Sociological Imagination as a Tool for Engaged Citizenship

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Engaged Citizenship
Sociological Imagination
Knowledge About the Links Between Different Parts of Global Societies
Sociological Knowledge and Reasoning Skills
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The topic of engaged citizenship can be listed among the popular research problems in sociology and psychology. The term in question can be understood as citizens’ readiness to take an active part in political life, support positive change, and engage in self-directed learning to enrich their knowledge of political processes. The goal of this essay is to place engaged citizenship in the context of Mills’s sociological imagination that involves being able to link one’s personal experiences to processes taking place in wider society.

Engaged Citizenship

The emergence of engaged citizenship has to deal with changes in values and attitudes to political life. Modern scholars associate popularization and normalization of the so-called engaged citizenship with the spread of such values as self-expression and individual freedom during the post-modernization period (Hooghe & Oser, 2015). Engaged citizenship and being an active participant within society involves demonstrating sensitivity to issues affecting others, such as human rights violations (Hooghe & Oser, 2015). Importantly, engaged citizenship takes the duty-based understanding of being a citizen to the next level. Duty-based citizenship emphasizes reliability as a taxpayer and political participation to observe formalities but does not involve being active and assertive.

In general, it is possible to regard sociological imagination as a tool that enables a person to move beyond the threadbare and oversimplified ways of understanding individual experiences and what they reveal about life. In his work originally published in 1959, Mills (2000) introduces the term “sociological imagination” to make fragmented knowledge related to the role of historical events in social processes a well-recognized problem. As he argues, it is not surprising that ordinary people “cannot understand the meaning of their epoch for their own lives” (Mills, 2000, p. 5). Basically, to possess this sociological imagination means to be able to reflect on individual and collective experiences without getting lost in disparate and sometimes conflicting facts (Ritzer & Wiedenhoft Murphy, 2019). More precisely, it allows people to “understand the larger historical scene” and its influences on particular individuals, as well as to anatomize societies to grasp their inner structures (Mills, 2000, p. 5). With that in mind, this type of imagination enables a person to develop a more structured understanding of society he or she lives in, which is extremely important for becoming an engaged citizen.

Sociological Imagination

What Mills calls the sociological imagination is a critically important tool for those making scientific inquiries into human society, but fostering it in ordinary people can also help to raise new generations of engaged citizens. As Carter (2015) suggests, engaged and comprehensive citizenship involves taking responsibilities in addition to those specified in laws. As an engaged citizen, a person transfers knowledge about responsibilities in small groups (families, school and workplace teams, and others) to larger and more global contexts, such as communities, cities, or countries (Carter, 2015). However, to recognize these responsibilities, it is essential to understand the role that individuals play in their society’s proliferation and development. The application of sociological imagination discussed above is a good way to approach this task since it helps to find unobvious connections between people’s efforts as citizens and the social outcomes of these efforts.

Knowledge About the Links Between Different Parts of Global Societies

Improving people’s knowledge about the links between different parts of global societies is another aspect of sociological imagination, making it a tool for engaged citizenship. As Mills (2000) states, those possessing sociological imagination focus on the history of societies, their essential components, and connections between these components. This principle finds reflection in the education needed to raise responsible and engaged citizens. To harness engaged citizenship to the betterment of humankind, it is recommended to educate students in wealthier countries about how their lifestyles involve the exploitation of labor in developing states (Hooghe & Oser, 2015). Social imagination can also be used to improve the recognition of environmental problems that affect different populations disproportionately (Norgaard, 2018). Depending on their life circumstances, engaged and mindful citizens should be aware of global political and economic processes and understand their position in relation to more and less powerful subgroups or entire nations. Since it allows drawing connections between personal experiences and global tendencies, sociological imagination can be a useful tool to foster engaged citizenship.

Sociological Knowledge and Reasoning Skills

In some instances, people that do not possess sociological knowledge or lack reasoning skills to draw analogies between small and large groups may misunderstand or underestimate their power as citizens. Sociological imagination can be helpful in eliminating this problem since it provides people with knowledge concerning “the mechanics by which the society is changing” (Mills, 2000, p. 6). The diffusion of knowledge between citizens can contribute to citizen involvement in decision-making to solve different problems (Bruni, Zarić, & Sansone, 2018). However, it is reasonable to think that the effective diffusion of knowledge takes place when citizens are interested in exercising their power and understand opportunities linked to their current status. By fostering sociological imagination in ordinary people, especially those in developed democratic societies, it is possible to improve their understanding of how citizens contribute to policymaking.

Conclusion

To sum it up, sociological imagination can become an effective tool for the promotion of engaged citizenship. By fostering sociological imagination in ordinary citizens, it is possible to make them realize their role in promoting well-being and see global trends in the distribution of power and wealth. Moreover, since sociological imagination involves the application of systems thinking to social processes, it can help citizens to understand and use their power to support positive change.

References

Bruni, R., Zarić, S., & Sansone, M. (2018). The power of knowledge of the citizens. Knowledge International Journal, 25(1), 15-22.

Carter, C. C. (2015). Social education for peace. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan.

Hooghe, M., & Oser, J. (2015). The rise of engaged citizenship: The evolution of citizenship norms among adolescents in 21 countries between 1999 and 2009. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 56(1), 29-52.

Mills, C. W. (2000). The sociological imagination (40th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Norgaard, K. M. (2018). The sociological imagination in a time of climate change. Global and Planetary Change, 163, 171-176.

Ritzer, J., & Wiedenhoft Murphy, W. (2019). Essentials of sociology (3d ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

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