Sociological Perspectives A Social Problems -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Sociological Perspectives A Social Problem? Answer: Introduction Sociological imagination basically refers to the capability of watching the connections present between the larger forces in the history and the personal experiences. These are basically the intersections of history and biography. Through sociological imagination, the management in which the choices and the individual behaviours of the individuals are shaped based on the economic, historical, cultural and political forces can be analysed. In this context, C. Wright Mills (1959) gave a better explanation on sociological imagination, where he stressed on the individuals gaining an understanding on their own experiences and gauging their own fate by locating himself with the period in which such individual is. This discussion is concentrated on providing a deep insight on this very statement made by Mills. And in doing so, the problem of unemployment, which affects the society at large, and also is a personal problem for the writer, is detailed upon. In order to analyse the problem of unemployment, the theory given by Mills would be applied, which would enable in understanding how the individuals live and the manner in which the future is anticipated, based on the social environment affecting the individuals and others in same manner. Analysis The individuals face a number of social problems. For instance, a number of individuals are unemployed and poor, have family problems, have poor health, commit crime, or drink too much. When such cases are heard about, it can be easily blamed upon their difficulties. However, a different approach is taken under sociology, where the focus is over the problems of the individuals which are often stemmed in the problems of the society itself. In this regard, Mills (1959) has provided key insights and has made a classic differentiation in between the public uses and the personal troubles. The personal problems are the ones which affect the individual alone and are blamed on their moral or personal failings. Examples of it include divorce, unemployment and eating disorders. Public issues, on the other hand, are the ones which are present in the culture and social structure, and are the social problems which affect a number of individuals. The sociological imagination is a concept through which the possessor is able to gain an understanding on the large historical scenes regarding the meaning of external career and inner life for a number of individuals. This allows them to take in accounting the manner in which the individuals in the welter their daily experiences often become a false conscious of social positions. In such a muddle, the frameworks of the modern society are sought out and the range of individuals is formulated. Through the use of such means, the individuals personal uneasiness can be focused, in terms of their explicit troubles, and the publics indifference is transformed in involvement with the public issues (Mills, 1959). In this imagination, the first fruit and the first lesson in social science is found in the notion that the individuals can understand their experiences and can determine their fate by locating themself in the period in which such individuals are. By doing so, the individual can know their chances in life by being aware of those faced by the individuals based on the situations present. It has been stated that this is a terrible lesson, while some have deemed as a magnificent one. The capacity of men for their wiling degradation, supreme effort, for glee or agony, for sweetness of reason or pleasurable brutality is not known. Yet in the time, it has become a common knowledge that each individual knows about the limits of human nature, which are quite broad. It has been known now that each individual lives from a single generation to the next, in certain society, where they live a biography and live it with certain historical sequences. Through the living of such individuals, a contrib ution is made towards shaping of the society, and during the course of history, the society is made, through the pushes and shoves to it (Mills, 1959). In this very context, there is a need to consider unemployment. A city of 100,000 individuals having a single person as unemployed would be deemed as the personal trouble of the individual and for the relief of the same, there is a need to look at the skills of such individual, his character and the immediate opportunities with that individual. However, when it comes to the nation having fifty million employees, and fifteen million unemployed individuals, this would become an issue and a solution cannot be found in the range of opportunities which are open to an individual. When such happens, it becomes a public issue due to the structure of opportunities having been collapsed. Both the range of possible solutions and the correct statement of problem require a consideration of the political and economic institutions of society, in place of the character or personal situation of individuals. So, where only a handful of individuals are out of work, it becomes fair to say that the unemp loyment is a personal issue. Though, when a high number of individuals become out of work, as have been the case since the economic downturn of 2008, the same becomes a public issue. At such instances, the causes are not present in the individuals who are unemployed, but in the social and economic system of the society (University of Minnesota, 2018). In context of the modern day issue of unemployment, without the sociological imagination, an individual who losses their job in this economy would be helpless and would feel like they had been a lousy worker or were disposable. Later on, where the person would search for a new job, it would become extremely difficult for them, due to the increasing cuts being made by businesses, for saving money, and the employment opportunities becoming scarer. As a result of such rejections, an individual would feel trapped as is stated by Mills (1959). Though, with sociological imagination, the individuals who became newly unemployed would be able to see that the unemployment has become a global issue. This would allow them to place their own experiences in bigger picture, and would make them more inclined to battling these issues. This is due to the fact that each individual makes a contribution towards history, every