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School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Through the use of a consistent analytic framework, this text shows how and why certain school-society issues first arose in this country and how they have changed over time. Introduced and explained in detail in the first chapter, the text’s analytic framework focuses on the political economy, the dominant ideology, and existing educational practices that are prevalent in any given historical era. Readings at the end of each chapter are designed for the student to critique using the same analytic framework that the authors employ in the text. In its examination of the evolution of education in the United States, this book tells an engaging historical story.

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504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

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5 stars
9 (14%)
4 stars
18 (28%)
3 stars
23 (35%)
2 stars
11 (17%)
1 star
3 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for J.
899 reviews
December 31, 2011
This was a required textbook for an education policy course and it was absolutely terrible. Really really bad. The authors' biases poked through at every opportunity and the filtering of information to convince the reader of a single point of view was just sickening for this type of subject. We should be presented with all the material and allowed to make our own decisions, instead it provided a very one-sided view of all the topics. Opposing views were only shared to discredit themselves. I didn't read every single chapter since there were other readings in the class, but I read enough.
Profile Image for AJ Holmes.
858 reviews14 followers
July 24, 2025
Wow! Very informative!

This was the class text for my Sociology of Education class, whoa! There was so much I didn't know or even realize about education's effect/influence on societal norms. Also, the details and breakdowns of this book helped me to genuinely learn and appreciate the information being shared.
Profile Image for Dani.
262 reviews6 followers
December 3, 2024
For a textbook, this was pretty good. Definitely understandable and readable. Very progressive takes.
Profile Image for Derek.
78 reviews22 followers
November 2, 2012
By far one of the best textbooks I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It situated school within the dominant political, economic, and social trends of society. It wasn't afraid to combat the ideological hegemony of most other textbooks, provide deep and profound historical context, or to present a plethora of pedagogical issues that many teacher candidates would otherwise never face. All teacher candidates should have to grapple with this text, and with the issues it contains.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews