Macro Sociological Theory

“The Sociological Imagination”, written C. Wright Mills, illustrates the importance of individuals having an understanding of their relationship to society (2000). The perspective, created by the author, allows people to grasp the interconnection of their position in society to the institutions and history which have allowed for that position to exist. To understand one’s self through the sociological imagination method gives individuals the ability to see how their personal troubles are consequences of larger public issues; thus their personal troubles cannot solely be solved by their perseverance. Further, realizing that one’s position in life is determined largely by institutional and historical context will help them navigate the system

1. As you watch Streetwise—a documentary about the lives of Seattle street kids in the early 1980s— consider the explanations of juvenile delinquency offered by strain/anomie theories and control theories (including social disorganization theory and social bonds theory). First, choose the branch of theory that you believe BEST explains the delinquency of the kids featured in the film. Next, choose the single theory along your chosen branch that you believe offers the best explanation. For instance, if you think strain theories offer the best explanation, you should decide whether Merton’s theory or Agnew’s theory best explains the kids’ delinquency.

Juvenile delinquency is a major concern within the criminal justice system. The most frequent crime for juvenile to commit is Theft. The theory that explains juvenile delinquency is going to be the " broken window" theory. The broken window theory concludes that signs of disorder contribute and continue to lead to disorder. Individuals will conclude based off the environment that no one cares and their is no maintenance to be done.

In many instances, it can be rather difficult to derive an explanation as to why some individuals are prejudiced or discriminatory. However, by applying the sociological perspective, one can analyze why some individuals assert this kind of aggression and/or negativity towards minority groups. Through socialization, individuals are able to observe and imitate behaviors of others (Major, 2015a). Due to this, prejudiced and discriminatory can be learned through one’s socialization (Major, 2015e). One can examine how one’s upbringing can affect his or her attitude towards another racial/ethnic group – like the White male who was prejudice against my mother and me for example.

In this paper I will be discussing how Boys and Girls Clubs are used as a deterrence method to keep “at-risk” children off the streets. These programs are all across the country in inner cities and in rural areas. I will be using the Boys and Girls Club to look at its relationship with Social Disorganization theory. The Boys and Girls Club has been around since 1860, when three women decided to open their doors to underprivileged boys. They “believed that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative” (Boys & Girls Clubs of America).

Stirling McKelvie Dr. Robinson SOC 1020, Section 002 17 January 2015 The Sociological Imagination In this article, C. Wright Mills discusses the experiences of life adjustments on two opposing sides of individuals in opposing scenarios. Mills argues that no one can fully understand the life of a person or society without analyzing both sides. Many do not realize that the actions they take, the lives they live, affects future generations.

Imagine yourself building relationships and learning behaviors that can determine one’s life course. Individuals typically mature and develop responsibility through life experiences. Life experiences generally are categorized as positive or negative life experiences. These positive and negative life experiences can have an impact on the criminal mentality. A positive life experience could help criminals discontinue criminal activity for a short period.

How can who we are in society(race, social status, gender) have an effect on our future? Society can affect our future by shaping our lives and the person we chose to fall In love. When The author of the chapter The Sociological Perspective is explaining, Seeing the General in the Particular, He explains how society shapes people into various categories such as women by stating,“... Lillian Rubin (1976) found that higher-income women typically expect the men they married to be sensitive to others, to talk readily,and to share feelings and experiences. Lower-income women, she found, had very different expectations and we're looking for men who did not drink too much, were not violent, and held steady jobs.”

The session involved a young person named Gabriel, his diagnosed with severe Autism spectrum disorder. Whilst observing Phoebe, during this session, she noticed that he was not interacting with any of the staff, he would just move around and do his own thing. Phoebe stated that Gabriel would have epileptic fits (Caldwell, 2007), these are seizures that they go through depending on the area of the brain affected (NHS 2014). Commemorating Gabriel’s movement and interactions, it conveyed that he struggles to communicate with the world, this is due to the words come in scrambles which impact the reality which he does not understand. He is the only student in the college that has an individual programme made for him.

Hossler and Bontrager (2015) state that the sociological approach focuses on the early stages of one's college journey and "emphasizes the influences of social and cultural capital" (p. 51). Thus, this theory highlights one's social context, such as their social class, community, and high school, as well as parental involvement and expectations. Throughout my first essay, my environment was a strong predisposition that contributed toward my expectation of attending college. Due to my parents' middle-class status, their cultural and social capital garnered them certain knowledge sets.