"The Sociological Imagination" is a book by American sociologist C. Wright Mills, published in 1959. The book is a critique of contemporary sociology of his time, arguing that the discipline had become too abstract and disconnected from social reality. Mills criticizes two dominant trends in sociology: "Grand Theory", which he considers to be too abstract and disconnected from empirical experience, and "Abstracted Empiricism", which he considers to be too focused on quantitative methods and small-scale surveys, neglecting the analysis of social structures. Mills argues that sociology should strive to understand the interplay between individual biography and history, using the "sociological imagination" to connect the individual to society. He advocates a more holistic and critical approach to sociology that takes into account power structures, historical forces, and personal experiences. The book includes a variety of essays on topics such as the power elite, the middle class, work, and politics, and concludes with an appendix on intellectual craft, where Mills offers advice on how to conduct sociological research creatively and effectively.
