The Functions of the Danish Educational System

Sammanfattning: The reasoning and motivation for the creation of this thesis is the acknowledgement that European societies are based on their institutions and the resulting consequences. Therefore, gaining an understanding of such is of great importance. This thesis investigates the formal purposes and the practised outcome of the Danish educational system and the consequences of this from a Marxist perspective within the late modern society. To research such will be done by a case study with a focus on the Danish educational system, and the use of textual analysis, analysing Danish legislation in regard to and with relevance for the Danish educational system. The formal purpose and the practised outcome of the legislation will be discussed by different scholars including Bourdieu, Foucault, and Skinner. The late modern society and the consequences of this will be discussed by different scholars including Giddens, Freud, and Fromm. The conclusion stands that the Danish educational system does not achieve its formal functions or purposes. Instead, it allocates students to different roles within society, whilst simultaneously creating passive, subdued, disciplined individuals that due to this and the nature of the late modern society will be seeking strong authorities, resulting in a (re)production and legitimization of the social structures within society. This ties largely into the already existing Marxist perspective of the societal institutions, but additionally acknowledges the influence of the late modern society, creating new relevance.