The Sociological Imagination Essay - 1065 Words

Paper Grade: 75 / C The Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination is an idea or a way of thinking that interlocks an individual in a society with the society as a whole. Most people refer to sociology as the study of how people or individuals interact with each other. In order to fully understand sociology and the concept of the sociological imagination as proposed by C. Wright Mills, one has to be able to envision the individual and the society working together to better understand the role each plays in the social order. C. Wright Mills states that Sociology must make a connection between the individual and the social. It must allow the individual to see the larger context in which his or her life is lived, and in†¦show more content†¦Issues refer to the problems that the society as a whole deals with; issues are public problems, outside of the individual. For example, unemployment can be considered a trouble as well as an issue. It is considered a trouble when one person is unemployed in a small town because it is his own personal problem. Some of the justifications that are used for his problem are the mans character and work ethic, for example. Unemployment is considered an issue when millions of people in a country are unemployed. This is when the reason behind the problem cannot be pointed towards one individual. The political and economic situations in the society as a whole have to be well thought-out in order to find the solution to the issue. This same concept can be applied to the previous examples of marriage, war, healthcare, and education. When one or two people are affected, the problem is only a trouble but when a greater part of the society is affected, the problem then becomes an issue that the whole society has to deal with. We can see the sociological imagination in our everyday lives. The sociological imagination can be seen through an example of medicalization. Medicalization is defined as considering a behavior as a medical problem or disease and then mandating the medical profession to provide some treatment for it. Some examples of medicalization are ADHD, obesity,Show MoreRelatedSociological Imagination636 Words   |  3 Pagesproblems, family problems or an individual just may not be happy. Although, if this person uses their social imagination it may be a little easier for them to cope with their depression. Looking at their problems in a more general perspective helps them realize they are not alone and these are daily problems everyone faces. Sociologist C. Wright Mills quotes â€Å"The sociological imagination enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the innerRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination And Me Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesThe Sociological Imagination and Me Charles Wright Mills was a writer, a researcher, a teacher, a scholar and a well known sociologist. He was the author of the 1959 book, The Sociological Imagination. This book was poorly received by the sociological community at first, but it is one of the most widely read sociological texts today. The Sociological Imagination and Mills’ other works have had an immense impact on sociology, as he influenced many other scholars and the â€Å"New Left† movement of theRead MoreSociological Imagination Essay703 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿ Tierra Hodge Dr. Ngeo Boon Lin Intro to Sociology October 1, 2014 Sociological Imagination What is sociological imagination? According to C. Wright Mills sociological imagination is the ability to see how individual experiences are connected to the larger society. Sociological perspective enables one to grasp connection to history and biography. History is the background and biography is the individual’s specific experiences. C.Wright Mills came up with the idea that in order for one to understandRead MoreC. Wright Millss Sociological Imagination1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe sociological imagination, a concept coined by C. Wright Mills, is defined as, â€Å"the awareness of the relationship between personal experience and wider society.† The sociological imagination is not an innate way of thinking, therefore its inverse is commonly referred to as the ordinary way of thinking. People who think ordinarily, do not make connections between what is happening in their own milieu and what is happening in the larger society they live within. The memoir of Michael P atrick MacDonaldRead MoreSociological Imagination By C. Wright Mills942 Words   |  4 PagesSociological imagination according to C. Wright Mills (1959) â€Å"enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals† (p.5) Mills in this book of The Sociological Imagination explains how society shapes the people. Mills wants people to be able to use sociological imagination to see things in a sociology point of view, so they can know the difference between personal troubles versus personal issuesRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination By C. Wright Mills Essay1970 Words   |  8 Pagesmay not be within our control, and it takes a toll on our lives. As a person experiences something that is out of their control, it is related back to social forces; this is what the sociological imagination is. C. Wright Mills, author of â€Å"The Sociological Imagination†, explains how the sociological imagination plays a part in human development, and how certain social forces affecting the lives of those who are constantly facing hardships. He explains that the problems that we face as human beingsRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination : C. Wright Mills1822 Words   |  8 PagesC. Wright Mills defines the sociological imagination as, â€Å"what they need, and what they feel they need, is a quality of mind that will help them to use information and to develop reason in order to achieve lucid summations of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within themselves†. Mills also says that the sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. When I read Chapter One: The Promise from C. WrightRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination : C. Wright Mills907 Words   |  4 Pageslimited to their day to day life and personal experiences that are directly related to them, they cannot see the bigger picture. They do not yet know that the sociological imagination can set them free from this trap and as C. Wright Mills said, In many ways it is a terrible lesson; in many ways a magnificent one.. The sociological imagination is truly an incredible thing. Most people go through life indeed feeling trapped by the personal troubles that plague their lives and some never even considerRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination As Described By C. Wright Mills930 Words   |  4 PagesThe sociological imagination as described by C. Wright Mills is â€Å"the ability to understand the intersection between biography and history or interplay of self and the world.† (13) Mills also describes the sociological imagination by saying, â€Å"we have come to know every individual lives, from one generation to the next, in some society; that he lives out a biography, and that he lives out within some historical sequence. By the fact of his living he contributes, however minutely, to the shaping ofRead MoreSociological Imagination Coined By Sociologist C. Wright Mills1138 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout our lives we encounter numerous personal troubles, no matter big ones or trivial ones. H owever, one may seldom relate their problems in a sociological level rather often try to ascribe the blame to their personal wrongs. In this essay I would introduce the topic of sociological imagination coined by sociologist C. Wright Mills, describing how personal matters have all sorts of interwoven relationships with social issues. It is also important to realize that there are distinctions between