SOC 1200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 57: Credentialism And Educational Inflation, Cultural Capital, Meritocracy

• School: University of Manitoba
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1200
• Professor: Kandrack Mary- Anne

Document Summary

Functionalists: schools transmit culture - makes us members of society. Conflict theorists: school reproduces inequality in our society. Middle class students do the best because of cultural capital - the norms, beliefs, and values of the middle class. Our society/education system is a meritocracy - rewards/advancement is proportionate to accomplishments: you earn/achieve status and other rewards, the best rise to the top - and they earn their way there. Credentialism - inflation of credentials: bias to document skills and qualifications and take them as a statement about ability. We are looking for the accumulation of achievements that can be documented on paper. Education will remain an institutional organized process of transmitting culture and preparing the next generation to be members of society. Formal contribution - transmitting culture - prepare to be members. Religion - also transmits culture - another institution that transmits culture.