Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Transcript of Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lect1sociological-imagination-by-mrs-rosemary-fernandez 1/12
The Sociological ImaginationThe Sociological Imagination
Sociology
± focuses on how broader beliefs and
structures shape behavior ± is a way of seeing and making sense
of the world
± involves critical thinking and a vigilantskepticism of common sense
explanations about the world
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lect1sociological-imagination-by-mrs-rosemary-fernandez 2/12
The Sociological ImaginationThe Sociological Imagination
PUBLIC
ISSUES
History Structure
BiographyPrivate Troubles
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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The Sociological ImaginationThe Sociological Imagination Public Issue
± A concern or a
problem that³transcends the
individual.´
± It is a problem in
which we must lookat the individual and
beyond to find
solutions.
Private Troubles
± Problems that can be
solved by anindividual¶s own
actions and/or
problems that are
caused by his or her
own history
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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The Sociological ImaginationThe Sociological Imagination Sociology involves attention to history
and constant questioning about the
origins of social patterns and problems
A key notion in sociology, and
emphasized by C. Wright Mills, is
³SOCIAL STRUCTURE´
has to do with power, social
interaction and collective beliefs
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Elements of Social StructureElements of Social Structure
Powerful people (e.g. CEOs, politicians)and organizations (e.g. conglomerates,political parties, unions etc.) that define
and shape social life Norms, values and cultural beliefs
± Western explorer who is told halfway
through dinner that he is eating thenice old lady he had been chatting with the previous day ²Berger
± Spit or Saliva?
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Studying SocietyStudying Society Sociological Questions:
How did things get the way they are?
± Why do women make less than men?
± Why is there growing income inequality in the
U.S.?
To develop answers to such questions,
sociologists tend to focus on broader
historical processes
± e.g. ³McDonaldization´
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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³McDonaldization´³McDonaldization´
T he search for maximum efficiency in
increasingly numerous and diverse
social settings (where efficiency has to
do with identifying the optimum meansto a given end)
Why Important?
Dehumanizing for employees (jobdissatisfaction)
Impersonal customer
interactions/society
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Why did McDonald¶s emerge?Why did McDonald¶s emerge?
It provided the most efficient way to
meet society¶s needs
But it was more than that«
McDonald¶s was created under
particular historical circumstances
where the behavior of people had
become driven by efficiency concernsas opposed to other kinds of
concerns such as preparing and
consuming meals as a family event
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Explaining MarriageExplaining Marriage
Conventional Western explanation
focuses on Love
± In reality, most marriages involve people
who are similar in a variety of ways (socio-
economic background, race, ethnicity etc.)
± Hence, social structural considerations
shape marriage rituals by generatingappropriate ³love´ emotions
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Newman¶s ThemeNewman¶s Theme ³Everyday social life²our thoughts, actions, feelings,
decisions, interactions, and so on²is the product of a
complex interplay between societal forces andpersonal characteristics. To explain why people are
the way they are or do the things they do, we must
understand the interpersonal, historical, cultural,
organizational, and global environments they inhabit.
To understand either individuals or society, we mustunderstand both (C. W. Mills 1959).´
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Concluding ThoughtsConcluding Thoughts
The sociological imagination enables us
to be reflective and critical about who
we are and about how society works
While McDonalds may be efficient,we may want to be concerned about
some of the negative consequences
of McDonaldization (dehumanization)
We are all bound up in broader
historical processes that shape how we
think and act
8/6/2019 Lect1.Sociological Imagination by Mrs. Rosemary Fernandez
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Concluding ThoughtsConcluding Thoughts
The sociological imagination not only
helps you to understand the world
better, but also provides insight that can
be helpful in understanding how the
future may unfold