Durkheim on education

 Durkheim View on Education

Education is the principal that all of society is based upon. In order to fully understand the problem of educational inequality, we must analyze all of the different aspects that cause it. In order to understand how we developed into our current society, with a very rigid education system, we need to understand how Durkheim views education as a religion, in the context of the social integration of society. Durkheim believed that all of society is held together by religion; and the solidarity of groups, however, it is not religion in the way that we normally understand it. Durkheim sees anywhere that people organize and have repeated social interactions, in the form of a ritual, as religion. In addition, in order to understand why solidarity is so important to Durkheim, we need to analyze education within two aspects. (1)how Durkheim would view the current education model, as a “religion” where the foundations of beliefs are based on a system of rituals in which people interact with each other in a routine structure and a confined environment, rather than a God. (2)We also have to study education in context of solidarity the and evolution of society from primitive to an advanced civilization through two ideal types of what society strives to be (mechanical solidarity ), and (organic solitary what society actuality is) through his perspective how society is built on the social integration of different group of people.  

Durkheim believed that there is no individuality in society he believed solidarity as the foundation that keeps society from falling apart. As a result the only way he sees people creating solidarity with each other is in different groups which are formed when people come together because they have the same religion “However these types of religions are not founded in divine power sacred texts or a belief in god, these” religions exist in any organization such as schools where individuals are untied under different types of bieif system where they share the same goals and engage in sets of repeated social interactions on a daily basis known as rituals. 

According to Durkheim religion is the social glue that unifies society; as a result, he sees religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, i.e., things set apart and forbidden--beliefs and practices which unite in one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them. In this definition, Durkheim avoids references to supernatural or God. Durkheim did not include the three major monotheistic faiths: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, as part of his view of religion. He defined religion as a belief system that involved many different rituals. A ritual is a set of repeated social interactions that happen on a routine basis with a group of people. A ritual is not solitary, meaning that, a ritual needs to occur in the presence of other people who believe in the same cause. Therefore, Durkheim viewed religion as a belief system in which groups of people regularly reenact a set order of social conduct. Durkheim would view any organization as a belief system, as long as the people interacting are working towards the same goal. For example, he would see Hofstra University as a community of students who have the same goal of obtaining an education. By this definition, the current education model becomes a belief system where students are constantly engaging in routine and structured social interactions. This is why Durkheim thinks people cannot function or survive without being part of a group to create social relationships and building a network. We need groups to form our own identities. Therefore, solidarity is based on the rules, structure, culture, social stratification and morality of the group such which overwhelms the Individual As a result, according to Durkheim, the most basic social unit of human existence is a tribe and the social glue that holds society together is religion and solidarity. This is because a tribe is a closed system where morality is based on a set of rules and the social conduct of individuals is solely in accordance with the rules of the tribe. Without a group, society would fall apart due to the fact that there is no individuality in a tribe.

From Durkheim perspective, society evolved from the tribe to modern civilization, which Is based on rules of social stratification and the division of labor. Durkheim thinks individuals will not be able to sustain themselves or survive without being part of a group to create social relationships and building a network. This is because; all human beings are born innocent babies who come into the world without knowing anything, so they have to be socialized by many different socializing agents. The most important socializing agent besides a person’s parents is an education because education is the main institution that allows people to have access to all of the other socializing agents. Education sets the motion for people to help gain a perspective or world view, in, order to learn about social norms, morals, good and bad behaviors, how to build good character, gain knowledge and a large well-connected social capital network. Education is needed to achieve your dreams and goals in life, to be a successful and productive member of society who knows how to make good decisions that not only benefits them, but benefits all of society as well. Thus, Durkheim developed the social network theory because he believes that all individuals need to be part of different groups in order to survive Moreover, he is a functionalist who sees society as an organism with each Individual part to serve a purpose Therefore, he sees the purpose of the modern education system is to prepare students for specialized careers in a division of labor that requires interdependence to function This means that each individual has Its own unique Identity and our division of labor only works If each Individual plays its own role in society 

Durkheim believes that society functions like an organism everything exist for a reason even crime and poverty have a function in society in order to achieve harmony people are also connected to each other. Each individual plays their role in order for society to function our social system is based on a system of social norms and institutions not individuality of people personalities . The individuality we possess and demonstrate is really an illusion. The limitations of our social system prevents agency. Therefore, society has institutions such as schools that require people to follow a program, even when they think they are forging new grounds. We have agency to make our own choices, but our decisions are guided by a narrow social system that makes independent thinking quite difficult. Karl Mark sees human as species being.. however Durkheim sees people as having a collective consciousness in which morality is founded society’s social norms and repressive laws. In addition People’s norms, beliefs, and values make up a collective consciousness, or a shared way of understanding and behaving in the world. The collective consciousness binds individuals together and creates social integration. At the same time, the collective consciousness is produced by individuals through their actions and interactions Durkheim and Social Integration.” Boundless Sociology Boundless, 26 May. 2016. Retrieved 13 Dec. 2016 from Some people need structure in many areas of their olives. The rituals and routines at religious services are a powerful example. These rituals are designed to help us feel comfortable and safe. they are fundamental source of the “collective conscience” that provides individuals with meaning and binds them into a community. When people participate in rituals this process integrates individual into a social order both in one’s “day-to-day relationships of life”.”

 We need analyze the full meaning of solidarity in order to understand its relationship to education and how Durkheim sees the social integration of society. There are two ideal types of society: mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. Human beings strive for a society that follows the ideal type of mechanical solidarity, which has several elements of altruism, but not in the way we normally understand it. Normally, we think of altruism as helping people simply for the sake of helping them. However, in mechanical solidarity, altruism is defined as a lack of individuality and everything is based on an obligation to a social group, such as a school. There are many attributes to mechanical solidarity, including the fact that it is very rigid, there is little independence leading to weak bonds, and the overall standard of conformity which mechanical solidarity imposes. The current education system is attempting to achieve mechanical solidarity, as it is a closed system. Students are forced to conform to one system of rules and are unable to creatively express themselves. There is no agency given to students in the current model of education. Even though the education system strives to achieve mechanical solidarity, in reality the division of labor follows a model of organic solidarity. Organic solidarity is a system that is essentially the complete opposite of mechanical solidarity. In an organic solidarity system, there is high individuality, social interactions, and interdependence. Organic solidarity allows students to obtain an education so that they can prosper in their own specialized fields of study. Emile Durkheim would view modern education, as a system of rituals and social interactions, where students with common goals interact in order to achieve their specialized careers in unique fields of study in the division of labor. In the labor division, society needs individuality and interdependence. Durkheim believes that a primitive mechanical solidarity society transforms to an advanced organic that the individuality we possess and demonstrate is really an illusion. The limitations of our social system prevents agency. Therefore, society has institutions such as schools that require people to follow a program, even when they think they are forging new grounds. We have agency to make our own choices, but our decisions are guided by a narrow social system that makes independent thinking quite difficult.

Source: Boundless. “https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/sociology-1/the-history-of-sociology-23/durkheim-and-social-integration-151-3416/