Category: Sociological Imagination

Introduction and Methodology

The COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that has amplified the integral role of society as the basis of almost all challenges afflicting the world. Within months of its emergence, the pandemic spread rapidly, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, stretching the capacity of the healthcare systems, and exposing people to the adversarial impacts of the containment measures.

This paper explores COVID-19 and its severity as a social problem, particularly regarding the exposure of the existing disparities in healthcare outcomes between diverse social groups, ethnicities, age, and gender in Washington D. C. The severity of the ravages brought by COVID-19 is depicted by the high number of infections, hospitalization, extreme negative economic consequences, and mortalities among the racial minorities compared to their white counterparts.

To explore Covid-19 as an individual and social problem in Washington D. C., this essay utilizes statistics from reputable sources, including government websites, studies by think tanks, newspaper articles, and published journals. Various challenges were encountered in the process of data collection, including contradictory and inconclusive findings and the enormous volumes of information amount relating to the subject. Notably, this was paper provided the perfect opportunity for realizing the essence of integrating the appropriate methodology and obtaining high-quality data to promote inductive thinking and develop logical thoughts.

This implies that the choice of a research technique used influences the possibility of encountering broader insights and the associated explanations. Additionally, the adopted procedure determines the soundness and quality of the conclusions and suggestions. Overall, the usage of reputable statistics enhances the article’s credibility, arguments, and analysis by relying on actual and verifiable data to achieve the desired purpose and expands the existing knowledge base.

Sociological Roots

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage all segments of the global population, its detrimental ramifications are differentiated across diverse races, genders, classes, and ages, with the most vulnerable social groups experiencing the most significant harm. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the economic and health impacts of the pandemic are being born by the socially disadvantaged and minority races in the United States. According to Boserup et al. (2020), COVID-19 has brought systemic injustices and institutionalized social inequalities to the forefront. In Washington D. C., African Americans are underpaid in the labor market, with most of them living in poor neighborhoods (Firebaugh & Acciai, 2016; Desmond & Wilmers, 2019).

Enriquez and Goldstein (2020) posit that low-income earners have experienced severe levels of economic hardships, primarily due to the nature of their jobs and constrained financial options. Federgruen and Naha (2021) corroborate these views and argue that a neighborhood’s demographic aspects, domestic environment, and socioeconomic attributes are prominent drivers of infections. These studies demonstrate that crowded homes and disadvantaged areas dominated by racial minorities exposed them to higher risks of contracting the virus than their white counterparts.

Background Factors Leading to the Seriousness of COVID-19 in the United States

Racial Inequalities and Disparities in Healthcare Access and Outcomes

The United States ranks among the countries that have been worst hit by coronavirus pandemic. Despite the expansive healthcare infrastructure and progressive policies, multiple background factors have collaboratively influenced the devastating spike in COVID-19 infections, morbidities, and mortalities in the country. One prominent background factor determining the severity of the disease and healthcare outcomes is ethnicity, directly linked to the medical sector’s systemic racial inequalities and social injustices. Dyer (2020) notes that predominantly black counties have recorded three and six times the infection and mortality rates than white neighborhoods, respectively.

From this perspective, health disparities have emerged as one of the most decisive background factors, leading to the seriousness of COVID-19 in the Washington D. C. Although these inequities have always existed among the blacks, Native Americans, and Latinx/Hispanic communities, they have impeded equal access to medical care, exposing them to many health issues. For instance, these minority groups carry a higher chronic disease burden, including diabetes, hypertension, lung illnesses, and heart conditions, predisposing them to serious coronavirus complications.

Nature of the Jobs and Economic Opportunities

Racial minorities dominate the customer-facing jobs, which put them in close contact with the public, making the exercise of such containment measures as social distancing more difficult. For instance, these ethnicities are overrepresented in the hotel and food service industries, with most of them working as chauffeurs, restaurant attendants, and taxi drivers. This implies that the employment opportunities available for racial minorities in Washington D.C. predispose them to a greater risk of contracting and being harmed by the pandemic. In this regard, these communities work as essential workers to sustain their living in jobs characterized by more in-person interactions.

Advanced Age of the Population

Another background sociological factor contributing to the spiraling infections and mortalities in the United States is the generally advanced age of the population. Multiple data sets illustrate the disproportionately adverse healthcare outcomes for people aged 50 years and above, with the risk increasing enormously among older people. According to Yanez et al. (2020), the likelihood of developing severe illness with coronavirus rises with age, with older individuals at the highest risk.

Another set of statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that despite the people aged above 85 years comprising 2.9% of the total caseload, the average fatality of this age group was 32.1% (Kang & Jung, 2020; Trent et al., 2020). From this perspective, the relative advancement in age of the general American population increased their danger of hospitalization and the need for acute care.

Housing Disparities and Impoverished Neighborhood

Racial disparities in housing and the neighborhoods’ economic wellbeing in the United States have played an influential role in escalating COVID-19 infections, particularly among the ethnic minorities and native communities. Notably, residential segregation is a widespread phenomenon in Washington D. C. and traps African Americans, Hispanics/Latinx, and other natives in unhealthy, overcrowded, and polluted neighborhoods. Remarkably, these areas are characterized by the constrained capacities for exercising social distancing, leaving the occupants potentially more exposed to contracting the COVID-19 (Torrats-Espinosa, 2021).

For instance, the disproportionate burden of the pandemic is witnessed in locations with the highest levels of housing segregation. In this regard, the racial inequalities in housing, overcrowding, and impoverished socioeconomic wellbeing of the neighborhoods predominantly occupied by minorities contributed significantly to the proliferation of COVID-19 infections in Washington D. C.

Gender Effect

Multiple data sets collected from numerous countries worldwide indicate that although women and men are equally likely to contract COVID-19, the latter is highly likely to develop severe illness and mortality. These findings demonstrate the adverse reduced health outcomes among men and their likelihood to develop acute illness and death. Although this phenomenon could be attributed to higher community interactions among men, they provide crucial insight into the gender disparities in health outcomes.

History of the Problem in Washington D. C.

Health inequities and other social injustices are systemic and institutionalized differences in the status and distribution of medical resources between diverse population groups in Washington, D. C. The findings of a study published by Georgetown University of Nursing & Health Studies established that African Americans, on average, lead less healthy lives and live considerably shorter than their white counterparts due to systemic disparities in housing, healthcare, wealth, and education (Roberts et al., 2020). The differences have played an integral role in subjecting the blacks to the disproportionate severity of Covid-19.

Marmot (2017) notes that such communal factors as ethnicity, income level, education, and gender have a remarkable influence on an individual’s health outcomes. These aspects result in social stratification and have determined critical issues such as accessibility, affordability, and friendliness of the medical systems for hundreds of years in the United States. The entrenchment and perpetuation of social injustices and racial inequalities in the country were institutionalized during the slavery era and continue to impact multiple dimensions of peoples’ lives. Therefore, the gravity and of America’s COVID-19 crisis on African Americans can be strongly associated with these historical issues.

Sociological Analysis

The severity of COVID-19 infections in Washington D. C. is not a random phenomenon, but the number of infections, hospitalizations, and mortality is disproportionately affecting the ethnic minorities, the elderly, men, and the socioeconomically disadvantage. Similarly, the economic ramifications are unevenly distributed across diverse populations, with the majority white sections bearing the least impacts (Whitehead et al., 2021). Notably, these attributes demonstrate the COVID-19 pandemic as a social problem, reflecting the profoundness of the existing disparities in health outcomes between diverse groups.

Additionally, the vastly differentiated experiences of the pandemic and the varying effects of the containment measures by ethnicities, gender, and class mirror the health challenge as a significant social problem. For instance, minority ethnicities, Asians, and blacks are more likely to contract the disease, experience hospitalization, and even die of COVID-19 than their white counterparts (Martin et al., 2020; Boserup et al., 2020). Moreover, the elderly have shouldered a disproportionate burden of the disease in mortality, reflecting the general low regard and neglect in which society embraces older adults.

The social divisions and differences resulting from the coronavirus pandemic confirms what Wright Mills views as the interconnectedness and interplay of the social attributes with the challenges experienced at the individual level. For instance, published statistics indicate that African Americans were 1.8 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than the general population (Reyes, 2020). These official data sets reveal that the impact of COVID-19 was attributed to the existing differences in the communities’ health, wealth, living arrangements, education levels, ethnicity, and race. Further, statistics published by CDC suggest that ethnic minorities experienced greater exposure to COVID-19 due to the nature of their jobs and their living conditions (Garg et al., 2020).

Gupta et al. (2020) and Tai et al. (2021) argue that African Americans and other racial minorities recorded higher comorbidities, acute hospitalization, and mortalities than white people in Washington D. C. In this regard, an individual’s race, a sociological factor beyond their control, plays an influential role in increasing or decreasing their likelihood of contracting the virus and the healthcare outcomes.

In medical sociology, social divisions define peoples’ healthcare outcomes and susceptibility to illnesses. This perspective indicates that poor health stems from living in impoverished neighborhoods and contributes to the individual’s health-seeking behaviors. Regarding the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on racial minorities in the United States, Durkheim and Weber would interpret this pattern as an outcome of social stratification, which segregates African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. Notably, a person’s social class directly impacts their physical health, ability to receive adequate medical attention, nutrition, and even life expectancy.

Additionally, risk tendencies are unevenly distributed among the various social classes, contributing to the population’s health gradient. From this dimension, Durkheim and Weber would have analyzed and interpreted the disproportionate COVID-19 burden on racial minorities to social stratification.

Policy Solutions

Previous Attempts to Address Racial and Systemic Inequalities

Washington D. C. has implemented a wide range of interventions to address the racial and systemic inequalities which contribute to poor health outcomes among ethnic minorities. For instance, Medicaid and Medicare interventions initiated collaboratively by the federal and state governments have significantly increased access to healthcare. However, one failure of these programs is that they do not address the systemic factors which increase the racial minorities’ susceptibilities and exposure to diseases. This implies deliberate efforts should be channeled towards demolishing the structural and institutionalized segregation and social caste systems, which impede the African Americans’ ability to access quality care and pursue health-seeking behaviors.

For instance, increasing cultural competence and awareness among the healthcare workers serving racial minorities without addressing their poor housing and living conditions have not been effective in reducing their vulnerability to diseases. In recent years, there have been deliberate efforts to ensure fair and just distribution of resources across all neighborhoods, regardless of the dominant race. However, this approach has not successfully eliminated the injustices and inequities since it does not address the risk factors or effectively address the decades of segregation.

Solutions

Social injustices and racial inequalities in the United States contribute to the country’s prevalent healthcare disparities and inequities. Although such previous attempts as expanding medical insurance coverage, increasing the number and capacity of care providers in underserved communities, and enhancing cultural competence have improved the situation, much is yet to be done. Further, the federal and state governments should collaborate with local communities and private organizations to create innovative ways of addressing the structural problems, which contribute to the neglect of the elderly.

Similarly, comprehensive and adequately coordinated interventions should be implemented to increase the racial minorities’ access to high-quality education as a strategy to promote upward social mobility. This implies that developing responsive socioeconomic strategies to promote these communities’ financial and economic wellbeing is an indispensable component of promoting their overall health. Notably, previous attempts have not been significantly successful in alleviating these disparities due to their inability to address the root causes of the challenges. Other programs, such as training healthcare workers from local communities, increasing advocacy for immunizations and vaccinations, and public outreach on health-seeking habits, can also help mitigate the poor health outcomes.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging the world has highlighted the prevalence and depth of inequalities and racial injustices in the United States, thereby enlarging the relevance of sociology. Ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by the virus, reflecting the country’s adverse impacts of healthcare disparities and segregation. In this regard, sociology has a considerable role in shaping and defining public policies that would help in creating a genuinely interdependent society with minimal social stratification and segregationist tendencies.

References

Boserup, B., McKenney, M., & Elkbuli, A. (2020). Disproportionate impact of COVID-19 pandemic on racial and ethnic minorities. The American Surgeon, 86(12), 1615−1622. Web.

Desmond, M., & Wilmers, N. (2019). Do the Poor Pay More for Housing? Exploitation, Profit, and Risk in Rental Markets. American Journal of Sociology, 124(4), 1090−1124. Web.

Dyer, O. (2020). COVID-19: Black people and other minorities are hardest hit in U.S. BMJ, 1−2. Web.

Enriquez, D., & Goldstein, A. (2020). COVID-19’s socioeconomic impact on low-income benefit recipients: Early evidence from tracking surveys. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 6, 1−17. Web.

Federgruen, A., & Naha, S. (2021). Crowding Effects Dominate Demographic Attributes in COVID-19 Cases. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 102, 509-516. Web.

Firebaugh, G., & Acciai, F. (2016). For blacks in America, the gap in neighborhood poverty has declined faster than segregation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(47), 13372–13377. Web.

Garg, S., Kim, L., Whitaker, M., O’Halloran, A., Cummings, C., Holstein, R., Prill, M., Chai, S. J., Kirley, P. D., Alden, N. B., Kawasaki, B., Yousey-Hindes, K., Niccolai, L., Anderson, E. J., Openo, K. P., Weigel, A., Monroe, M. L., Ryan, P., Henderson, J., & Kim, S., et al. (2020). Hospitalization rates and characteristics of patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed Coronavirus disease 2019 — COVID-NET, 14 states, March 1–30, 2020. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(15), 458−464. Web.

Gupta, R., Agrawal, R., Bukhari, Z., Jabbar, A., Wang, D., & Diks, J. et al. (2021). Higher comorbidities and early death in hospitalized African-American patients with COVID-19. BMC Infectious Diseases, 21(1), 1−12. Web.

Kang, S. J., & Jung, S. I. (2020). Age-related morbidity and mortality among patients with Covid-19. Infection & Chemotherapy, 52(2), 154–164. Web.

Marmot, M. (2017). Social justice, epidemiology and health inequalities. European Journal of Epidemiology, 32(7), 537−546. Web.

Martin, C. A., Jenkins, D. R., Minhas, J. S., Gray, L. J., Tang, J., Williams, C., Sze, S., Pan, D., Jones, W., Verma, R., Knapp, S., Major, R., Davies, M., Brunskill, N., Wiselka, M., Brightling, C., Khunti, K., Haldar, P. & Pareek, M. (2020). Socio-demographic heterogeneity in the prevalence of COVID-19 during lockdown is associated with ethnicity and household size: Results from an observational cohort study. EClinicalMedicine, 25, 100466. Web.

Mills, C. (1959). The sociological imagination. The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 46(2), 355−356. Web.

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Tai, D. B. G., Shah A., Doubeni C.A., Sia I. G., & Wieland M. L. (2021). The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 72(4), 703−706. Web.

Trent, S., Nirappil, F., & Wiggins, O. (2020). One-third of D.C. Covid-19 fatalities linked to nursing facilities. The Washington Post. Web.

Whitehead, M., Taylor-Robinson, D., & Barr, B. (2021). Poverty, health, and COVID-19. BMJ, n376. Web.

Yanez, N., Weiss, N., Romand, J., & Treggiari, M. (2020). COVID-19 mortality risk for older men and women. BMC Public Health, 20, 1742. Web.

The famous American sociologist Charles Wright Mills believed that in order to understand certain sociocultural realities and people’s attitudes towards them and their behavior, it is necessary for a sociologist to situate themselves in a social reality of others, “to realize the classic values that underlie the promise of our studies” (Mills 194). Mills states that we should adopt sociological imagination by viewing things from the perspective of society rather than individuals. By doing so, it is crucial not only to report what they felt the reality is but rather to be an intellectual thinker and report back what the reality is.

According to Mills, the significant component of sociological imagination theory is social life features that can influence individuals’ values, behavior, and character of individuals who make up that particular society (Mills). Therefore, sociology needs to play an essential role in bringing reason to bear on human affairs (“C. Wright Mills – The Sociological Imagination” 2:02). By fulfilling this role, an intelligent scientist is the one who concentrates on the social nature of humankind, seeks what significant, and stays critical of the “bureaucratization of reason and of discourse” (Mills 192). Social imagination is a quality of mind, which allows one to understand social structures and human behavior by staying intellectual and unbiased.

Thus, sociological imagination means the ability of researchers to distract from their everyday experiences, the ability to see behind the abstract concepts of specific people with their interests and values and to grasp the meaning of the functioning of a society in its historical development. It is the ability to understand ways of life and organization that are different from those in which the researcher lives. In other words, intelligent scientists should be able to put themselves into the public world to experience what other people experience and see reality in the most precise terms.

Works Cited

Mills, C. Wright. The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press, 2000.

“C. Wright Mills – The Sociological Imagination.” YouTube, uploaded by Debra Marshall. 2012. Web.

The study of societies and cultures made us conclude that humans are highly social beings dependent on their social environment and culture. People love to look for the fruits of society’s influence on other people but rarely study their behavior. It is hard to admit that the views, beliefs, and decisions that are yours do not belong to you. People typically do not want to think of themselves as weak-willed and unintelligent creatures who follow the lead of others.

When I think about situations where I experienced social pressure, I remember a challenging period when I took exams and experienced many other personal difficulties. This led to a depressed state, constant dissatisfaction with life, and painful conditions. The surrounding people began to notice this and were advised not to be shy to seek help from a psychologist and start taking antidepressants. People urged me to consider this option, arguing that the fight against the stigmatization of depression is now underway.

For society, the destigmatization of depression is a beneficial trend. However, easy access and uncontrolled use of medicines at the earliest opportunity can lead to dire consequences for a particular person. Now people are used to recommending antidepressants like peppermint gum because the narrative tells them that it is an easy, safe, and socially approved solution. At that moment, I was really considering this decision under the pressure of a lot of advice, but I decided that I was just going through a difficult period, and sleep and rest would help me.

According to C. Wright Mills, sociological imagination is a practice that takes a detached look at common social patterns from which people draw their ideas. In my case, I did not succumb to general advice because I realized that antidepressants are now widespread and heavily advertised in the US. The experience of the sociological imagination allowed me to relate my situation and social norms and think about them more personally and creatively without resorting to the first behavior pattern that comes across.

According to C. Wright Mills chapter of the promise, he explains sociological imagination is the ability to differentiate the connection of the actions of individuals and large social forces. This means, having the capability to see connections that are between historical change and individual biographies with the capability to spot how social causations function in different cultures. Mills invented the word sociological imagination to describe the type of knowledge offered by the regulation of sociology. Since then, the term has been used in sociology to define it and the relevance it has on everyday people’s lives.

Lacking sociological imagination has many consequences on one’s life. This is because the most productive way that sociological imagination works is through “the personal troubles of milieu” and “the public issues of social structure” (Mills 1). Consequences arise when individuals ignore their social surroundings. Unemployment for instance can have an effect socially when an individual losses interest in looking for a job. In some cases, this may lead to the collapse of the structure of opportunities. Marriages are affected by a lack of sociological imagination because when a man and a woman have personal troubles in the institution, they consider having a divorce. It can lead to war and if it takes place individuals who do not have survival, skills or those who want to die as heroes are the main causes of their problems.

The global challenge the United States is facing today is it does not know the catastrophic changes that occur in men and women because of the historic facts and cultures that are quickly becoming history. Their main challenge is that they do not have a history of their own and they have to rely on global history. At the rate at which the Americans are going today, there will be no history to look at shortly. With this taking place, the United States cannot see connections that are between historical change and individual biographies. They also cannot spot on how social causations should function in the different cultures of their country. This also means that the United States does not have values of their own thus; they do not have values to cherish. Americans today have difficulty in understanding the meaning of different ages of their life.

Anthropology is defined as the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings. Kottack (1) says “the human society is constantly being destabilized and re-formed through engagements with diverse flows of populations, commerce, mass culture, technology, and politics”. This class puts the American picture in the spotlight as a nation of immigrants and not a country that stands alone. America is also considered a land that is under siege than an open global system. Key anthropological notions of ethnicity, class, kinship, race, gender, and class are explored in the United States communities as ways of contemporary problems of living in diversity. A focus on the lively and global procedures of identity-making suggest constant revisions in what it means to be American and human today. Focusing on Americans culture is the basis of the society that they live in (Kottack 1).

Culture is “the total way of life of a people, the social legacy the individual acquires from his group, a way of thinking, feeling, and believing” (Geertz 1). He also explains it further saying, “it is an abstraction from behavior, a theory on the part of the anthropologist about the way in which a group of people in fact behave and a storehouse of pooled learning” (Geertz 1). Another definition for culture is, “a set of standardized orientations to recurrent problems learned behavior, a mechanism for the normative regulation of behavior, a set of techniques for adjusting both to the external environment and to other men in participating history (Geertz 1). On the other hand, culture is defined as the comparative study of society and human diversity (Kottack 1). His definition has its basis on the various ways that a person’ lives are shaped by social relations, political economy, history and cultural images. He further explains history that the former anthropologists have taken in studies of various societies and cultures. Kottack also says that culture is symbolic. Humans have the ability use symbols as the root of their culture. Other humans have shown the ability to use symbols in defining their different cultures. They do this in communicating, storing and processing in their culture. People also have the ability to use their cultures in creative ways. Real culture refers to an actual behavior of as observed by an anthropologist. For culture to have full effect, one has to adapt to the ways that the culture has to work.

Geertz definition of culture is more useful in this text. In his explanation, he states that the total way of living is what defines culture. The way people think feel and believe makes culture have a meaning in their lives. Behavior also has an effect on people’s life and the way they do things. Some behaviors the humans have are caused because of the cultural beliefs that they believe in. all cultures have different approaches to the way they handle life. He further explains that cultures are what shape people thus it should not be ignored because it is the backbone of every society. In his first explanation of culture, he says that it is the total way of people’s life and by this he means when thinking of culture; you should bear in mind that patterns of life form the culture. The acceptance of anthropology has effect on societies and cultures. When it comes to understanding cultural behavior, one has to be aware of what his culture restricts. One has to understand what his culture holds for him so that he/ she may live a life that has satisfaction. Because of the cultural values that take place, is important to understand the theoretical work that the founders of anthropological thought that are used in the fields of cultural anthropology. Geertz says that culture holds a public meaning.

In conclusion, it is vital to have a sociological imagination so as not to experience the negative consequences that is brought due to lack of it. The United States are considered a nation with no culture because they lack sociological imagination thus they experience no distinct source of history. Geertz and Kottack differ in their explanations of culture but they both conclude that cultures are what shape people. They also agree that cultures have an effect on peoples’ behavior generally.

Works cited

Geertz, Clifford. Thick Description. 1973. Web.

Kottak, Conrad. What is Anthropology? 2008. Web.

Mills, Wright. Sociological imagination. 1959. Web.

Life is a complex issue that is significantly hard to understand. Humans worldwide expect to live a peaceful life by managing the various forces and factors that come their way. A critical desire among almost all humans is to live a peaceful life free of troubles and shocks. However, such a desire is hard to realize in the practical world. Several scholars have expressed concerns about this aspect, with a majority coming up with concepts that seek to explain the matter. One of the first scientists to view life in this manner was Plato, one of the great Greek legends. The philosopher and sociologist (Plato) developed the Theory of Forms in the sixteenth century, which tries to explain the unpredictability of life. Plato’s theory purports that life exists in more than one form (Politis, 2021). These include the ideal life, which exists in one’s thoughts and brain, and the practical life. The ideal life is free from chaos, changes, and uncertainties, while the practical life is full of changes that make living meaningless at times.

Plato’s theory held a significant meaning among many people then. The philosophy helped Greeks realize psychological and social stability by assuming the hardships and many troubles of practical life but never aided in getting the real meaning of life (Politis, 2021). People, therefore, continued to live in darkness while struggling to solve personal troubles individually until the twentieth century, when Mills conceived the sociological imagination concept (Dannefer, 2022). The sociology model’s effectiveness in explaining humans’ troubles makes it be reflected as foundational in sociology (Dannefer, 2022). The concepts stand out because they can explain people’s sufferings using societal problems. Thus, troubles are never experienced in singleness; rather, humans experience problems because societies have issues.

Blaming oneself or wondering why some things are happening to an individual is meaningless until the individual realizes the period he or she exists. Mills argues that people can never understand human troubles or society’s issues until they comprehend both (Mills & Gitlin, 2000). The argument forms the basis of the ‘sociological imagination’ idea, which maintains that humans are weak characters that cannot individually overcome the issues faced by their generation. To elaborate further on Mills’ sociological concept, this work utilizes a set of present-day troubles that people experience. The discussion shows the applicability of Mills’ sociological imagination by presenting specific troubles that come to humans due to one’s period of existence. Examples of the issues addressed by this discussion include divorce, unemployment, and college dropouts among American youths.

Mills maintains that a social study must focus on problems of ‘biography’ and ‘history,’ together with the two factors’ connections within a society, to complete its intellectual expedition. A ‘biography’ is a private matter, while a ‘history’ is a public problem (Mills & Gitlin, 2000). The sociologist also uses ‘trouble’ and ‘issue’ for the two terms (biography and history) to explain the connection between an individual’s sufferings and society’s problems. A look at divorce, for example, shows Mills’ ingenuity and the reason behind his concept’s veneration. Separation occurs when married people no longer manage to live together. Marriage is a basic social institution cherished by many cultures and religions worldwide. Global cultures often view the family as the best way to human continuity and development (Houseworth & Chiswick, 2020). Marriages are, therefore, meant to last because of the high value they bear.

Marriage is currently under significant threat due to the rise in divorce rates worldwide. Many young marriages in the U.S., for example, do not celebrate their fourth anniversary (Houseworth & Chiswick, 2020). Using Mills’ sociological imagination provides a reliable way of understanding the matter from the societal scope instead of an individual’s case. Adopting Mills’ concept on the issue of divorce, for example, places the aspect of turning women into dependent household ‘slaves’ and men into families’ chief breadwinners at the center of marriages’ deaths. The marriage institution requires care and adequate financing to flourish (Houseworth & Chiswick, 2019). Many people getting into marriage today expect theirs to function like in the 1950s, making the situation unbearable. The trend of maintaining women in the kitchen while their husbands go to work is a twenty-first-century issue that directly influences many individual couples’ troubles in marriage. The matter is significantly hard to resolve without connecting the societal problem and individuals’ troubles. The situation proves the essence of Mills’ sociological imagination, where one must understand a social problem to address specific human troubles.

Unemployment is another critical issue among the twenty-first-century population that requires clear understanding. Addressing unemployment among individuals’ lack of jobs by looking at their levels of education would work if only one or ten persons in a society lacked a job while ten thousand members were working. However, the present global situation features societies where almost half of the employable population lacks jobs (Cebula, 2019). Trying to fix this issue from an individual’s perspective can never provide a solution. Instead, the move would only introduce corruption as people seek to buy job opportunities to fix the individual’s troubles. Dhongde et al. (2019) say that an economy where the masses lack jobs implies a problem in economic and political systems. For example, many economies worldwide that utilize capitalism often fall to the issue of unemployment and massive social dependence whenever a recess occurs.

The global economy goes through cycles that expose humans to significant changes. A look at the worldwide economic pattern for the past five decades shows that a global or regional economic crisis occurs at least once every decade (Bensnes & Strum, 2019). Recovering from such a crisis takes nations and societies several years, with some struggling until another crisis hits. The situation, therefore, indicates the pathetic global economic condition, which makes it hard for societies to realize stability. Politics also bear significant blame regarding the problem; many governments maintain political systems that support dysfunctional economic policies that make jobs susceptible to controllable forces (Shester et al., 2019). Consequently, both the political and economic aspects, in this case, constitute societal issues that need fixing for the personal problems to end. That aspect, therefore, proves the essence of Mills’ sociological imagination in bringing social stability by solving historical problems.

Mill’s sociological imagination concept also holds the ability to explain the excessive challenge of college dropouts in the U.S. during the twenty-first century. Dupéré et al. (2018) report that about forty percent of youths enrolled in American universities do not graduate. Research on the aspect often links misuse of freedom, lack of finances, and social media to the problem (Lukács & Dávid, 2019). Using Mills’ sociological imagination idea makes it possible to understand that many high-school graduates join colleges without proper preparation to manage the rigors of higher learning institutions’ life (Levine, 2016). Lack of adequate challenge in high school makes it hard for many American teenagers to control their habits. The inadequate preparation of teenagers to manage campus life results in the inability to focus on college studies, a societal issue that causes college dropout among about half of the nation’s college students. Poor economic conditions in that nation also make it hard for many college learners to complete school (Bensnes & Strum, 2019). The failure to understand these issues from the societal perspective makes it hard for a parent to comprehend the problem among individual students.

Mills’ concept is very crucial in resolving different matters and making America and the world stable. The aspect explains the centrality of the sociological imagination concept in unraveling sociological dilemmas. The above discussion shows the application of Mills’ concept to several social problems and troubles. Such issues include divorce, unemployment, and college dropout. Applying the sociological imagination idea to the three problems makes it easy to understand the root cause of the three social problems.

