The Sociological Imagination

The Sociological Imagination

DescriptionThe sociological imagination
The sociological imagination is a term coined by C. Wright Mills, who defined sociological imagination as “the awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society”. Mills understood that our experiences are shaped by the world in which we live, as well as by the actions we take.
Sociological imagination is the capacity to shift from one perspective to another. A common sense expression we use is to ‘walk a mile in another’s shoes’. This points to the importance of understanding the world through the eyes of others, not only in terms of our own “weltershaung” (Weber’s term for world view).
Please comment on how you will use the sociological imagination to broaden your view of social interaction. What is an area of life you would like to examine more closely from the perspective of others different from yourself?