Title: C. Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination

Slide 1: Introduction - Welcome to today’s lesson on C. Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination. - We will explore the concept of the sociological imagination and its significance in understanding society. - We will also discuss the works of Arlie Hochschild, particularly her book “The Second Shift.”

Slide 2: C. Wright Mills - C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) was an American sociologist. - He is known for his influential book “The Sociological Imagination” published in 1959. - Mills argued that individuals should connect their personal experiences to broader social and historical contexts.

Slide 3: The Sociological Imagination - The sociological imagination is the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger social forces. - It encourages us to question the influence of society on our lives and understand how personal troubles are connected to public issues.

Slide 4: Personal Troubles vs. Public Issues - Personal troubles are individual problems that occur within the character of the individual and their immediate relationships. - Public issues are societal problems that affect a large number of individuals and are rooted in social structures and institutions.

Slide 5: Common Sense - Mills criticized the reliance on common sense as a way of understanding social issues. - Common sense refers to the everyday knowledge and assumptions that people hold. - Mills argued that common sense often overlooks the underlying social factors that shape our lives.

Slide 6: Arlie Hochschild - Arlie Hochschild is a contemporary sociologist known for her work on gender, family, and work-life balance. - Her book “The Second Shift” (1989) explores the unequal division of household labor between men and women.

Slide 7: The Second Shift - Hochschild coined the term “the second shift” to describe the additional unpaid work that women often perform at home after their paid employment. - She argues that this second shift places a burden on women and perpetuates gender inequality.

Slide 8: Sociological Imagination and The Second Shift - Hochschild’s work on the second shift exemplifies the sociological imagination. - She connects personal experiences of women to larger social structures and gender norms. - By doing so, she highlights the public issue of gender inequality in the division of labor.

Slide 9: Conclusion - C. Wright Mills and the sociological imagination encourage us to think critically about the social forces that shape our lives. - Arlie Hochschild’s work on the second shift demonstrates the application of the sociological imagination to understand gender inequality. - Understanding these concepts can help us develop a more comprehensive understanding of society and our place within it.

Slide 10: References - Include a list of references used in creating the presentation.

Note: This PowerPoint presentation is a brief overview of C. Wright Mills and the sociological imagination, as well as Arlie Hochschild’s work on the second shift. Feel free to expand on each slide with additional information, examples, or discussion points as needed.