References

Bensnes, S. S., & Strum, B. (2019). Earning or learning? How extending closing time in the retail sector affects youth employment and education.Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 81(2), 299–327.

Cebula, R. J. (2019). Labor market freedom and geographic differentials in the percentage unemployment rate in the U.S.Journal of Economics and Finance, 43(4), 828–840.

Dannefer, D. (2022). Age and the reach of sociological imagination: Power, ideology, and the life course. Taylor & Francis Group.

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Introduction

The nineteenth century witnessed the existence of some of the most revolutionary minds in sociology. During this era, Karl Marx and Max Weber stand out as the most instrumental conflict sociological theorists. These two sociologists attempt to elucidate social change and its impact on society.

Another great sociological theorist, who took a structural functionalist approach, is Talcott Parsons. Though differing in many aspects, their understanding of society has some similarities. This paper takes a look at the contributions of these three sociologists to society and sociological discourse.

Conflict Perspective: Comparing Max Weber and Karl Marx

Weber’s work seems to be in response to Marx’s views of society. He maintains that Marx’s approach is narrow and limiting, and depends too much on economic variables in explaining societal change. Responding to this apparent lack of depth, Weber chooses to model his sociological explanation of change around macro-sociological occurrences. He feels that there are more than just economic perspectives to understanding human societies and change.

Marx’s assessment of change is not founded on the conflict of opinions. Instead, he focuses on class conflict that emanates from unequal distribution of the means of production. In his view, history is made up of different periods marking different systems in modes of production such as primal communism, slavery, feudalism, and capitalism. In his postulation, the ideal state of affairs exists in a socialist classless community.

Weber disputes Marx’s economically centered approach citing oversimplification. He asserts that, besides economic explanations, there are other causes of progression and change. In addition, Weber establishes a connection between the capitalist system and protestant principles concerning labor.

As an example, he uses the beliefs of Calvinism where, to get into heaven, one has to do the utmost good for the highest number of people. In such a community, work is not just for personal development, but for religious fulfillment. Unlike Weber, Marx is more interested in the social structures than the implications of these structures in society. In his view, class structure exists in all societies and is the source of power.

A major point of divergence is their concept of class. In Marx’s ideology, the constant conflict between classes is caused by the disparities in the class system. In contrast, the class system can be abolished in the same way that feudalism is abolished. Though they present different viewpoints concerning the causes of change in society, they both agree on the nature of the society.

Talcott Parsons’ Contributions to Sociological Discourse

Talcott Parsons is another great sociologist whose contributions to sociology cannot go unnoticed. His main area of focus is social order where he believes that social order and continuity are products of values in that society, and not structures. In his conception, established and understanding families are fundamental for effective socialization.

He sees the division of labor as a product of sexual discrimination where man is allocated the most important role of the breadwinner. Women play the role of managing the household and caring for children. He supports an absolute division of labor to ensure societal progress. This view is a platform for conflict between the followers of Parsons and most feminist theorists.

Parsons also makes major contributions to the field of medicine. He postulates that proper functioning of the society demands mental and physical health of the members. Diseases undermine progress in society since they hinder optimal performance of roles.

Another landmark contribution of Parsons is his support for the rights of the elderly. He believes that, for progress in a society, the society must delegate roles to its elder members in accordance to their advanced age. He asserts that the elderly have accumulated wisdom over the ages and can make useful contributions to society.

Conclusion

Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Talcott Parsons are undoubtedly some of the greatest theoretical minds sociology has ever had. Though their contributions to sociology are numerous, their works on social change and order mark major turning points in the history of sociology.

Bibliography

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The subject of sociology research is the features of the functioning of human communities. However, this or that phenomenon’s systemic nature and prevalence are only sometimes obvious. Quite often, it is difficult to establish whether the problem is a particular case or a global violation of the healthy functioning of society. An approach to solving this problem has become known as the sociological imagination. The essence of this method is to consider individual behavior from a historical and sociological point of view.

Charles Wright Mills introduced the term in the work of the same name. Mills spoke of contemporary Americans as a generation of people experiencing what a person would feel if he woke up one morning in his bed and suddenly felt that he was not sure that this was his bed. The house, which seems to be his home, is at the same time perceived as detached, as not entirely his. The meaning of the sociological imagination is to look at the problem at the same time through the eyes of oneself and the eyes of an outsider. Precisely sociological imagination consists of seeing political or social issues behind one’s private misfortunes and misfortunes.

The YouTube video on sociological imagination demonstrates the difference between an individual problem and a public issue. Lack of work for a particular person is his problem, and unemployment in the region at 10% is a public issue. At first glance, it may seem that the difference is only in numbers, but this is not entirely true. The scale of the problem only demonstrates its systemic nature. An isolated incident can be explained by chance or unfortunate circumstances. However, independent analysis helps to reveal the vice of society, the systemic algorithm that leads to the emergence of the same problem in many people. With the help of the sociological imagination, even a single case can help realize a public issue’s existence.

Health and sociology are inextricably linked: the features of the functioning of society directly affect the health of the individuals that make up society. The clip provides examples of sports and the global problem of obesity, the prevalence of which has a sociological basis. The cause of obesity is essentially the culture of food consumption, as well as the attitude of society towards this process. It is difficult for a person to make a conscious choice when others demonstrate a specific pattern of behavior, and an attempt to change it causes misunderstanding or even condemnation.

The problem of obesity is prevalent in the United States mainly due to a lack of access to healthy food. In some cases, this is due to the high cost of proper nutrition. Due to state subsidies to farms that produce high-calorie food, and the lack of such support for producers of fresh fruits and vegetables, the price of healthy food is significantly higher (Fox et al., 2018). Thus, the social problems of poverty and inequality turn into the issue of obesity. In some regions, the so-called food deserts, healthy food is not sold at all. Of course, this is also partly due to sociological reasons, such as the lack of corresponding demand (Fox et al., 2018). Examples like these show how sociology can study the systemic problems of society that lead to global health problems. The sociological imagination is an essential tool for identifying such issues.

