What Is Sociological Imagination and How It Is Useful Within Contemporary Sociology

Wright Mills recognised that many people’s problems are due to society, as well as the modern day not being circumstantial. Historical and social factors play a key role in regard to the sociological imagination. ‘The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two in society’ (Mills, 1967, p. 6) We need to look at historical context as well as biography and understand the relation between the two in society. Biography is known as personal life experiences as well as history. Furthermore, the main views and beliefs of gender and race play a key part within the sociological imagination within contemporary society. In this essay we will explore what is sociological imagination and provide tqo examples of how it is useful in contemporary sociology.

The Concept of Sociological Imagination

The sociological imagination has been perceived in numerous ways. ‘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’ (Mills, 1967, p. 5) Here Mills has described information as being the key factor in the sociological imagination. Therefore, Mills suggests that information is a basis for conclusions. In addition, the sociological imagination can be described as a thinking process. ‘a form of consciousness, a way of thinking, a critical way of seeing the social. It takes a while, sometimes years, for this ‘consciousness’, to become clear’. (Macionis and Plummer, 2008, p. 4) Macionis and Plummer suggest that the way that we think is the way we see society. As mentioned above, the sociological imagination ‘enables us to grasp history and biography’ (Mills, 1967, p. 6). This leads to the sociological imagination being perceived through private troubles and public issues. ‘With which the sociological imagination works is between the ‘the personal troubles of milieu’ and ‘the public issues of social structure’ (Mills, 1967, p. 8) Mills suggests that you need to consider personal and public issues. Private troubles are situations which are personal to an individual andor experienced by an individual. Mills describes private troubles as ‘they have to do with his self and with those limited areas of social life of which he is directly and personally aware’ (Mills, 1967, p. 8) Public issues can range from local to mass public issues within a society. Mills relates to this by stating ‘often involves a crisis in institutional arrangements’ (Mills, 1967, p. 9) Mills is suggesting more large-scale affairs such as racism for example. The theory of the sociological imagination can give us an insight into gender and racial stereotypes in society.

The Theory of Sociological Imagination

The theory of sociological imagination can help us to understand and challenge gender stereotypes and normalities that are often rooted within gender socialisation. Gender socialisation can be described as ‘the processes through which individuals take on gendered qualities and characteristics and acquire a sense of self’. (Wharton, 2005, p. 31) Wharton suggest that It is all about learning about who you are as a person. There are various steps of socialisation that play a key role in developing a gender identity. This process develops through childhood, teenage years and adulthood. An example of a gender stereotype that Is rooted in socialisation is the use of toys in childhood play. In society young girls are seen to play with toys such as female dolls and pink toys. On the other hand, young boys are seen to play with objects such as bricks, construction equipment, and superhero figures with guns. These toys are gendered in significant ways. Through the influences of sociological imagination, children are seen to play with these stereotypical toys. Here, through the concept of private troubles, the family of a child can significantly develop stereotypical gender behaviours and normalities. This can be seen though a study of observations of formal and relaxed behaviours, by gender of child: five preschool Classrooms. ‘the most common activities boys and girls did […] Boys: played blocks (floor) […] Girls: played dolls (sitting in chairs) […] Children sorted themselves into these activities.’ (Martin, 1998 pp. 494-511.) This is evidence that through the concept of private troubles, the family of a child have developed certain natural behavioural patterns as the boys tended to play with the blocks and the girls played with the dolls. The fact that the children sorted themselves into activities is clear evidence of parental influence. However, concepts of the sociological imagination can challenge gender normalities that are rooted within gender socialisation. ‘Children also sometimes resist their body’s being gendered. For example, three-year-old boys dressed up in women’s clothes sometimes. Five-year-old girls played with a relaxed compartment that is normatively (hegemonically) masculine when they sat up with their feet up on the desk and their chairs tipped backward.’ This study shows that some gender behaviours challenge stereotypical gender normalities. This study has shown that certain gender behaviours challenge the gender stereotypes, however gender normalities have been identified as a whole. It is important to remember that gender socialisation continues through childhood and adulthood. For example, in workplace environments. As well as this it is key to remember that normalities and ideas about gender change over a period of time. For example, gender expectations around how woman should dress are substantially different in the ninetieth century compared to the twentieth and twenty-first century. This can be linked to the idea that gender is performed in different ways in different cultures. For example, in eastern Africa, there is a traditional dress called the kanzu, whereas this would be rare in European cultures. This cultural difference in society highlights the idea that gender is culturally and socially constructed rather than being instinctively ingrained among us.

