SOCA01H3 Study Guide - Final Guide: C. Wright Mills, The Power Elite, Cancer Alley
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Published on 1 Dec 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
SOCA01 – Introduction to Sociology I
Final Exam Study Guide
Professor: Shelly Ungar
University of Toronto Scarborough
SOCA01 - Lecture #1 – Sociological Imagination
Today
Brym Ch.1
Illustrating the “sociological imagination” (book written by C Wright Mills)
oUsing history and cohorts
C Wright Mills
American sociologist
Popularized Max Weber’s theories in the United States. Also applied Karl Mannheim’s
theories on the sociology of knowledge to the political thought and behavior of
intellectuals
Published books include The New Men of Power, America’s Labor Leaders (1948),
White Collar (1951) and his best known work The Power Elite (1956)
Sociological Imagination C.W. Mills
Translate personal troubles into public issues, realize that it is a public issue (lots of people
are encountering it)
Understand how life chances affected by broader social forces.
Sociological Imagination examples
Cancer
o"Cancer alley” Louisiana (rural poor state, filled with toxic factories since land is
very cheap. As a result, cancer rates are elevated)
Unemployment
o(for example Greece and their 55% unemployment rate)
Date rape
Sociological Imagination
Intersection of three variables
1. History
a. War generation
b. Depression generation
c. History affects your way of life
2. Social Structure
a. Where you are born in society
2
b. Social class
c. Gender
d. Race
e. Ethnicity
f. Religion
3. Biography (of individual)
a. Winston Churchill, known for his amazing energy
Concept
COHORT
oSet of people born at the same time
oExperience similar things at the same age (the 20s, 30s, 40s etc.)
Especially teen years
History: Most Famous Cohort?
Baby boomers are considered to be the famous cohort (from the end of the war till about
1960)
Followed by:
Baby bust
MTV generation
Generation X
20 something
know nothing
generation with PR problem i.e. antagonistic terms
2 Major Differences Between Baby Boomers and Gen X Cohorts
1. History
a. Born at different times
i. Affects opportunities
2. Social structure
a. Size of the cohort (generation)
i. Demographic bulge
SIZE MATTERS!!
Affect society as a whole
3
