self -fulfilling
prophecies in which students live up (or down) to teacher and societal
expectations.

Conflict theorists believe that schools carry out the role of training students from
working-class families to accept and retention of their status as lower members of
society.
Conflicting Functions and Processes in Education
04 Education and the Quality of Schools
Schools possess different resources, learning conditions, and physical
environments, all of which affect how students can learn in them.

Schools are unequal in themselves, and their very inequality contributes to

inequality in the larger society.

Students attending deprived schools in urban areas face many more constraints
to their learning than those going to well -endowed schools in suburban areas.

Thus, students from the lower Socio -Economic Status (SES) remain trapped in
poverty and its related problems due to the deprivation in education.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Social stratification is the process of dividing people into strata or classes based
on their economic status (income, wealth) and social status (occupation,
education, gender, ethnic group, race, and nationality).

Thus, stratification is the relative position of persons within a group, category,

geographic region, and social unit. Social stratification is strongly influenced by
social class, which in turn determines one’s occupation, income, and education.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

To understand more about social stratification, watch this video carefully:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlkIKCMt-Fs

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society with a complex history of

social stratification. Social stratification in Malaysia is influenced by various
factors, including ethnicity, socio-economic status, education, and political
power.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIAL CLASS
Social class divisions in Malaysia are influenced by various factors, including ethnicity, economic
status, education, and occupation. While it's challenging to categorize individuals into clear-cut
classes due to the dynamic nature of societies, the following broad categories provide an overview
of the social classes in Malaysia:

1.BUMIPUTERA ELITE
This group comprises the Malay majority, referred to as Bumiputera, which includes indigenous Malays
and other ethnic groups. The Bumiputera elite often hold positions of power in politics, government,
and business.

2. MIDDLE CLASS
The middle class is diverse and includes individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. This group
typically consists of professionals, managers, and skilled workers. They have access to education, own
property, and engage in a range of occupations.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIAL CLASS
2. CHINESE-MALAYSIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY
The Chinese-Malaysian community is often associated with a significant presence in business and
commerce. This includes entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals who contribute to the
economic landscape.

4. INDIAN-MALAYSIAN COMMUNITY
The Indian-Malaysian community, while diverse, includes individuals engaged in various professions
and occupations. There are also segments of the Indian-Malaysian population facing socio-economic
challenges, particularly in urban areas.

5. URBAN POOR
Urban areas in Malaysia have a population of individuals facing economic challenges, often struggling
with issues such as low-income, limited access to education, and inadequate housing. This group may
include individuals from various ethnic backgrounds.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIAL CLASS
6. RURAL POPULATION
The rural population in Malaysia includes those engaged in agriculture and traditional occupations.
Access to education and economic opportunities in rural areas may be limited compared to urban
centers.

7. MIGRANT WORKERS CLASS

Malaysia has a significant population of migrant workers, especially in industries like construction,
agriculture, and services. These individuals often face socio-economic challenges and may be at the
lower end of the economic spectrum.

8. ORANG ASLI
The Orang Asli are the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia. They often live in remote areas and
may face socio-economic challenges, including issues related to land rights and access to basic
services.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIALCLASS
SOCIAL CLASS
In Malaysia, the terms B40, M40, and T20 are used to categorize households based on their
income levels – social classes. These classifications are part of the government's effort to
understand and address income inequality and to tailor policies accordingly.

The B40 category represents the bottom 40% of households in terms of

income. These households typically have lower incomes and may face
B40 financial challenges in meeting basic needs such as housing, healthcare,
(Bottom 40%) and education. Government assistance programs and subsidies often target
the B40 group to alleviate economic hardships.

The M40 category comprises the middle 40% of households in terms of

M40 income. They may have a relatively more comfortable standard of living
(Middle 40%) compared to the B40 group but may still face financial constraints in certain
areas.

The T20 category includes the top 20% of households in terms of income.
T20 These households typically enjoy higher incomes and a higher standard of
living. embers of the T20 group often have greater access to educational
(Top 20%) and economic opportunities, as well as a wider range of amenities and
services.
 Social Stratification and Social Class
SOCIALCLASS
SOCIAL CLASS
The B40, M40, and T20 classifications are used to guide policymakers in
designing targeted interventions and social policies that address the specific
needs of each income group.

For example, subsidies and financial assistance programs might be directed

toward the B40 group to ensure they have access to essential services, while
policies promoting economic growth and wealth creation may benefit the
M40 and T20 groups.

These classifications help in creating a more nuanced understanding of

income distribution and inequality within the country.

It's important to note that these class categories are not rigid, and
individuals may move between classes over time due to factors such as
education, employment opportunities, and economic mobility.
DISCUSSION