1. Introduction
C. Wright Mills introduced a new concept to the social sciences that showed the undeniable connection between the individual and society. This concept is known as The Sociological Imagination. This essay will discuss the sociological imagination and the difference between a personal problem and a public issue. The essay will also focus on the personal issue of anorexia and the social issue of corruption. At the end of this essay, how the sociological imagination can be applied to different situations will be made apparent.
2. Defining the Sociological Imagination
The sociological imagination can be described as the ability of an individual to recognise the connection between their individual problems and the problems …show more content…
It deals with the social environment of a historical society as a whole and how various social environments overlap and interact to form the larger structure of social and historical life (Mills, 1959:8). An example of a social issue is unemployment. It can be seen as personal problem maybe because of laziness or being uneducated, but it is a social issue as there is mass unemployment due to the dwindling number of available jobs, and not enough job creation. This leaves thousands of people …show more content…
Although there are differences between corruption in developing countries and developed countries, Johnston’s definition is widely accepted. Over the years corruption has become one of the major social issues in South Africa.
As of 2015, South Africa was ranked number 52 out of 150 countries for corruption (World audit corruption). With increasing corruption, it is crucial to identify the cause so that it can be stopped. A possible reason for the increase in corruption could be the decline in political leaders’ morals. It can be said that they are more concerned with earning more money than with helping develop the economy. Another reason could be mismanagement and lack of control. Although there are laws in place to stop corruption, it is not being enforced on those who commit the crime. Corruption has become such a big issue in South Africa, it has started to affect the overall
C. Wright Mills introduced a new concept to the social sciences that showed the undeniable connection between the individual and society. This concept is known as The Sociological Imagination. This essay will discuss the sociological imagination and the difference between a personal problem and a public issue. The essay will also focus on the personal issue of anorexia and the social issue of corruption. At the end of this essay, how the sociological imagination can be applied to different situations will be made apparent.
2. Defining the Sociological Imagination
The sociological imagination can be described as the ability of an individual to recognise the connection between their individual problems and the problems …show more content…
It deals with the social environment of a historical society as a whole and how various social environments overlap and interact to form the larger structure of social and historical life (Mills, 1959:8). An example of a social issue is unemployment. It can be seen as personal problem maybe because of laziness or being uneducated, but it is a social issue as there is mass unemployment due to the dwindling number of available jobs, and not enough job creation. This leaves thousands of people …show more content…
Although there are differences between corruption in developing countries and developed countries, Johnston’s definition is widely accepted. Over the years corruption has become one of the major social issues in South Africa.
As of 2015, South Africa was ranked number 52 out of 150 countries for corruption (World audit corruption). With increasing corruption, it is crucial to identify the cause so that it can be stopped. A possible reason for the increase in corruption could be the decline in political leaders’ morals. It can be said that they are more concerned with earning more money than with helping develop the economy. Another reason could be mismanagement and lack of control. Although there are laws in place to stop corruption, it is not being enforced on those who commit the crime. Corruption has become such a big issue in South Africa, it has started to affect the overall