Examining Power Structures in Society

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The concept of power is a very broad topic that exists in many different forms. The ability to distinguish who has power from those who do not is very clear to determine. However this is not always the case. Power can be defined as the ability to force someone’s will against another in the face of resistance. Everyday activities and societal intuitions contain an inherent power structure that is constantly at play even if those affected are not aware of it. By studying power and who wields it along with the effects in society, it proposes an explanation as to why certain people possess a higher amount of opportunities than others. The sociological imagination can be used to study power by going beyond personal struggle and connecting it to …show more content…

This stems from colonization and the thought that those of other races were considered to be savage and inferior. The most prominent incident that exposed the power White people held over others in Canada was the implantation of Residential schools. The goal of these schools was to force those of First Nation decent to conform into European society because it was believed to be the best. The racialized First Nation people were stripped of their cultural heritage because it was regarded as something that needed to be …show more content…

The concept of sociological imagination is a concept developed by C. Wright Mills and for him it means is “the ability to go beyond…personal issues and connect them to the broad social structure” (cite- 7). While if a problem occurs to one person, it is unfortunate however when a whole group of people are experiencing the same problem, it is a social issue. An example of this would be eating disorders. If one person is suffering with an eating disorder then it does not count as a social issue but if many young people are experiencing depression and dissatisfaction towards their body because of representations and expectations portrayed in the media, it is a social

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