Describe what sociologist C. Wright Mills meant by the sociological imagination
What will be an ideal response?
Mills described sociological reasoning as the sociological imagination—
the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the
larger society. This awareness enables us to understand the link between
our personal experiences and the social contexts in which they occur. The
sociological imagination helps us distinguish between personal troubles
and social (or public) issues.
Personal troubles are private problems that affect individuals and the networks of people
with which they associate regularly. As a result, these problems must be solved by
individuals within their immediate social setting. For example, one person being
unemployed or running up a high credit card debt could be identified as a personal trouble.
Whereas social (or public) issues are problems that affect large numbers of people and
often require solutions at the societal level. For example, widespread unemployment or
massive, nationwide consumer debt could be identified as a social (or public) issue.
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Our gender identity
A) Is fixed at birth by our sex B) Intersects with other identities such as class or race C) Is more a characteristic of women than of men D) Is more a characteristic of women than of men
Human ecology investigates the relationship between society and the environment
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
A subculture is
A. a segment of society that shares a distinctive pattern of customs, rules, and traditions that differs from the pattern of the larger group. B. a specialized language that is used by members of a group. C. a large number of people who live in the same territory, are relatively independent of people outside it, and participate in a common culture. D. the totality of learned, socially transmitted behavior.
Compared to Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton _____. Select all, but only those apply.
a. favored more limited, middle-range theories rather than grand, overarching theories b. was more favorable toward Marxian theories c. was more politically to the left d. was much more conservative