f. Summary and questions on Readings 1-2
To get you jump-started on your first discussion, here are some summaries, and some possible questions
for your discussion. Also, if you chose to distribute article and discussion leader responsibilities to your
students by using the schedule in section e, these summaries and questions could illustrate what
presentation expectations you have for the students. –Kristen Moyle, 2008
Mills Summary:
There is a connection between the personal life (or biography) of an individual and the history or social
context in which he or she lives. As history is changing, the values and belief systems of individuals are
trying to keep pace. When lagging behind, the individuals’ beliefs do not align with history and the
individual can feel trapped in a historical place in time, which has a value set - which they are unfamiliar
with. This is where the sociological imagination comes in. From having this sociological imaginationmindset, one can “gauge his own fate… he can know his own chances in life only by becoming aware of
those of all individuals in his circumstances” (Mills 1959, 3). It shows the connection between one’s
biography (or life) and history (or social setting). These two components are connected and influence
each other. An important distinction one must make when using their sociological imagination is to
distinguish personal troubles from public issues. Sociology deals with issues that regard the public’s
values. Therefore, we are looking beyond a person’s immediate milieu, to the social forces affecting it.
Critically thinking about the article:
Gave a thorough description of why non-individual factors are important, but more specific examples
regarding the historical social setting and how people can situate themselves within it would have been
helpful to complete the thought process from theory to application. A bit wordy and deep in some
areas, but that could be due to the context in which it was written.
Coontz Summary:
Due to social and historical factors teens and adults have had increasingly strained relationships. Coontz
claims that teens experience rolelessness, because they don’t have as much access to adult activities as
they have had in the past. She lists factors regarding the educational system (teens stay in school longer)
and changes in the economic setting (abolition of child labor and non-agrarian work) as contributing to
this rolelessness. Sports activities, she claims is one area that teens have the potential to show their
adult-like abilities, but for those who do not chose to participate in this arena, there are few remaining
paths toward adulthood. The special arrangement of society has also been “adultified,” so teens have
nowhere to go to distance themselves physically from adults (to learn to take care of themselves). The
last section of this article discussed the situated social power present in most male-female relationships.
Coontz claims that from an early age males are socially taught or conditioned to be authoritative and
non-emotional, while girls are taught to be compliant and intellectually non-dominating. So while males
hold the economic power, females are left to maintain their relationship so her source of income
(husband) does not get cut off. The sociological solution to this social problem lies in equalizing the
power and access to resources (such as income) in a given situation (such as a marriage). When this
happens those with different amounts of power can communicate with fairness and integrity.
Critically thinking about the article:
Explains the sociological implications of strain in the family life, but does not feature the negative
consequences of a child’s quick transition to adulthood. For example, she does not highlight the negative
side of child labor (physical and mental) nor does she touch on the negative side of less public
surveillance that teens had in the past (criminal). Evidence of the dangerous side of sociology?
Synthesis and discussion:
o How does Coontz show she has a sociological imagination, according to Mills’ definition?
o Do you think the type of city or town in which a teen lives might have an impact on the
creation of rolelessness? For example, is it easier or harder for teens in rural or urban cities to
find pathways into adulthood? What about other forms of cities or family structures?
o Power is an important component to the sociological imagination when forming sociological
solutions to sociological problems. For example, we can study the causes and consequences of
war, but can we stop it from happening – not without a considerable amount of power. Who
typically holds power in our country or city? Based on your answer, what kind of sociological
solutions are likely to appear? Who is at a disadvantage?
McIntyre summary:
At this point, you could have the students summarize the Hernando Washington article in class and
provide a write up their critical thoughts about the article.
Synthesis and discussion:
After doing some research, it was discovered that during Hernando’s trial, the prosecution systematically
removed all Blacks from the jury, leaving an all white jury to sentence Hernando to death. While he may
still have received the death penalty, what components of Hernando’s social milieu might the Black jury
members have brought in to the case? What would they say specifically?