minute of the day (University of Minnesota, 2018). It has been further suggested by Mills (1959) that the sociologists could make use of the sociological imagination for the purpose of examining the issues being faced by the society from an outward viewpoint. Particularly in the context of unemployment, the sociologists would be able to observe that in a nation of one million people, where five hundred individuals are unemployed, it would be a less urgency based issue in comparison to five hundred individuals being unemployed where the community has only one thousand individuals. This insight is particularly helpful in context of the social structure and is beneficial for the society as it helps in bringing down the self-conscious view of the individual which he holds of himself, as being an outsider. This would also allow for a higher attention to be paid on the societal problems of the individuals. In order to solve the personal disagreements, there is a need to look beyond these. The very notion of sociological imagination is a helpful instrument, which allows the individuals to feel more comfortable, and like it home, in the society where they are present. In addition to this, for the individuals who believe strongly in social and political activism, the motivation which the sociological imagination brings forth would be a very refreshing change from the inert attitude present in the nations like US. Where a higher number of individuals would be able to vote or where they held certain opinions on the issues of controversy, like unemployment, the general population would be able to attain changes and would be better in comparison to the political and financial elites having the entire control (University of Minnesota, 2018). In US, the high unemployment rate stemmed from the major economic downturn which took place in 2008 which is a leading example of proving the viewpoint of Mills. There were millions who lost their job, even when it was not their own fault. Even though some people were unemployed owing to their lack of good working habits or laziness, a more structural explanation was focused on the absence of opportunity for explaining why there were so many individuals who had no work. And upon the same taking place, unemployment was best understood as a public issue in place of being a personal issue. The unemployment of an individual can be solved through their skills and abilities and by increasing these. However, where the same is a problem of millions, it goes beyond the hands of the individuals and requires policies to be drafted in order to solve the public issue, thus highlighting the social elements being involved, which are bigger than the individuals (University of Minnesota, 2018). Unemployment is an extremely negative experience which remained private till it portrayed the feelings of personal failure as being a commonality when an individual loses their job. However, where the rates of unemployment go as high as 30%, as is the scenario in the majority of European nations at present, to deem it as a weakness or character flaw is unreasonable. This is because the majority of individuals in the society are facing this very issue and there is a need to ask regarding whether there is something in the very structure of society which is contributing to this problem. A range of nations today can define unemployment as a public issue owing to the economic downturn, which resulted from the subprime mortgage industry. Thus, unemployment, despite its private features, is to be deemed as a social problem, in place of being something which is born out of the personal shortfalls of the individual (Isaksen, 2013). However, it is important here to state that the notion of sociological imagination cannot be made use as an excuse for a person for not trying hard in achieving success in life. There would be a misuse of this by certain individuals as a manner of running away from their personal responsibilities. Though, in a majority of situations, an individual would fail even when they tried to do every right thing, for instance, working very hard, getting proper education and attempting to get a job. Even though a number of individuals could be lacking the ability of attaining success, it remains crucial to identify the root cause of this problem in terms of the structure, for instance, the discrimination of certain groups, exploitation of labour force, and inefficient political solutions. As such issues like these can never be resolved on an individual level by the person. This requires the application of sociological imagination in the day-to-day lives, which allows them in changing their pers onal situation and which ultimately helps in creation of a better society (University of Minnesota, 2018). Conclusion Thus, based on the discussion undertaken in the previous segments, it can be concluded that sociological imagination, as propagated by Mills (1959), presents the distinction between the personal problems from the social issues. This helps in making differentiation between when a problem would be blamed upon by the individual himself, for their laziness or incompetence; whilst social issues are the problems faced by a high number of individuals, and solving which require societal measures. This was specifically highlighted through the example of unemployment. When an individual or a handful of individuals are unable to get a job, it remains their personal problem. But, when this problem is present in a large number of individuals of the society, the unemployment in such cases become a social problem. The economic downturn of 2008is a leading example of unemployment being deemed as social problem. This led to the unemployment being deemed as a social problem, in place of the same being deemed as a private problem, as was taken to be in general. Thus, sociological imagination helps in getting clarity on when a particular issue transitions from being a personal issue to a social issue. References Isaksen, J.V. (2013). The Sociological Imagination: Thinking Outside the Box. Retrieved from: https://www.popularsocialscience.com/2013/04/29/the-sociological-imagination-thinking-outside-the-box/ Mills, C. W. (1959).The sociological imagination. operating: Oxford University Press. University of Minnesota. (2018). Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems. Retrieved from: https://open.lib.umn.edu/socialproblems/chapter/1-2-sociological-perspectives-on-social-problems/