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Question: Assimilation, political socialisation and modernisation Functionalists view the school as society 's primary instrument for meeting the demands of our modern political, social and economic life. Schools must teach students to act according to democratic principles, to tolerate diversity and to work in a specialised, highly technical economy. In addition to these three political , social and economic goals, it is expected that a person should be rewarded according to merit. These are the basic elements required for developing and maintaining a modern, functional These elements are related to the social function of the school and the school 's direct role in cultural assimilation, political socialisation and modernisation (Feinberg & Soltis, 2004: 24-25). . The first two processes, assimilation and political socialisation, are closely aligned with the functionalist 's views on social integration and solidarity. The third process, modernisation, is aligned with the functionalist 's view on role differentiation and development theory (Sadovnik, 2007: 206-207; Brint, 2006: 203-204; Feinberg & Soltis, 2004: 23-26) . The three processes or concepts are defined below. • Assimilation is a cultural concept and refers to the process whereby one group, usually the subordinate group, becomes indistinguishable from another group, usually a dominant one. For example, as one group takes on the attitudes, speech patterns and economic status of the dominant group, the process of assimilation occurs . • Political socialisation is primarily a political concept where a person's political loyalty is widened beyond the local group. As a psychological concept, it refers to the widening of a person's political loyalty beyond the local group to tne nation as a whole. For example, the person accepts the decision-making process ·of a modern democratic form of government. • Modernisation is both an economic and a social concept, and refers to the development of the meritocratic, bureaucratic and individualistic form of life that is associated with modern society . It is a prerequisite for technological and economic development. These three processes can overlap. For example, assimilation involves a change in the wants and needs of the members of the more recently established groups, modernisation pre-supposes just such a change and political socialisation may be seen as a more specific case of assimilation . Nevertheless, while these processes tend to overlap, they ca,n also be treated separately. 1.1 read the text above and discuss assimilation in relation to the social function of a school (use the text for answers)
The text provides a clear framework for understanding assimilation within the social function of a school from a functionalist perspective. Let’s delve into the relationship between assimilation and the school’s social role: ### Assimilation in Relation to the Social Function of a School **Definition of Assimilation:** Assimilation is described as a cultural process in which a subordinate group becomes indistinguishable from a dominant group by adopting the latter's attitudes, speech patterns, and economic status. **Functionalist View on Schools:** Functionalists view schools as critical instruments for meeting the demands of modern political, social, and economic life. Schools are expected to: 1. Instill democratic principles in students. 2. Teach tolerance for diversity. 3. Prepare students for a highly technical and specialized economy. Additionally, schools are expected to reward merit as a basis for advancement, which is essential for maintaining a functional society. **Assimilation and Social Integration:** According to the text, one of the key roles of schools is to facilitate social integration and foster social solidarity. Assimilation is a process that directly contributes to these goals by reducing cultural differences between groups: - Schools help students from different cultural backgrounds adopt shared attitudes, speech patterns, and behaviors, thereby aligning them with the dominant culture. - This cultural alignment helps establish a cohesive social fabric where individuals can operate within the same set of social norms and expectations, contributing to overall social solidarity. **Role in Cultural Assimilation:** The school's role in cultural assimilation extends to minimizing disparities and creating a unified social identity: - By promoting a common culture within the educational system, schools encourage students from various backgrounds to converge towards a dominant cultural norm. - This process helps in smoothing out cultural differences, thereby reducing social frictions and fostering a sense of belonging and identity that aligns with the larger national context. **Meritocratic Reward System:** The assimilation process also supports the meritocratic principle, another pillar of the functionalist view: - As students assimilate culturally, they become more equipped to navigate and succeed in the existing social and economic structures. - This preparation ensures that rewards are distributed based on merit, thus promoting fairness and encouraging individual development within the assimilative framework. ### Conclusion: In essence, assimilation within the social function of a school is about creating a unified cultural identity that supports the larger societal goals of integration, solidarity, and meritocracy. Schools play a pivotal role in this by educating students to adopt the dominant cultural norms and values, thereby facilitating the smooth functioning of a modern, diverse, and democratic society as envisioned by functionalist theorists.
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