Reference

Fox, N. J., Bissell, P., Peacock, M., & Blackburn, J. (2018). The micropolitics of obesity: Materialism, markets and food sovereignty. Sociology, 52(1), 111-127. Web.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced significant societal changes all over the world. The introduction of social distancing, face mask wearing, and economic downturn have led people to alter their lifestyles considerably. This paper aims to apply sociological imagination to COVID-19 to analyze how it has affected the lives of individuals and society as a whole. The paper will outline possible changes in social structures and social forces in the GCC region, which may happen as a result of the pandemic. I will also explain how these changes will affect my community and family.

The Definition of Sociological Imagination

Sociological imagination is a way to see the events of one’s own life in a broader context of social issues and trends. The term was coined by C. Wright Mills, who argued that “neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” (Smith-Hawkins, 2020, p. 8). Sociological imagination is defined as an awareness of the connection that exists between one’s behavior and experiences and the surrounding society that has shaped the individual’s choices and worldview (Griffiths et al., 2015). By applying sociological imagination to everyday life, people can see that their actions are largely influenced by the prevalent societal trends and practices.

Moreover, sociological imagination can show that the decisions people deem their own are actually made with the involvement of their families and communities. One may consider, for example, the decision to have children. In the past, having children was an indispensable part of people’s family lives. Nowadays, people have gained more freedom in deciding whether to have children. However, the eventual decision to reproduce is taken with regard to the culture in which the person lives. For example, in child-centric societies, people are less likely to remain childless because of the pressure they experience from their peers, parents, and the entire community. In Western countries, where the individualistic culture prevails, people do not experience such societal pressure in terms of having children, but they feel urged to boost their personal achievements. As a result, guided by these societal trends, they decide to postpone having children in order to build a career.

Although the term “sociological imagination” was invented by C. Wright Mills, the idea of integrating the lives of individuals and entire societies was used by earlier sociologists. For example, Karl Marx used sociological imagination to explain the process of social change (Griffiths et al., 2015). Marx argued that the social conflict between workers and capitalists would lead to tensions and revolts, which, subsequently, would end in a social change (Griffiths et al., 2015). Max Weber also applied his sociological imagination to understand society and argued that standard scientific methods were not applicable for predicting the behavior of human groups (Griffiths et al., 2015). Weber believed that sociology should take account of culture and get a deep understanding of different social groups rather than strive to obtain generalizable results (Griffiths et al., 2015). Thus, the concept of sociological imagination is essential in sociologists and has been used by scientists even before C. Wright Mills described and coined a term for it.

Possible Changes in Social Structures and Forces in a Post-COVID World

In a post-COVID world, many social structures are likely to change. According to Smith-Hawkins (2020), social structures are “any relatively stable pattern of social behavior found in social institutions” (p. 6). For example, one common social structure is status, which refers to the responsibilities and benefits that people exercise depending on their roles in society (Smith-Hawkins, 2020). In a post-COVID world, some people are likely to experience a change in their status. For example, the pandemic led many entrepreneurs to close their businesses because of the forced lockdown. As a result, these people are likely to lose their status as business owners and will have to find a new occupation. In addition, during the pandemic, the status of healthcare workers has significantly improved, which will probably influence the prestige and attractiveness of healthcare professions for individuals.

Another important social structure is formal organizations, such as banks, schools, hospitals, and others. Within these social structures, the changes include the emergence of new rules, such as face mask wearing, and the modification of the work format. During the pandemic, many organizations have transferred to remote work in response to the introduction of social distancing or were forced to lay off a large number of workers. As a result, individuals had to adapt to new circumstances. In the future, it is possible that the jobs that allow for the remote work format will become more valuable, along with various delivery services. In addition, these changes are likely to change people’s career choices in the future.

Social institutions are also part of social structures, and one important social institution that is likely to change in a post-COVID world is health and medicine. One possible change that healthcare in GCC will undergo is an increase in the use of telehealth. Social distancing, the contagiousness of the virus, and low access to care in rural areas are significant preconditions for the wide use of remote healthcare services.

Finally, in terms of social forces, it is likely that a social action directed toward improving economic policies will emerge. COVID-19 has sharpened social issues that have existed long ago in society, such as poverty and inequality. Many people have become unemployed or experienced a decrease in their incomes. These changes may lead to public discontent, forcing governments to revise their policies related to labor and the economy.

The Impact of Social Changes on the Community and Family

According to the concept of sociological imagination, individuals and society are closely interrelated, and individuals are highly influenced by changes occurring in society. Therefore, one can assume that the changes that will happen in a post-COVID world will influence communities and individuals with their families. Thinking of my community, I believe that healthcare workers will be respected even more than before for their contribution to the fight against the virus. I also think that many people in my community will experience a change in their status. Entrepreneurs who lost their businesses will have to change their social roles; many office workers will change their status to either unemployed or remote employees. As for the influence on my family, my relatives and I will have to adapt to the new economic environment and learn to function effectively under the circumstances of social distancing and remote work. Finally, if my assumptions about the social change in healthcare and policies related to labor and economy are right, both my community and family will benefit in terms of improved access to healthcare and labor conditions.

References

Griffiths, H., Keirns, N. J., Strayer, E., Cody-Rydzewski, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Sadler, T., Vyain, S., Bry, J., & Jones, F. (2015).Introduction to sociology (2^nd ed.). OpenStax College, Rice University. Web.

Smith-Hawkins, P. (Ed.). (2020). Introduction to Sociology (AUBH Bahraini ed.). Unpublished manuscript.

Abstract

The present paper uses the concepts of sociological imagination and addiction to discuss the association between alcoholism and its broader impact on the alcoholic in particular and society in general. The concept has facilitated the dissection of the problem in terms of individual characteristics, personal troubles, as well as historical and social aspects, and public issues. The paper has demonstrated how the individual characteristics of an alcoholic are reinforced by historical and social contexts to worsen the social problem of alcoholism. Therefore, the main question of the paper is, “How does the sociological imagination give us a new way to think about and help us understand alcoholism in society?”