Integration with Race and Ethnicity within Society

The sociological imagination can also be integrated with race and ethnicity within society. In the past race has been used to divide humans into groups based on natural characteristics such as genetic similarities. ‘types of people distinguished from each other by their inherited biological characteristics’. (Fulcher and Scott p. 191) Race has a strong historical context, with ideologies being traced from the fifteen and sixteenth century. Racial inequalities can exist within society due to the cultural and social developed ideas about racial hierarchy and the superiority of some races over others. Race and ethnicity are often used together, however the concept of ethnicity differs from race. An ethnic group identify through different identities such as religion, food and clothing. ‘by a shared history or culture, a common geographical origin, a common language or religion, or a common set of experiences.’ (Fulcher and Scott p. 194) Ethnicity can also be seen to relate to inheritance, such as passing down a certain ethnic group tradition in a family. There can be many ethnic groups within a country or region. For example, India has over two thousand ethnic groups. The idea of race has been socially constructed throughout time. Historically, societies have connected certain characteristics to groups based on their physical appearance. Race is not considered as a factual concept; the idea of race shapes the way we live our lives in a contemporary western society. Social consequences such as racial prejudice and discrimination are problem in the modern day. The normalisation of negative language and discriminatory action negatively experience certain minority groups on a daily basis. These actions, thoughts and beliefs lie heavily within society.

When regarding the sociological imagination, race and ethnicity relates to a variety of issues, with ideas heavily spread across the world. This is an example of a modern-day issue that is occurring continually while becoming embedded within society. However, in the nineteenth and twentieth century racism was much more strongly embedded within society. The sociological imagination differs from modern day society. When regarding the sociological imagination historical context is key. A study at a Swedish medical school in 1982 explored the ethnic minority student’s exposures to microaggressions and everyday racism. Some findings were ‘the patient checked my nameplate, tried to pronounce my name and said: Are you one of those terrorists as well?’ […] Another student who overheard a physician using the word “nigger”’ (Kristoffersson, et al., 1982, p. 4) This study shows that racism was strongly embedded in the past, and that racism was common within society. Society’s thoughts and general understanding of certain ethnic groups was a lot more centred and negatively positioned, such as the attitudes towards black people in the study. Racism is so embedded within society that a lot of it ignored and accepted. However, society has stood against racism strongly in the twentieth century and the concept of racism has shifted overtime. Society throughout recent centaury’s have established certain actions and thoughts. Racism in the contemporary liberal context has become socially unacceptable. Racism is something that needs to be challenged. Nonetheless, many sociologists argue the multiple and overlapping ways in which racism is experienced rather than the ways in which is it perpetuated by people who are in groups of power. The black lives matter movement is an organisation standing against racism which is one of the most anti-racist organisations in the world. Discussions regarding racism, race, and colonialism have been raised. Society can be influenced though large-scale organisations as well as important members of society. Without knowing, thoughts and beliefs can naturally change through society’s beliefs and actions.

There are significant differences in the key outcomes of compulsory education for different ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups significantly over preform, relative to the majority white British population. However, some ethnic groups under preform. Personal reasons within specific cultures can account for difference in these statistics. A report from the Department for Education collected information regarding the GCSE and equivalent attainment by pupil characteristics, 2013 to 2014, a graph was presented showing the ‘percentage of pupils achieving 5 A*- GCSEs (or equifinal) grades including English and mathematics’. Findings show that in the GCSE period in England 20132014, the Chinese ethnicity were the highest number of students achieving five A* including English and Maths. This was 18% more than white British ethnicity. The lowest percentage ethnic group was 8.2% which was the GypsyRoma Irish travellers. The Chinese ethnicity having a higher work ethic than the GypsyRoma ethnicity. When considering the sociological imagination, personal and historical factors such as genetics play a huge part in explaining these findings. We can take a race-based genetic explanation of differences in intelligence. There is a possibility that there are claims of IQ differences between groups. In today’s society, an IQ hierarchy has been socially constructed. The socially constructed idea that Asians have the highest IQ, followed by whites, followed by blacks. However, there is no solid evidence to suggest that this is the case. In addition, there is some evidence to suggest that education of attainment may be related to culture. Sociologists have been exploring the potential cultural explanations along lines of ethnic, social class and gender. Different cultural parenting styles can be an explanation for this. In south east Asia, there are mothers known as ‘tiger mum’s’. These are mothers who are very strict with their children regarding academic success. Therefore, we can see that private issues within a culture can be reason for these findings, as well as noticing why the Chinese culture are seen as hard working.

A report from the Department for Education collected information on the ‘Permanent and Fixed Exclusions in England: (2014 to 2015)’. ‘Pupils of GypsyRoma and Traveller of Irish Heritage ethnic groups had the highest rates of both permeant and fixed period exclusions.’ In the 201415 period, Travellers of Irish Heritage had the highest percentage of exclusion rate, with the Chinese ethnic group being the lowest rate of exclusion. These findings can create a sociological imagination that certain ethnic groups have different traits. For example, the stereotypical thinking process in society is that the GypsyRoma and Traveller of Irish Heritage are more violent in society, whereas the Chinese ethnic groups are better behaved and more academically successful. This study shows that this thought is true to an extent.

Conclusion

As discussed, the concept of ‘the sociological imagination’ has a lot of depth and factors within it. The way race and gender interact with the sociological imagination has been explored from different viewpoints. Mills C. W is one of the most influential writers in relation to society. However, many other writers such as Macionis and Plummer have had an influence in the study of the sociological imagination. Overall, the sociological imagination is a very useful concept when regarding important topics such as gender and race within society.