Sociological Imagination
Another Founder of This Idea:
Karl Marx
- believed that society was based on industry (Work)
- Used sociological imagination to understand/explain industrial society
Sabrina Berrios
Explanation of Definition:
- being able to step back from the situation and seeing it from different perspectives
What is Sociological Imagination?
Straight Definition: "the vivid awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society." (The Sociological Imagination)
C. Wright Mills
An Example of Sociological Imagination:
- Created the entire concept of sociological imagination
-Believed that sociologists were not using their information for social change and felt that they should
Explain someone walking to school using sociological imagination.
- Perhaps they missed the bus
- maybe their car broke down
- perhaps they can't afford transportation
- maybe they are doing it for exercise
Taking a step out of the action and thinking of the possible whys is sociological imagination.
Conclusion:
These cheesey examples may not be of any use to you, but they do help explain the idea. This concept is used on many different scales, from Marx understanding industry and social change to a teacher understanding why a student was late to class.
Example #2:
Explain why a child is eating vegetables.
- perhaps their parent is punishing them
- maybe they actually like vegetables
- perhaps the child learned to eat them from his/her older sibling
There are many possibilities. Using sociological imagination, you are able to understand the child better.