Introduction

Available literature has underscored the importance of the social environment and interactions in assisting individuals to appreciate the dynamics of social existence. It also helps to understand how the wider social factors shape people’s lives as individuals, groups, communities, and societies (OpenStax, 2021). This predisposition, which is often referred to as sociological imagination, helps to develop a more truthful depiction of the social landscape of the culture in which people live. It happens through the provision of explicit and exciting ways of understanding oneself, other people, as well as the social world (Dannefer, 2021). The present paper uses the concept of sociological imagination to discuss the connection between alcoholism and its broader impact on individuals in particular and society in general.

Alcoholism and its Broader Impact on the Individual and Society

The concept of sociological imagination was coined by Wright Mills in 1959. It helps to “grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society” (Henslin, 2019, p. 9). In the context of sociological imagination and addiction, this concept can be utilized to identify and unify individual characteristics of people who are addicted to alcohol. Historical contexts of the problem can be implemented to illuminate the dynamics of the social structure or environment in encouraging or perpetuating the issue.

An analysis of individual characteristics using the sociological imagination concept reveals that the person turns into an alcoholic due to several factors. They are low self-esteem, anxiety or fear, perfectionism, feelings of guilt, shame, impulsivity, self-pity, frustration, underachievement, low tolerance, and dependence (Obeid et al., 2020). Mills refers to these characteristics as personal troubles by virtue of the fact that an individual bears some responsibility for their actualization and control (OpenStax, 2021). It means that an alcoholic can decide to make concerted efforts aimed at addressing these factors at a personal level. These individual features affect the well-being of society in terms of cost burdens for the alcoholic, mental health issues, family breakdowns, poor parenting, and other social evils.

However, some of the aspects that underlie the problem of alcoholism cannot be remedied at a personal level. This is due to their historical, social, and structural factors (Addiction Center, n.d.). Mills is of the opinion that these characteristics “represent public issues that can be changed only by large-scale economic developments or social reform” (Henslin, 2019, p. 9). For example, one can turn into an alcoholic due to social factors such as family problems, lack of employment, social inequality, and social exclusion (Zayed, 2023). In addition, weak interpersonal relationships with neighbors and community members are also of critical value.

Most of these characteristics are embedded in how an individual becomes socialized and are also deeply rooted in culture. It is important to note that these features have the capacity to ignite, perpetuate, or influence the discussed individual characteristics. Hence, it is important to evaluate how an individual’s biography interweaves with historical and social contexts. These personal, social, and historical correlations to the issue of alcoholism provide the basis for the concept of sociological imagination. It can be used as a tool that could help us to identify viable solutions and understand how individuals interrelate with others.

Conclusion

This paper has used the concepts of addiction and sociological imagination to discuss the relationship between alcoholism and its wider influence on individuals and society overall. Altogether, the discussion demonstrates that people have to go beyond their personal experiences, assumptions, and common sense if they are to understand the social problem of alcoholism. It also concerns the formulation of effective strategies to address the challenge.

References

Addiction Center. (n.d.). Alcoholism causes and risk factors. Addiction Center. Web.

Dannefer, D. (2021). Age and the reach of sociological imagination: Power, ideology and the life course. Routledge.

Henslin, J. M. (2019). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach (14th ed.). Pearson.

Obeid, S., Akel, M., Haddad, C., Fares, K., Sacre, H., Salameh, P., & Hallit, S. (2020). Factors associated with alcohol use disorder: the role of depression, anxiety, stress, alexithymia, and work fatigue-a population study in Lebanon. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-11.

OpenStax. (2021). Introduction to sociology (3rd ed.). XanEdu Publishing Inc.

Zayed, A. (2023, February 14). Causes and factors of alcoholism. The Diamond.

Sociological imagination involves connecting personal experiences to the society and investigating how they relate. According to Mills, sociological imagination enables individuals to see the context of what influences their personal decisions and those of others. Additionally, sociological imagination allows people to enhance their identity with societal aspects and answer questions surrounding life instead of passively accepting and embracing everything without response (Chernoff, 2019). It is important to note that those who practice sociological imagination are likely to make better personal choices and decisions based on different world views orchestrated by various societal elements.

Sociological imagination allows individuals to relate their personal challenges with societal issues, which widens people’s critical thinking and ability to solve problems. Devoid of sociological imagination, people’s thinking and perspective of societal issues and personal experiences are drawn from limited social encounters. To view the world and personal experiences differently, sociological imagination invites individuals to look at and examine the familiar environment uniquely and freshly (Cragun et al., 2010). It inspires people to re-evaluate and question social surroundings by comparing them to personal experiences and those of others. For instance, if one is facing challenges accessing healthcare, it is important to determine whether the whole community is experiencing the same problem. Assuming a broad view of social experiences allows individuals to expose societal issues and understand the social reality of their lives compared to the global society.

I think another way that people can see the world differently is by using sociological imagination to think differently and support the ability to allow an individual to depend on reliable information to investigate social experiences and events. It promotes an unbiased view of the world by allowing encouraging individuals to seek extensive information and evidence before making a decision (Chernoff, 2019). For instance, a person can use sociological imagination to investigate whether a condition affects only a few individuals or a whole community. This can be done by gathering information from various credible sources and evaluating such details while remaining unbiased.

In conclusion, sociological imagination allows individuals to examine their personal experiences in relation to the societal situation. Avoiding the influence of sociological imagination denies people the capability to understand social issues that affect the world and various ways that may be used to solve such problems. Having a broad perspective of social experiences enables individuals to reveal societal issues and comprehend the social reality of their lives.

References

Chernoff, C. (2019). The sociological imagination in the era of thought experiments. The British Journal of Sociology, 70(5), 2169-2175.

Cragun, R. T., Cragun, D., & Konieczny P. (2010). Introduction to sociology. Wikibooks.