Defining Education and Sociology of Education, History &

Development of Sociology
1.1 Education
• refers to the processes in which knowledge, skills, moral
behavior, values, tastes, loyalties, and a range of cultural
competencies and dispositions get transmitted, learned and
negotiated in various settings. Education has long been
regarded as a means of national-identity building.
• it entails both formal instructions in schools, universities and
other institutions and informal learning in a variety of settings.
• It is the influence exercised by adults on those who are not
yet ready for social life (Durkheim in Blackledge and Hunt,
1981).
• Education is formal and non-formal
• 1.2 What is Sociology
• August Comte (1898-1857)
• Comte was the first to use the term sociology in 1838,
• He used the word Sociology to refer to the study of society or the
science of society.
• Comte was interested in finding solutions to the problems caused by
the French revolution which occurred in France
• The scientific study of Human social relationships.
• What is social? -refers to interaction between 2 or more people
• Sociologists study various aspects of social life, including behaviour in
large organizations and small groups, deviant behaviour, and the
characteristics of political and religious institutions etc.
Defining sociology of Education

• Sociology of Education is the application of Sociological

theories to the field of education in order to explain
and understand the processes that  beset the field.
• There are many Sociologies e. g Sociology of
Agriculture, Medicine, Religion etc.
• Sociology of education examines the link between
education and Society. 
• It examines the relationship between education and
other social institutions (parts of society e.g. family, law,
politics, economy, Mass media, Science) e.g. how
education is influenced by politics or family life.
 Every Society has social institutions, education is one
among many others previously listed.

Through social institutions, every society meets its basic

needs, e.g education provides skills necessary for survival.

Social Family  reproduces new members and socialises them.

Institutions
The economy is responsible for the production of goods
and services, employment creation etc.

Politics is responsible for preserving order.

• Sets of propositions (or ideas) which seek to
explain how something works. 
• Sociological theories are a set of ideas which seek
to explain how society works (Haralambos and
Holborn, 2013)
• Examples of theories:  functionalism, conflict,
Interactionism, Feminism
• Social (or sociological theories ) help us to explain
how aspects of society such as education, family
life, prostitution & crime affect us.

Sociological theories help us to explain

how the schooling system operates and
who eventually determines what goes
on in school and the  classroom.
1.4 Founding Fathers of Sociology 
• Apart from Comte, we also have Hebert Spencer (1820-
1903)
• Herbert Spencer believed that society is made up of
interdependent or interrelated parts.
• Emile Durkheim (1858-1817)- was the first to
systematically apply the scientific method to the study of
society. Greatly influenced the modern Functionalist
theory.
• Durkheim also believed that only the overt, or visible
should be studied not feelings, thoughts or emotions.
• Durkheim also believed that everything has numerous
functions.
1.5 EMILE DURKHEIM (& Robert Merton) AND THE IDEA OF FUNCTIONS
• Durkheim referred to (1) Manifest functions- these are the intended
purposes of an object. e.g the manifest function of education is to transmit
skills necessary for survival (training).
• Socialization- the transmission of society’s norms and values
• Manifest functions of education are thus intended, are written in official
policy documents, Teachers' records etc. and are known to be the functions
of schools.
(2) Latent functions- these are the unintended purposes of an object e.g the
manifest functions of schooling is baby sitting, that is keeping the young out
of the streets until they are adult enough.
Latent functions of education are not pronounced in policy documents of the
department of education neither are they written down in the Teacher’s
scheme of work.
1.6 Max Weber (1864-1920)
• Studied the effects of society on the individual
• He was interested in groups within society not the whole
society.
• Weber greatly Influenced the modern Interactionist theory
through his concept of verstehen.
• Verstehen- means essentially seeing a situation through
someone else’s eyes.
• understanding the meaning others attach to their actions.
1.7 Karl Marx (1818-1883)

German Philosopher, Economist, Historian, not really a Sociologist.

Felt that any Historical change would involve conflict between the
workers and the capitalists.

Predicted that class conflict would lead to overthrow of the capitalists

and establishment of a classless society (Socialist state).

Marx’s ideas directed Conflict theories ( Marxist theory and Feminist

theory)
• Development of Sociology
• Sociology emerged in the middle of the 19th Century in Europe due to:
• Industrial revolution- Europe was changing from agriculture to industrial or factory production which
created numerous problems e.g child labour, long working hours and poor working conditions, suicides
etc.
• The new changes could not be explained by existing explanations of human existence.
• Travel- Europeans had acquired colonies and became exposed to different cultures and thus began to ask
why cultures differ.
• Success of the natural sciences- Newton’s laws explained the movement of everything visible in the
universe, (from planets to buildings), it appeared logical to discover the laws underlying societal life.
• The French Revolution which happened in 1789 and led to the overthrow of the existing government
made people ask why do revolutions occur.
• Thus Sociologists emerged to explain what was happening, e.g Karl Marx, Durkheim,
SOCIOLOGY
Levels of Sociological
Analysis
Sociologists analyse society from 2 levels:
1. Macro level- (Macrosociology) focuses
on large scale features of society,
examines the whole society.
Functionalist, Marxist, and Feminist
theories are macro theories. They
explain e.g how one’s social position
determines who they become.
2. Micro level (Microsociology) focuses
on small scale interaction between
groups. Interactionist theory is an
example of a micro theory.