Introduction to Understanding

Culture, Society and Politics

Sociological Imagination by C
Wright Millls
SOCIOLOGICAL
IMAGINATION
C Wright Mills
Sociological Imagination

NOTE: Helps men understand what is

happening to themselves by locating their
experience to the particular historical context of
society
Sociological Imagination

PURPOSE: To understand and explain how

some problems are caused by underlying
structural obstacles caused by certain social
issues
Sociological Imagination

“ Neither the life of an individual

nor the history of a society can be
understood without understanding
both.”
Sociological Imagination

ISSUES and TROUBLE:

Issues : Have to do with the matters that
transcend these local environments of the
individual and the range of his inner life
Sociological Imagination

ISSUES and TROUBLE:

Troubles: Occur within the character of the
individual and within his range of his
immediate relations with others. It has to do
with his self and with those areas of social life
in which he is directly personally aware.
Sociological Imagination

ISSUES and TROUBLE:

Troubles: Occur within the character of the
individual and within his range of his
immediate relations with others. It has to do
with his self and with those areas of social life
in which he is directly personally aware.
Sociological Imagination

[1] Seeing the General in Particular

Sociological Imagination

[1] Seeing the General in Particular

[2] Seeing the Strange in the Familiar
Sociological Imagination

[1] Seeing the General in Particular

[2] Seeing the Strange in the Familiar
[3] Identifying Social Facts
Sociological Imagination by C
Wright Millls

 C Wright Mills (1916-1962) American, The

Sociological Imagination
The ability to see the social patterns that influence
individuals, families, groups and organizations

An awareness of the relationship between the

individual and the wider society , both today and in
the past

To make the connections to the root causes of

structure and move away from seeing things through
the lens of individual problems and solution
Sociological Imagination by C
Wright Millls

 C Wright Mills (1916-1962) American, The

Sociological Imagination
World
History
Personal Problems

Society
Social Issue
“Neither the life of an individual nor the
Individual history of a society can be understood
without understanding both.” ― C. Wright
Mills