This monograph directs the sociology of education towards modern cultural theory by means of an examination of basic concepts in the new sociology. The result is a new model for the social analysis of education. The book draws on symbolic and literary theories, arguing that they could constitute the basis for a new critical social theory of education. It also reviews the contributions of Derrida, Barthes, Foucault and others, showing the power critical literary theories have in illuminating the construction of meaning and subjectivity in education.