Chapter 13

1
Chapter 13 

• Education and Religion

2
Chapter Outline

• Education and Religious Institutions
• The Sociological Study of Education Theoretical
  Views
• Education, Symbolic Interactionism, and
  Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
• Current Controversies in American Education

3
Chapter Outline 

• The Sociological Study of Religion Theoretical
  Views
• Tension Between Religion and Society
• Religion in the United States 

4
Manifest Functions of Education

• Cultural reproduction.
• Social control.
• Assimilation.
• Training and development.
• Selection and allocation of statuses.
• The promotion of change.

5
Latent Functions and Dysfunctions

1. The production of a generation gap.
2. The custodial care of children.
3. The creation of a youth subculture.
4. The rationalization of inequality.
5. The perpetuation of social inequality.

6
 Conflict Model of Education

• The hidden curriculum teaches students obedience
  and conformity.
• Credentialism amounts to using diplomas as
  passports to higher status.
• Those of higher status can pass on their
  status-heritage in procuring superior education
  for their children.

7
Symbolic InteractionistPerspective

• Two processes that take place within the schools
• interpersonal interactions
• self-fulfilling prophecies

8
Self-fulfilling prophecy

• Studies show teachers demand the most from
  students who share their backgrounds
• As a result, students learn less when they are
  from a lower social class or different
  race/ethnicity than is their teacher.
• When teachers assume that certain students cannot
  succeed, they give those students less
  opportunity to do so.

9
Social Class and Schooling

• Schools are a middle class domain dominated by
  middle class teachers.
• Middle class or upper middle class children have
  likely been read to, and given opportunities to
  understand art and music.

10
Current Controversies inAmerican Education

• Tracking - the use of early evaluations to
  determine the educational programs a child will
  be encouraged to follow.
• High-Stakes Testing - In many school districts,
  students must now pass standardized tests before
  they can move on to a higher grade.
• School choice - Options including tuition
  vouchers, tax credits, magnet schools, charter
  schools, and home schooling that allow families
  to choose where their children go to school.

11
Going to College

• 45 of recent high school graduates are enrolled
  in two or four-year colleges.
• The number of minorities in college has declined
  relative to Whites since 1975.
• Non-Hispanic white women are most likely to be
  enrolled in college and the group most likely to
  graduate.

12
Educational Achievement ofPersons 25 and Older
13
of High School Graduates Ages 18 to 21 Enrolled
in College
14
Median Annual Income
High school 4 yrs. College Masters degree
Male 28,342 49,984 61,959
Female 15,664 30,972 40,744
White 20,294 37,600 49,804
African American 17,384 35,510 42,505
Hispanic 17,483 31,235 42,899
15
Sociological Study of Religion

• Sociologists define religion as a system of
  beliefs and practices related to sacred things
  that unites believers into a moral community
• Sociologists who study religion treat it as a set
  of values.
• Sociologists examine the ways in which culture,
  society, and class relationships affect religion
  and the ways in which religion affects
  individuals and social structure.

16
Religious Affiliation United States and
Worldwide, 2000
17
Durkheim Structural-Functional Theory of
Religion

• Three elementary forms of religion
• Distinction between things sacred and things
  profane.
• A set of beliefs about the supernatural that help
  people explain and cope with the uncertainties
  associated with birth, death, creation, success,
  failure, and crisis.
• A body of rituals or practices.

18
Functions of Religion

• At the social level, religion gives the tradition
  a moral imperative.
• At the personal level, religion provides support,
  consolation and reconciliation in times of crisis
  or need.

19
Conflict Theory

• Marx saw religion as an opiate of the people.
• Modern conflict theorists are more interested in
  how religion may act either to express or repress
  class and ideological struggles.

20
Weber Religion as an Independent Force

• Weber combined ideas from structural and conflict
  perspectives.
• Interested in the forms of religion and their
  consequences for individuals and society.
• Argued that Protestantism incubated fundamental
  values, such as the work ethic which linked work
  to salvation.

21
U.S. Civil Religion

• Important source of unity for the U.S.
• Beliefs God guides the country.
• Symbols The flag.
• Rituals Pledge of Allegiance.

22
Distinctions Between Churches and Sects
Churches Sects
Examples Catholics Amish
Tension with society Low High
Attitude toward other religions Tolerant Intolerant
Type of authority Traditional Charismatic
Organization Bureaucratic Informal
23
Changing Religious Commitment, 19622001
196265 200001
Belong to a church or synagogue 73 66
Attended church last week 46 41
Have no religion 2 8
Religion is very important to their own lives 70 60
Believe Bible is actual word of God 65 33
24
Consequences of Religiosity

• People with higher levels of religious
  affiliation tend to be friendlier, happier,
  cooperative, and more satisfied with their lives
  than others.
• Religious affiliation has also been linked to
  socially conservative and authoritarian attitudes
  that maintain the status quo.