Clash of Cultures

Clash of Cultures Definition

Clash of cultures is a concept within the sociology of education used to explain the underachievement experienced by children from working-class and ethnic minority backgrounds. It posits that this educational disparity arises from the fundamental divergence between the expectations and practices embedded within the school environment and the distinct values and attitudes held by students from particular social backgrounds.

Theoretical Application

The concept is often applied to examine how institutional norms conflict with student realities. For instance, in relation to working-class children, it is argued that the middle-class ethos prevalent in schools, which prioritises concepts such as deferred gratification, is incompatible with the more hedonistic cultural values often found within working-class communities.

Criticisms

A significant criticism levelled against approaches employing this framework is that they risk oversimplification. Critics argue that by categorising all schools and all working-class children together, the approach fails to account for the important internal variations and differences that exist within these broader social categories.