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Unlock This CourseOne of the most important functions of education is to help create a united society where people feel connected to each other. This is called social cohesion. In this lesson, we'll explore how schools and education systems help to 'glue' society together.
Key Definitions:
Education plays a crucial role in creating social cohesion through several important mechanisms:
Schools teach students the same core values, creating a common moral foundation. This includes values like respect, honesty, fairness and tolerance. When we all share similar values, it's easier for society to function smoothly.
The national curriculum ensures all students learn similar content, creating shared knowledge and references. This shared understanding helps people communicate and relate to each other, even if they come from different backgrounds.
Émile Durkheim, a famous sociologist, believed education was essential for social cohesion. He argued that schools are like a 'society in miniature' where children learn:
For Durkheim, without education teaching these shared values, society would fall apart into chaos and conflict.
"Education is the influence exercised by adult generations on those who are not yet ready for social life. Its object is to develop in the child a certain number of physical, intellectual and moral states which are required of him both by the political society as a whole and by the particular environment for which he is specifically destined."
In simpler terms: Education prepares children to be part of society by teaching them what society expects of them.
Schools help create a sense of national identity and belonging through various practices:
Many schools display flags, sing national anthems and celebrate national holidays, helping students develop a connection to their country.
Learning about national history creates a shared narrative and understanding of how the country developed and what makes it unique.
Assemblies, sports days and ceremonies create shared experiences that build community feeling and belonging.
In the UK, citizenship education became part of the National Curriculum in 2002. It teaches students about:
This education helps create informed citizens who feel connected to their society and understand their role within it.
Since 2014, all UK schools must promote 'fundamental British values' as part of their curriculum. These values include:
This policy aims to create social cohesion by establishing shared values across diverse communities. However, some critics argue it can make minority groups feel excluded if their cultural values seem different from these 'British values'.
Modern approaches to social cohesion recognise that unity doesn't mean uniformity. Schools now try to create cohesion while celebrating diversity:
Schools teach about different cultures, religions and traditions, helping students appreciate diversity while finding common ground. This creates respect and understanding between different groups.
Making sure all students feel welcome and valued regardless of background, ability, or identity helps create a sense of belonging. When everyone feels included, social bonds are strengthened.
Teaching a common language is one of the most powerful ways education creates social cohesion. When everyone can communicate effectively:
This is why many countries put strong emphasis on teaching the national language in schools, especially for immigrant communities.
Not all sociologists agree that education's role in creating social cohesion is entirely positive:
Marxists argue that education's 'social cohesion' function actually serves the interests of the ruling class. They suggest schools teach values that make people accept inequality rather than challenge it. For example, teaching that hard work leads to success might make people blame themselves rather than the system if they don't succeed.
Postmodernists question whose version of 'social cohesion' is being promoted. They argue that dominant groups often define what counts as 'normal' or 'valuable', potentially marginalising minority perspectives and cultures in the process of creating 'unity'.
After the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the education system was completely reformed to promote social cohesion. Schools now teach a unified national identity ("We are all Rwandans") rather than emphasising ethnic divisions. History teaching was changed to promote reconciliation and schools actively teach peace education and conflict resolution.
This shows how education can be deliberately used to rebuild social cohesion in divided societies. Similar approaches have been used in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and South Africa after periods of conflict.
The challenge for modern education systems is to promote social cohesion while respecting diversity. This means:
Education's role in creating social cohesion is vital for several reasons:
While there are valid criticisms of how social cohesion is promoted, most sociologists agree that some form of shared values and identity is necessary for society to function effectively. Education remains one of the primary ways these shared bonds are created.