An analysis of the relationship between schooling and society: Toward an education for growth and community

This study explores the relationship between schooling and society by comparing and synthesizing Bowles and Gintis' and Martin's works on the role and purpose of American schooling. According to them, the inquiry about school-related problems cannot be fully understood in isolation from the social context in which they occur. They share with each other their picture of educational theory as a regulative idea with reference to which we should be concerned with the reform of educational and social practice.They share a distrust of contemporary American society and feel that schooling should not aim at merely providing a means for students to fit into society, but serving as a means for them to change it for the better. Social problems cannot be transformed by schooling alone. Yet schooling can contribute to personal growth and social change. Accordingly, schooling should not become a "naturalistic" microcosm of society, but provide an "artificially" balanced environment to ensure a healthy atmosphere for personal growth and cultural renewal. To promote the education for growth and community, they pursue different strategies: "project of Right" and "project of partiality." However, they agree that schooling should respond to the diverse interests of different social groups for contributing to human development and social change.Based on their arguments, we can capture the importance of a comprehensive and normative understanding of social contexts as the essential domain of educational inquiry. Educational theory is basically involved with ethical discourse about the transformation of educational and social practice. In this ethical discourse, we should consider the interplay or tension between human agent, schooling, and society. Also, it is crucial for developing education for growth and community to be respectful of the diverse needs and social experiences of different social groups. For respecting the differences among students with different backgrounds, it is Martin's "project of partiality" which is, I think, the most defensible. Bowles and Gintis' and Martin's works have important implications for an alternative education for growth and community to the prevailing liberal education for individuality and autonomy.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio