After reading Chapter Thirteen, the student should be able to:
Explain the term "credential society" and why postindustrial societies are becoming more and more "credentialized".
Outline the major differences in the educational systems in the United States, Japan, Post-Soviet Russia, and Egypt.
Discuss the manifest and latent functions served by educational institutions and the values transmitted by the education institutions in the United States.
Explain why conflict theorists perceive the education system as a tool of the ruling class and describe the mechanisms by which education reproduces existing class structure.
Discuss the symbolic interactionist perspective of education including teacher expectations, self-fulfilling prophecies, and the results of research by Ray Rist and George Farkas.
Discuss the problems facing educational institutions, including mediocrity, social promotion, functional illiteracy, and violence.
Evaluate the impacts community colleges and home schooling are having on the education systems.
Define religion and its main characteristics as presented by Durkheim.
Discuss the functionalist view of religion including both the functions and dysfunction it may serve.
Discuss the symbolic interactionist view of religion including the importance of rituals, symbols and beliefs, and religious experiences.
Discuss the conflict perspective as it relates to religion including the ideology proposed by Karl Marx and how religion serves as a legitimation of social inequalities.
Describe the relationship between religion and capitalism as developed by Weber and the new problem of terrorism.
Describe the different types of religious groups including cult, sect, church and ecclesia.
Discuss how cults and sects adapt to the dominant culture and dominant religions. .
Discuss the characteristics of members of religious groups in the United States.
Describe the process of secularization and its impact on religion
