THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

SOCI1001A Introduction to Sociology

2020-2021 First Semester

Topic 9: Why do we work like a dog? Education and work in modern society

Education and schooling

- education: the social institution through which individuals acquire knowledge and skills
and learn cultural norms and values
- schooling: organised instruction by trained teachers
- a key experience of childhood in both developed and developing countries today
- produce literate citizens by teaching the 3Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic

The role of education in modern society

Functionalist explanation
- education provides positive functions for social stability (Durkheim and Parsons)
- transfer of knowledge and job preparation: prepared educated and skilful workforce
for differentiated occupations in society
- socialisation: as transition from ascribed family status to achieved social status
- social cohesion and integration: common moral code for social order
- role allocation: equal opportunity and meritocracy (ensure a ‘fair’ stratification system)
- child care
- change and innovation

Marxist explanation
- reproduction of labour force for capitalism through hidden curriculum and
correspondence principles (Bowles & Gintis)
- acceptance of hierarchy, motivation by external rewards, fragmentation of subjects,
and subservient workforce
- resulted in a workforce which has the personality, attitudes and values useful to the
capitalist production
- create surplus labour to keep wage down
- legitimise social inequality by instilling the dominant ideology and false consciousness;
meritocracy is only an illusion
- reproduce inequality
- economic inequality
 - cultural and social inequality
- cultural capital gives privileged students built-in advantages (Bourdieu) while
eliminate students from subordinate classes

Changing patterns of modern work

- Taylorism: break down industrial processes into simple operational tasks that could be 

timed & organised
- erosion of craftsmanship and deskilling
- Fordism: use of the moving assembly line for speed, precision and simplicity of
operation
- further reduction of workers’ autonomy
- post-Fordism: flexibility, group work on tasks, multi-tasking, niche marketing, etc.
resulted in downsizing, de-layering, outsourcing, and casualisation

The alienated labour

- Marx sees work as the most important aspect to actualise humanity
- work fulfils basic needs, serves as the source of creativity and provides satisfaction
- industrial capitalism distorted the relationship: from work for ourselves to work for
wages at the discretion of the capitalists
- alienation: estrangement of self
- 5 dimensions: alienated from the product, the production process, oneself, fellow
workers and the larger community
- alienation today: white-collar alienation and emotional labour

References:

Croteau, D. & Hoynes, W. 2020. Experience Sociology (4/e). New York: McGraw-Hill.
ch.13 & p.371.

Giddens, A. & Sutton, P.W. 2017. Sociology (8/e). Cambridge: Polity. ch.7&19.


Haralambos, M. & Holborn, M. 2013. Sociology Themes and Perspectives (8/e) London:
Harper Collins. pp.665-668, 696-699.

Triventi, M. et al. 2020. Advantage ‘Finds Its Way’: How Privileged Families Exploit
Opportunities in Different Systems of Secondary Education, Sociology, 54(2): 237-257.