What Is The Sociology Of Education? – Being Parents

The sociology of education is an approach which aims to study and understand education in its social dimension. By relying on concepts and methodologies specific to the sociological discipline,  the sociology of education offers contributions in the educational field.

It also feeds on the latter, as happens with other disciplines such as pedagogy, psychology and philosophy applied in the educational field.

Object of study and definition of the sociology of education

The main development of the sociology of education took place in Western countries in the 1960s and 1970s, in the twentieth century. Authors such as Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and Karl Marx are considered to be the most representative authors of the classical theory of the sociology of education. Durkheim was, moreover, the first sociologist to consider education as an object of study.

Pedagogy thus begins to be influenced by sociology. Thus, as Alexis Rojas León asserts in his article “Contributions of sociology to the study of education”:

To put it more simply, the sociology of education is a branch of sociology which deals with the study of the relationship between education and society. That is, it  studies the social function of education and the influence of the environment and social context in education systems. To do this, it relies on theories and methods specific to the sociological discipline.

Main characteristics and objectives of the sociological approach to education

• Understand the processes of socialization and the relationship between society and education and study the social function of education, in addition to analyzing the educational system and its sub-systems and elements.
• Highlight the existing determinations between the different social forces (economic, political and cultural) and educational agents, educators, students, parents, etc.
• Study formal and informal educational institutions and processes  and different educational levels (nursery, primary, secondary, universities).
• Develop descriptive and explanatory studies. Unlike other disciplines, such as educational psychology or specific didactics, which have as their main aim to intervene in the educational process.
• Analyze problems related to socialization and education; education-social power link; social equality-equity; mobility-social structure, and structure of the school, the classroom as a group …

• To provide educational agents, teachers, teachers and pupils with  knowledge of the method  or methodology specific to sociological research, as a way of in-depth understanding of social facts in the educational field.

The sociology of education in the news

Today, the different currents, authors and studies of the sociology of education are centered on a deep knowledge of the social processes that develop within the classroom, to analyze  current topics related to the social function. that fulfills the school and the work of the teachers,  such as the following:

• Social well-being.
• Social and political participation.
• Acquisition of occupational skills (social and technological skills).
• Transmission of dominant values.
• Construction of social identities  (gender, for example).
• Social control.
• Formation of a critical attitude towards the relationship and reciprocal influence between society and education.
• Development and social change.
• Equality of opportunity.
• School failure.
• Social justice.

Finally, it is important to underline the importance of an interdisciplinarity that brings together theories and methodologies in the study of education. Our current education system, like our society, presents a great complexity in its social fabric.

Thus, the sociology of education requires the contribution of other disciplines and approaches which help to understand the intimate and reciprocal relationship between educational institution and social institution, school and community.