Professor Tompkins
Sociological Imagination
2-10-19
In 1959 author and scholar C. Wright Mills released a book titled “Sociological
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
While Mills is credited with the introduction of the concept many scholars have
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:
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
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
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 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
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.
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