This document provides an overview of key sociological theories related to education. It discusses Educational Sociology versus Sociology of Education, with the latter examining how social institutions influence education and vice versa. Major theories covered include Evolutionary Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, Labelling Theory, Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Postmodernism. For each theory, the document explains its core assumptions and implications for understanding education.

1. Sociological
Theories in
Education
DR SHIVA SHUKLA,
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF PUNJAB,
BATHINDA

2. The Function of Sociology, as of
every science, is to reveal that
which is hidden
- PIERRE BOURDIEU

3. Sociology of Education vis-à-vis
Educational Sociology
Educational Sociology emphasised on the social interactions
within system of education
Sociology of Education is scientific study of social process and
patterns of educational system. It studies how education as a social
institution influences other social institutions and how other social
institutions influence institution of education. This discipline
examines the superstructure of society and how various social
forces shape the policies, practices, and outcomes of schooling

4. What Sociology of Education deals with ?
Various Social institutions and their relationship and interface with
Education
Social aspects in Education
How social institutions and experiences influence education
Theories about the relation between school(institution) and society or
individual
How schooling makes a major difference in individuals’ lives
How schools influence social disparities
How school processes affect the lives of an individual and society as a whole

5. Analysing Society
Through the process of stratification and social bracketing
Through social institutions like family, religion, economy, political
system, education etc.
Through social processes, social behavior, symbols and interactions,
conflict and solidarity, progress and development, individual and social
consciousness
Through individual’s thoughts, beliefs, values etc.

6. Evolutionary
Theories
Promoted by ‘Social Darwin’ Herbert Spencer
who placed the societies on an evolutionary scale
from Savagery to Civilization
Society, Culture and Social Institutions evolve
like organisms and species where fittest one
survive
Society adapts to social environment and social
change takes place
Society is constantly in progress from simple to
complex form
Believes in ‘Survival of the fittest’ & ‘Cosmic
unity of mankind’
August Comte, Herbert Spencer, Lewis Henry
Morgan, LT Hobhouse etc.
Society moves in a
particular direction
and is on a constant
progression

7. Symbolic
Interactionism
Originates from works of Gorge Herbert Mead and
Charles Cooley’s theories of Self and taken further by
Pierre Bourdieu with symbolic systems in social life
 Language, gestures, communication and its subjective
understanding aids in the formation of the child as a
social being
Meanings to the things we encounter and interface with
others involves an interpretive process where we
communicate with ourselves
The concept of ‘Self’ develops, adapts, and is redefined
through interactions with other people
School achievement is considered to be not simply a
matter of a child’s native ability but involves the teacher
as well. This also implies that the failure of a student is
considered to be failure of the teacher and the system as
mind, self and society are all interrelated and
interdependent
The exchange of meaning
through language and
symbols is believed to be
decisive for people to give
meaning to experiences

8. Mind
SocietySelf
Symbols

9. Labelling Theory Presupposes
Speech patterns reflect social class backgrounds and schools are middle-class organizations
that are in fact disadvantaging working-class children
It is exactly what one does not question in educational process that is most problematic e.g.
how students are labelled “gifted” or “learning disabled”
The labelling approach allows for an explanation of what is happening within schools where
over time, the consequences of having a certain evaluative tag influence the options available
to a student within a school
It is teachers who use labels such as ‘bright’ or ‘slow’ that limits chances and opportunities
that are obtainable to the students
Labelling theory is interested in a) why people are labelled and b) who it is that does the
labelling
Deviance is a social judgment imposed by a social audience

10. Structure
Functionalism
Assumes Society as a biological organism
Society works to balance any instability and
seeks to find an equilibrium
Stresses the interdependence of the social
system, how well the parts are integrated with
each other
Education is considered to be creator of such
structures, programs and curriculum that are
technically advanced, rational and encourage
social unity
Assume that consensus is the normal state in
society and conflict represents a breakdown of
shared values
Considers society as a
living system whose
parts work together to
promote solidarity &
stability

11. Conflict
Theories
Studies three elements in society: force,
conflict and change
There is a continuous struggle in society over
limited resources, power and prestige
Social order is based on the ability of
dominant groups imposing their will on
subordinate groups through force
The glue of society is economic, political,
cultural, and military power
Feminist and Critical Theories are
considered to be an expansion of Conflict
theory
Karl Marx, Max Weber, Gorge Simmel, Pierre
Bourdieu etc.
Society is in a
constant state of
conflict and struggle
due to competition
for limited resources

12. Education for Conflict Theorists
Analyze schools from the points of view of status competition and
organizational constraints
Schools are considered as autocracies and ‘perilous equilibrium’(danger
to equilibrium) near anarchic, because students are forced to go to them.
Schools are seen as oppressive where student’s noncompliance becomes
a form of resistance and educational process is far from smooth
functioning as different parts are in conflict with each other
Marx believed that the class which is dominating the material force in
society is also dominating intellectual force. Ideologies legitimises
inequality and consider unequal distribution of goods as inevitable
outcome and education as an institution is used as a tool to legitimise
ideology of the dominant class

13. Post
Modernism
Attributed from The Postmodern Condition
written by Jean-François Lyotard
As Postmodernism endavours to study the
timeline after modernisation but often taken as
different from modernity, whereas
postmodernism is infact a continuation of
modern thinking with a different approach
It assumes that people interpret the world
around them in their own way according to
their language, cultural background, and
personal experiences
Truth is contextualised, unique and based on
social and personal experiences
Attempts to explain
the time after
modernization
specifically after
1960s where progress
after modernity is
explored

14.  Postmodernism focuses on individual behaviour that is termed as
‘Agency Theory’ that examine how individual agents shape culture
 Difference in opinions cannot be resolved with one being right and
another being wrong hence every opinion have place to exist
 Since Postmodernism considers that we can never be unbiased
observer of experiences that are of a different culture and context hence
practice of reflexivity and triangulation comes to play important role in
knowledge construction
 For educational practices there was a shift in paradigm from emphasis
on behaviourism of modern times to constructivism of postmodern
times
 Key word for Postmodern time is contextuality and not generalizability