Education plays a significant role in society by contributing to intellectual development, politics, economics, and other fields. Sociologists view education as a major social institution that helps form society. There are two main sociological theories about the relationship between education and society - consensus theory and conflict theory. Consensus theory emphasizes social order and stability through shared norms and values, while conflict theory focuses on power struggles between social classes and how education maintains the dominance of more powerful groups. These theories provide different perspectives on the social functions of education.