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Module-4 Notes On Emile Durkheim

The document discusses Emile Durkheim's functionalist perspective on education, highlighting its role in transmitting societal values, maintaining social homogeneity, and fostering a sense of collective identity among individuals. It emphasizes the importance of schools in socializing children and preparing them for adult roles, while also instilling discipline and respect for societal rules. Durkheim's arguments stress that education is socially constituted, intentionally imparted to shape social beings, and underscores the crucial authority of teachers in this process.

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68 views2 pages

Module-4 Notes On Emile Durkheim

The document discusses Emile Durkheim's functionalist perspective on education, highlighting its role in transmitting societal values, maintaining social homogeneity, and fostering a sense of collective identity among individuals. It emphasizes the importance of schools in socializing children and preparing them for adult roles, while also instilling discipline and respect for societal rules. Durkheim's arguments stress that education is socially constituted, intentionally imparted to shape social beings, and underscores the crucial authority of teachers in this process.

Uploaded by

drishti.malhotra0103
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Delhi Technological University

Formerly Delhi College of Engineering

Second (2nd) Semester (2024)


BA (Hons.) Economics

Course: Sociology of Development (BAE108), Credits: 2

Course Teacher: Shubhika Kapoor

Module - 4 (Notes) Part 1 – Functionalist Perspective on Education

(Emile Durkheim)

Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist who has written extensively on education from a
sociological angle. According to him, education serves the following important functions in
society:

o Helps in transmitting societal values and norms


o Helps in maintaining homogeneity in society
o Creates a sense of ‘collectiveness’ or ‘we-feeling’ among the members
o Helps in reinforcing the connection between the individual and society; here children
start realizing that they became part of something (say society) that is larger than
them.
o It also helps in socializing and preparing the child for their roles as an adult in the
society
o Schools being an important source of education perform some of the crucial function
in socializing the child, which cannot be replaced and provided even by our primary
socializing agencies such as peer group, family, etc.

In this context, for Durkheim, the school gives the child a platform from which they can view
the whole society in a small/miniature form. Subsequently, by respecting the regulations,
values and rules of the school, a child begins to understand and respect the rules and
regulations in general. It also helps in inculcating the habit of ‘discipline’ and ‘self-control’. In
the book ‘Moral Education’ (1961), Durkheim has talked about the importance of values or
morals for a stable society and how schools impart these to their students.

Durkheim was a functionalist, due to which he emphasized/focused on the collective power


over the power of the individual. For him, rationalization of moral education is very
important because it will enrich individual’s moral sensibilities and also liberate them from
intellectual servitude.

Durkheim three arguments


(All these three arguments were discussed extensively in class and in exam please
explain each of these arguments in at least 5 to 6 lines based on class discussion)

1. Education cannot be abstract and universal, it is constituted socially

2. Education is not spontaneous, but it is given to a child so that he/she eventually become a
social being

3. Teacher's role is crucial in education. What is the authority of the teacher?

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