C. Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination: Contemporary Perspectives

C. Wright Mills is one of the towering figures in contemporary sociology and his writings continue to be of great relevance to the social science community. Generations of sociology students have enjoyed learning about the discipline from reading his best known book The Sociological Imagination. Over the years the title has become a term in itself with a variety of interpretations, many far removed from the original. The chapters in Part One of this book begins with general issues around the nature and significance of the sociological imagination, continue through discussions of modes of theorising and historical explanation, the relationship between history and biography, and the intellectual and political relationship of Mills to Marxism. They conclude with considerations on issues of class, power, and warfare. Part Two of the book includes a series of reflections from scholars who were invited to give personal thoughts on the impact of Mills's writings in their sociological work, with particular attention to their own 'biography and history'.With renowned international contributors and expert contributions from a range of specialisms, this book will appeal to academics, students and researchers of sociology. Contributors: D. Bertaux, J. Brannen, J.D. Brewer, O. Brox, K. Kumar, K. Mills, L. Mjøset, M. Newman, A. Nilsen, O.J. Olsen, J. Platt, M. Savage, J. Scott, A.J. Treviño

Table of Contents:
Contents: Foreword Kathryn Mills Introduction: Mills Today Ann Nilsen and John Scott PART I: THE INTELLECTUAL LEGACY 1. The Sociological Imagination, ‘On Intellectual Craftsmanship’, and Mills’s Influence on Research Methods Jennifer Platt 2. C. Wright Mills and the Necessity of History Krishan Kumar 3. The Fate of The Sociological Imagination: Mills, Social Science and Contemporary Sociology Lars Mjøset 4. Contextualising Lives: The History–Biography Dynamic Revisited Ann Nilsen and Julia Brannen 5. Mills, Miliband and Marxism Michael Newman 6. C. Wright Mills and the Contemporary Challenge of Biographical Methods Mike Savage 7. Class, Elites and Power: A Contemporary Perspective John Scott 8. Access to Power Resources and Increase of the Symbolic Body Daniel Bertaux 9. C. Wright Mills on War and Peace John D. Brewer PART II: REFLECTIONS AND ENCOUNTERS Kathryn Mills: War and Peace, Civil Rights and Gender: A Few Reflections About My Father John Scott: Encountering the Sociological Imagination A. Javier Treviño: C. Wright Mills as Designer, Craftsman and Stylist Ottar Brox: What C. Wright Mills Can Teach Us Today John D. Brewer: The Sociological Imagination and Public Sociology Ole Johnny Olsen: Learning From an Early Encounter with The Power Elite Ann Nilsen: Encounters with Pragmatism Index

About the Author :
Edited by John Scott, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Plymouth University and Visiting Professor, University of Essex, University of Exeter, UK and Ann Nilsen, Professor of Sociology, University of Bergen, Norway

Review :
’What this collection offers more than anything is the opportunity to adopt Mills' thought as a spur to action - as a way of being a sociologist. . . particularly in environments where sociology is increasingly under threat.’