Example Of The Sociological Imagination

Introduction
The following essay will discuss the meaning of the sociological imagination. This essay will also make a clear distinction between a personal problem and a public issue. Lastly, this essay will apply the methodology of the above mentioned points to two articles- one based on the institution of family, more specifically same-sex marriages and the other on religion with greater focus on satanic killings.
The Sociological Perspective
The Sociological Imagination is a concept that was created by C.W Mills in the year 1959 and it is a concept that enables an individual to remove themselves from all of their personal understanding in order to have a greater understanding of the world. Mills stated that it is, “…a quality of mind that will help them use information and to develop reason in order to achieve lucid summations of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within themselves” (Mills, 1959:5) .
The sociological imagination enables an individual further to go beyond the limitations of both their life experiences and understandings and build a sense of objectivity in relation to social situations.
Mills believed that in order to understand any social aspect, it is important to engage with the history of interaction and the structure of society, Mills said that, “No social study that does not come back to the problems of biography, of history and of their intersections within society has completed its social journey” (Mills, 1959:6). In other words, one cannot simply look at an event-whether it is personal or social- and make a deduction of it without further knowledge. It is vital for the observer to investigate what environment the situation is taking place in. For example, factors that should be...

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... explanation for her actions.
As a public issue, satanic killings such as that of Selfularo can create widespread panic and fear. Families and individuals may fear for their lives as well as their loved ones about their safety. It may also highlight the importance of religion as an institution for guidance in the life of an individual and subsequently that of the society as a whole.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the investigation and analysis of the sociological imagination has displayed only beneficial results. The sociological imagination allows one to break the barriers of misunderstanding and allow them to understand to the best of their abilities and imagination the origin and history of a single or multiple events. More than anything, the sociological imaginations allows one to build a greater sense of empathy where a stranger or multiple strangers are concerned.