is the sociological imagination. It requires that we see how our individual lives and personal troubles are shaped by historical and structural events that go beyond our everyday lives. It also prods us to see how we can influence our society.
Sociology is a social science and, therefore, uses the tools of the sciences to establish credible evidence to understand our social world. As a science, sociology is scientific and objective rather than value laden.
Sociology has practical applications, including those that are essential for the job market.
Sociology focuses on social units or groups, on social structures such as institutions, on social processes that give a social unit its dynamic character, and on their social environments.
The social world model is the organizing theme of this book. Using the sociological imagination, we can understand our social world best by clarifying the interconnections among micro, meso, and macro levels of the social world. Each chapter of this book focuses on one major topic in sociology using society at these three levels of analysis.
Discussion Questions
1 Think of a problem that impacts you personally (e.g., the high cost of tuition, unemployment, or divorce) and explain how you would make sense of it differently if you viewed it as (a) only a personal problem or (b) influenced by a public issue. How do possible solutions to the problem differ depending on how you view it?
2 How can sociology help you become a more informed citizen and better able to understand how government policies impact society?
3 What are three ways the sociological perspective can help you succeed in college and the workforce?
4 Think of some of the ways the social institutions of government and education are connected. Why is it in the interest of the government to support higher education? How has government support (or lack of support) impacted your college experience?
5 Imagine you would like to look at reasons behind the high college dropout rate in the United States. How might your explanations differ based on whether your analysis was on the micro, meso, or macro level? Why? Which level or levels would you focus on for your study? Why?
Key Terms
environment 16
globalization 6
levels of analysis 12
macro-level analysis 18
meso-level analysis 17
micro-level analysis 17
national society 15
social institutions 14
social processes 16
social structure 14
social units 14
social world model 14
sociological imagination 8
sociology 5
Contributing to Our Social World: What Can We Do?
At the end of this and all subsequent chapters, you will find suggestions for work, service learning, internships, and volunteering that encourage you to apply the ideas discussed in the chapter. Suggestions for Chapter 1 focus on student organizations for sociology majors and nonmajors.
At the Local (Micro) Level
Student organizations and clubs enable you to meet other students interested in sociology, carry out group activities, get to know faculty members, and attend presentations by guest speakers. These clubs are usually not limited to sociology majors. If no such organization exists for sociology students at your school, consider forming one with the help of a faculty member. Sociologists also have an undergraduate honors society, Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD). Visit the AKD website at alphakappadelta.org to learn more about the society and what it takes to qualify for membership or to form a chapter.
At the Organizational or Institutional (Meso) Level
State, regional, and specialty (education, criminology, social problems, and so forth) sociological associations are especially student-friendly and feature publications and sessions at their annual meetings specifically for undergraduates. The American Sociological Association lists regional and specialty organizations and their website addresses, with direct links to their home pages at www.asanet.org/news-events/calendar.
At the National or Global (Macro) Level
The American Sociological Association (ASA) is the leading professional organization of sociologists in the United States. Visit the ASA website at www.asanet.org and take a look around. You will find many programs and initiatives of special interest to students. If you are interested in becoming a sociologist, be sure to look at the links under the heading “News on the Profession.” ASA also sponsor an Honors Program at the annual meeting that introduces students to the profession and gives them a heads-up on being successful in sociology. For more information go to www.asanet.org/teaching-learning/undergraduate-student-resources/honors-program.
The International Sociological Association (ISA) serves sociologists from around the world. Every 4 years, the ISA sponsors a large meeting. Specialty groups within ISA hold smaller conferences throughout the world during the other years. Check out www.isa-sociology.org.
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Descriptions of Images and Figures
Back to image
The flow diagram illustrating the model in social life is as follows:
Micro:Me, within parenthesis, my family and close friends.Local organizations and community. My school, place of worship, hangouts.
Meso:National
