Ashlin Meuser

Professor Tompkins

Sociological Imagination

2-10-19

We Need The Sociological Imagination

In 1959 author and scholar C. Wright Mills released a book titled “Sociological

Imagination”, in this book Mills introduced the concept of a sociological imagination.

The basis of the concept is rooted in the observation and analysis of society through two

lenses, one of the individual and the other of societies large-scale social forces. Mills

wrote that shifting between these two lenses and being able to see the differences

between them is what creates a sociological imagination (Mills).

While Mills is credited with the introduction of the concept many scholars have

followed in his footsteps, adding to what it means to possess the sociological

imagination. One of these is the author and scholar G. Johnson, he wrote about the use of

the social imagination in everyday life and how it can change the way we perceive our

world as we know it. Another one of these authors is Robin DiAngelo, in her article

“White Fragility” she discusses the social structures that lead to racism in our society. As

well as the factors that lead to white fragility, a topic introduced by DiAngelo as the

leading problem with race in our society. All of these authors have one thing in common:

a view of our society through both lenses.

Mills argues throughout his book “The Promise” that men in our society are set up

for failure because of the social structure that surrounds them. This social structure

requires men to meet certain criteria an achieve certain goals; these goals are often
unachievable because of the very system that binds them. These men, without

understanding the full picture and lacking a sociological imagination allow society and

the world around them to control them. The reason the social structures of class, race, and

gender function is because we all contribute to the problem in some form or another. As

DiAngelo describes it in relation to the social structure of racism, by doing nothing or

choosing to ignore the problem we help it to grow out of control. With racism, white

people ignore the fact that white privilege exists or that they benefit from it. By choosing

to ignore this fact we strengthen the forces of white privilege (DiAngelo).

DiAngelo argues that white people in America live in a social bubble that protects

and insulates them from racial stress which leads to white fragility. She lists seven factors

that create this bubble. One of these factors is segregation, in post civil rights movement

America most whites live in segregation but not the segregation that is taught in history

books. We live in a white dominated society where segregation occurs on multiple levels,

white people grow up in white dominated schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces never

thinking it's anything but normal. White people define “good” schools or neighborhoods

as schools with an absence of people of color, white people do not outright say this but

instead use coded language and subconsciously follow stereotypes that exclude people of

color from their lives (DiAngelo 58). Diangelo says, “white people are taught not to feel

any loss over the absence of people of color in their lives and in fact, this absence is what

defines schools and neighborhoods as “good”. Whites are taught by society to believe

that the “loss” DiAngelo explains that it is not really a loss at all but instead a benefit to

go to a “good” school or live in a “good” neighborhood where the only time you may see
a black person is when you leave your bubble. The coding that DiAngelo lists is

explicitly denied by whites, this denial creates the segregated world that we live in today.

Johnson also writes about the necessity for sociological thinking saying that,

“things don’t have to be the way they are, but they wont get better all by themselves. We

need to do something, and what we do needs to be based on more than hunches… we

need systematic ways to figure things out, and that’s what sociological practice offers”

(Johnson). The sociological imagination is crucial in solving the societal problems that

our world faces today. Without examining the big picture we can only combat these

social structures on a individualistic level which is not effective.

As a white male I experience not only white privilege but also gender privilege. I

will never have to worry about being racially profiled by a police officer to the point

where I might be shot, I will never be looked at suspiciously in a store, or even worry

about going to the bank to take out a loan. These are problems that all people of color

face on a daily basis. Not only do I not experience these hardships, but I in fact benefit

from the social structures that our world revolves around. Using the sociological

imagination I am able to recognize these facts and try to better our society. I would prefer

the world to be an even playing field for all but since it is not I can only try my best to

change it. Not only am I white, I am also a cisgender man and just like racism the gender

construct again benefits one side. There are so many challenges that I will never have to

face soley because of who I am and how society works. As both Johnson and Mills argue,

a sociological view point is the only way to recognize these problems and actually effect

change.
 My experiences in society greatly differ from many and unfortunately I alone

cannot change this but we all together can. Continuing to call on those in power to affect

change is always a good course of action as well as using social media to spread

awareness to those who have not yet developed a sociological imagination. The

understanding of our society by most is through a key hole view where the harsh realities

are blocked and there is nothing to worry about. DiAngelo argued that racial comfort on

the part of whites is very high, partly because white people have gotten very good at

ignoring the parts of society that they don’t want to think about. This dismissal of the

problem on the part of the white moderate fights against so many peoples attempts to

change society.

If we could in fact teach our society as a whole to use the sociological

imagination I do believe progress could be made. Progress can only be made if the people

effecting change understand the problem and without the sociological lens it is almost

impossible to understand the problems our society faces. My hope is that we will be able

to make a change for the better in the near future by teaching the younger generations

about the problems we face and how a larger view of our society is necessary to make

change