The Sociological Imagination

Paper Summary:

The paper refers to the beliefs of Emille Durkheim, Howard Becker and C. Wright Mills on criminality and applies the term 'sociological imagination' to the phenomenon of youth crime in contemporary Scotland. The paper considers the class inequalities, poverty and the role of the media in creating an increasing and widespread fear of youth crime in Scotland.

From the Paper:

"Being able to think sociologically is an essential concept in enabling us to make fair and accurate judgements about people and society. In his 1959 book, The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills gives an outline of what he thinks are the essential components of sociological thinking. This "sociological imagination" can be applied to explanations of many social problems and allows us to delve beneath the surface, and to take a closer look at why individuals, or certain groups in society, behave in a specific way or find themselves in certain circumstances. Sociologists have long used this concept to put forward their views on particular sociological issues; this essay will look at some examples of this."

Sample of Sources Used:

• C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination, Oxford University Press, New York, 1959.
• Ian Marsh and Mike Keating, SOCIOLOGY: Making Sense of Society, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, 2006, 3rd edition.
• Frances Heidensohn, Crime and Society, MacMillan Ltd., London, 1989
• David Garland and Richard Sparks, Criminology and Social Theory, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000
• (internet article 1) http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=345

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