Study Guide #6 -- Conflict Theory C. Wright Mills C. Wright Mills "The Promise" 1.

. Mills argued that the promise of sociology lies in its ability to provide more than just information about the world around us. What can it also provide from his point of view? ociology can give insight outside of the facts of everyday life! outside of direct observation. ociology has the ability to provide a summation of what is going on in the world around them and how that affects their person "and vice#versa$. %. What is the sociological imagination as seen by Mills? The sociological imagination is the ability to understand the larger historical connect that one lives in! how this conte&t affects ones thoughts! goals! and perceptions and how these in turn affect the e&ternal! physical course of one's life "again! also vice#versa$. (ne is constantly shaping and being shaped by society ) the relation of history to personal biography.

*. What +inds of ,uestions should sociologists as+! according to Mills! in developing their analyses of society? What the structure of the society they are studying is! what its essential parts are and how they are related! how it differs from other social orders! how its features affect stability and change Where this society is situated within the scope of human history! what causes it to change! how does it represent for the development of humanity! how does any feature affect the whole and how this feature is affected by historical conte&t! what is this period in time li+e ) how does it differ from other periods and what are its characteristics What types of men and women are present in this society and historical period and how have they changed.are changing! how is human nature defined! how are they liberated and oppressed! how does the definition of human nature change for each feature of society "i.e. family! law! literature$ /. What did Mills say about personal troubles and social issues? Personal troubles are something e&perienced by an individual and those around them ) they lie within the scope of the individual's biography! a private matter! values cherished that are seemingly under threat. 0n 1ssues is something that transcends the individual and their direct environment! they have to with the organi2ation of institutions in a socio#historical conte&t. 0n issue is a public matter! values cherished by a large number of people! the public! seemingly under threat.

3. Mills contended that there were three major trends in sociology at the time of his writing. Please briefly describe each of these three. The first tendency is a to construct a theory of history# sociology concerned with the whole of man's social life! historical and systematical! see+ing to provide stages through the course of human history. The second trend if to construct a theory of the nature of man and society ) conceptions are defined and used to classify all social relations ) an abstract and static view of components of the social structure! supposing invariant features. The third trend is toward empirical studies of social facts and problems ) defined as a study of some special area of society! focus on methodologyMills argues that empirical studies can become a series of studies regarding unrelated and.or insignificant facts to the social milieu. "(n Politics" 4. 1s it possible! according to Mills! for social scientists to engage in research without wor+ing toward any specific political goals? Please e&plain. 1t is not possible for social scientists to engage in research without wor+ing towards any specific political goal ) it is impossible to strip one's value from their wor+. 1nterestingly! Mills asserts that one should e&plicitly state the goals of their wor+! or goals will be impressed upon their wor+ by others. 5. Mills outlines three overriding political ideals that are common to sociological in,uiry. What are these three ideals or values? 6alue of truth or fact ) determining fact ta+es on a political meaning! any statement of fact having political and moral significance ) Mills asserts that to practice social science! one is in essence practicing the politics of truth. (ne must loo+ at the role of reason in human affairs and how it affects whether something is a fact and how it is a facts 7uman freedom is the *rd value ) personal will 8reedom and reason central to the civili2ation of the Western World! but any proposed application "or interpretation$ of them leads to disagreement ) the social scientist sets outs to clarify the ideal of freedom and the ideal of reason. 9. 7e also lists three roles that the social scientist can play in relation to public affairs. What are these three roles! and what does he thin+ of each of these three? Philosopher#+ing: a justification for the greater power of the ;man of +nowledge< to lead! rule! be just- Mills asserts that such an idea goes against democracy! such a role being considered foolish especially when considered along with power 0dvisor to the +ing: the most usual role ) bureaucratic uses for social science! the social scientist loses their moral autonomy and substantive

rationality! using reason in order to refine the techni,ues of the administration which are used for manipulative purposes To remain an independent social scientist: to do one's own research! select own problems to research! directing wor+ to the +ings and to the public! concerned with public issues and private troubles! rational members of a self#controlled association "the social sciences$.

=. >oes Mills believe that human history is shaped simply by fate? What does he offer as an alternative e&planation? 7uman history is not simply shaped by fate ) men are free to ma+e history! but some are freer than others. 8ate is not a universal fact! not inherent in nature or in the nature of man! Mills argues- fate is the feature of a historically specific +ind of social structure ) but! the scope and chance for conscious human agency are uni,uely available in modern times! with more freedom and power to shape history than in previous epochs. 1?. What did Mills say about intellectuals in the @. . and the former oviet @nion? Mills wonders why free intellect is so divorced from decisions of power ) 1n the @ ! Mills argues! intellectuals perpetuate confusions of officialdoms. They do not raise or demands alternatives and they do not strive to place informed content into politics. 11. What did Mills see as the main political tas+ of the social scientist in todayAs world? The main political tas+ of the social scientist is to translate personal troubles into public issues ) to ma+e the public aware of the social scope and meaning of issues. 1t is their purpose to cultivate such habits of viewing the world! to show others how to use their sociological imagination to see the place of singular troubles in the scope of the social structure! securing reason and individuality.