What is C. Wright Mills' Sociological Imagination?

C. Wright Mills

The Sociological Imagination is a book and theory developed by contemporary sociologist C. Wright Mills.

In this theory, Mills explains that to truly understand society and a person's situation, we must not just look at the social issue from an everyday viewpoint. We must use some creativity and imagination by trying to understand the person's story and the society that they were brought up in (or how the social institutions they were involved with affected them).

What is Sociology?

W.E.B Du Bois

Sociology, as defined by many, is the empirical study of society. In other words, it is the scientific examination of social institutions and the study of methods that are used to investigate society.

For a clearer definition, McGill University defines sociology as:

"Sociology examines the underlying patterns in human behavior and our relationships with one another. Pretty much anything involving more than one person is fair game for sociologists. The subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious traditions; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of the common culture."

But the study of sociology is much more than that, as it teaches its students about society's hierarchy of power, how to analyze it, and how to make fellow humans conscious of the invisible ladder.