Sociological ImaginationPRESENTATION TO THE SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT DAWSON COLLEGE

ERIK CHEVRIER

Charles Wright Mills Lifespan: 1916 – 1962From the United States

Major Works1946 From Max Webber: Essays in Sociology

1948 The New Men of Power 1950 The New Puerto Rican Journey 1951 White Collar: The American Middle Class 1953 Character and Social Structure 1956 The Power Elite 1958 The Causes of World War Three 1959 The Sociological Imagination 1960 Listen, Yankee: The Revolution in Cuba 1962 The Marxists

What is Sociology? Sociology is the systematic study of social behaviour in human societies.

(Tepperman Curtis, 2006)

Sociological Perspective stresses the social contexts from which people live.(Henslin, Glenday, Duffy, & Pupo, 2004)

How are people influenced by society – a group of people who share a culture and territory?(Henslin, Glenday, Duffy, & Pupo, 2004)

Macrosociology is the study of large social organizations and categories. (Tepperman Curtis, 2006)

Microsociology focuses on typical processes and patterns of face to face interactions in small groups.

(Tepperman Curtis, 2006)

Historical Context Early sociologists like Durkheim focused on social structures rather than individual behaviour.

(Shepard, 1974)

Charles Wright Mills argues that sociologists should study the relationship between personal situations and social events.

(Shepard, 1974)

Sociological Imagination – Mentality that sifts information in the quest for understanding the implications of the broader historical canvas for others.

(Mills, 1956)

Sociological Imagination Mills is concerned with:

◦ Personal problems are connected with larger public issues.◦ People are aware of their private issues but in public matters, people move vicariously and remain

spectators. As a result, people feel trapped.◦ People do not define troubles via historical change or institutional contradictions.

Sociological Imagination confronts these concerns by addressing:◦ An individual (biography)◦ Historical context

Key Issues in Sociological Imagination

Values are important – When values are in conflict with desired social outcomes, they become personal troubles or public issues

Personal troubles of milieu – Problems with an individual and their range of immediate relations

Public issues of social structure – Problems with organizational structures and society as a who

In order to address personal troubles, we must look beyond the milieu to larger structural changes and institutional arrangements

Incongruent Values When cherished values are not threatened = Well-being When cherished values are threatened = Crisis Not aware of values or threat = Indifference/apathy Unaware of values but aware of threat = Uneasiness

Example The liberal government is cutting funding for education and health care.

Are these values we cherish for Canadian Society?

Individual impact:◦ Rising cost of tuition◦ Implementation of user fees for hospitals◦ Two-tier medical system◦ Rich get better access to social services

How is this a public issue?

Sociological Imagination Addresses three questions:

1 – What is the structure of a particular society? ◦ Essential components, and how are they related to one another◦ Difference from other varieties of social order◦ Features important for continuance and for change

2 – Where does this society stand in human history? ◦ Mechanics of change changing◦ Meaning for development of humanity◦ Affect and affected historical period◦ Essential features and how they differ historically

3 – What varieties of men and women now prevail in society in this period?◦ How is the ruling class formed?◦ How are common people liberated or repressed?◦ What can we learn from human nature of each feature of society we are examining?

Example Public Issue

Between 1994 and 2006, the last year for which statistics are available, Canada’s federal, provincial, and local governments spent $182.4 billion on subsidies to business.

(Fraser Institute, 2008)

Since 2008, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation has given the banks over $100 billon dollars. Over the next years, they recorded record profits.

(Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2012)

Other Theories

Questions

Do you have any questions or concerns?