The concept of sociological imagination – C. Wright Mills
The concept of "sociological imagination" is the understanding of relationships
between biography and history of an individual, and the way they influence each other in the
society (Mills, 2000). Conversely, a person with a particular historical and social background
fits into a particular social structure. However, this connection of a person with his historical
background and social structures generates “troubles” for him, which later turns into a public
“issue” (Puga & Easthope, 2017). In contrast, sociological imagination requires behaviours,
pieces of knowledge, activities, concerns, and troubles that consist of a person's ‘biography of
experiences’ which exhibits the impact of social structure, powers, circumstances, history,
and political actions. Despite this, Mills saw the ‘personal milieux’ as the micro world shared
with people’s mutual knowledge, their understanding of the world in a way and act which is
meaningful and comprehensible to others. In other words, the ‘biographical experiences’ of
the people show the impact of history, the effect of politics, and existing social structures
(Brewer, 2003).
Similarly, Mills has used a lot of examples to demonstrate that personal troubles are
often manifested as public issues. One example which illustrates this in the field of education,
like many other parents, Peter and his family are concerned with problems like how their son
can obtain a well paid decent job in the future with this college course as he was not good in
school. Few numbers of problems accountable for this are lack of talent, laziness, lack of
parental guidance, teachers are not well trained, etc. Therefore, his family has found solutions
to this problem in many ways by getting private tutors, restricting weekly allowance
depending on college results, or hope that university admission demands are low (Scott &
Nilsen, 2013).
Likewise, the Fresh Fish Act of 1938, is a perfect example of the personal troubles of
small-scale fishermen’s were demonstrated as a public issue. In particular, the fishermen’s
community had to bargain for their landing prices of the region before their seasonal fisheries
began. As a consequence, the Act changed overnight and improved the living conditions of
the fishermen who were dependant on political power and suffered monopolies in the local
fish market. In short, the personal troubles of the fishermen were solved politically since it
was reflected as a public issue. Naturally, the small scale fishing became profitable in the
The concept of "sociological imagination" is the understanding of relationships
between biography and history of an individual, and the way they influence each other in the
society (Mills, 2000). Conversely, a person with a particular historical and social background
fits into a particular social structure. However, this connection of a person with his historical
background and social structures generates “troubles” for him, which later turns into a public
“issue” (Puga & Easthope, 2017). In contrast, sociological imagination requires behaviours,
pieces of knowledge, activities, concerns, and troubles that consist of a person's ‘biography of
experiences’ which exhibits the impact of social structure, powers, circumstances, history,
and political actions. Despite this, Mills saw the ‘personal milieux’ as the micro world shared
with people’s mutual knowledge, their understanding of the world in a way and act which is
meaningful and comprehensible to others. In other words, the ‘biographical experiences’ of
the people show the impact of history, the effect of politics, and existing social structures
(Brewer, 2003).
Similarly, Mills has used a lot of examples to demonstrate that personal troubles are
often manifested as public issues. One example which illustrates this in the field of education,
like many other parents, Peter and his family are concerned with problems like how their son
can obtain a well paid decent job in the future with this college course as he was not good in
school. Few numbers of problems accountable for this are lack of talent, laziness, lack of
parental guidance, teachers are not well trained, etc. Therefore, his family has found solutions
to this problem in many ways by getting private tutors, restricting weekly allowance
depending on college results, or hope that university admission demands are low (Scott &
Nilsen, 2013).
Likewise, the Fresh Fish Act of 1938, is a perfect example of the personal troubles of
small-scale fishermen’s were demonstrated as a public issue. In particular, the fishermen’s
community had to bargain for their landing prices of the region before their seasonal fisheries
began. As a consequence, the Act changed overnight and improved the living conditions of
the fishermen who were dependant on political power and suffered monopolies in the local
fish market. In short, the personal troubles of the fishermen were solved politically since it
was reflected as a public issue. Naturally, the small scale fishing became profitable in the
