c. wright mills and the sociological imagination · c. wright mills and the sociological...

C. WRIGHT MILLS AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION Contemporary Perspectives Edited by John Scott, Plymouth University, UK and Ann Nilsen, University of Bergen, Norway 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. 2013 256 pp Hardback 978 1 78254 002 1 £75.00 Elgaronline 978 1 78254 003 8 NEW FROM EDWARD ELGAR PUBLISHING TO ORDER: Marston Book Services Ltd 160 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4SB UK Tel: + 44 1235 465500 Fax: + 44 1235 465555 [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sales & Marketing Department Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd The Lypiatts, 15 Lansdown Road Cheltenham, Glos GL50 2JA UK Tel: + 44 1242 226934 Fax: + 44 1242 262111 www.e-elgar.com For your free catalogues, email: [email protected] Ordering eBooks www.elgaronline.com Our book and journal content platform for libraries. Email [email protected] for more information Our eBooks are available for individuals through Google ebookstore and eBooks.com and for libraries through EBSCOhost, Ebrary, EBL, Myilibrary and Dawsonera. All enquiries about purchasing collections email [email protected] 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 Professor 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 Brewer PART II: REFLECTIONS AND ENCOUNTERS Kathryn Mills: War. Peace, Civil Rights, and Gender: A Few Reflections about My Father John Scott: Encountering the Sociological Imagination A. Javier Trevino: C. Wright Mills as Designer, Craftsman, and Stylist Ottar Brox: What C. Wright Mills Can Teach Us Today John Brewer: The Sociological Imagination and Public Sociology Ole Johnny Olsen: Learning From an Early Encounter with the Power Elite Ann Nilsen: Encounters with Pragmatism

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Page 1: C. WRIGHT MILLS AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION · C. WRIGHT MILLS AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION Contemporary Perspectives Edited by John Scott, Plymouth University, UK and Ann

C. WRIGHT MILLS AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATIONContemporary PerspectivesEdited by John Scott, Plymouth University, UK and Ann Nilsen, University of Bergen, Norway

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.

2013 256 pp Hardback 978 1 78254 002 1 £75.00 Elgaronline 978 1 78254 003 8

NEW FROM EDWARD ELGAR PUBLISHING

TO ORDER:Marston Book Services Ltd 160 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4SB UKTel: + 44 1235 465500 Fax: + 44 1235 465555 [email protected]

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Sales & Marketing Department Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd The Lypiatts, 15 Lansdown Road Cheltenham, Glos GL50 2JA UKTel: + 44 1242 226934 Fax: + 44 1242 262111 www.e-elgar.com

For your free catalogues, email: [email protected]

Ordering eBooks

www.elgaronline.com Our book and journal content platform for libraries.Email [email protected] for more information

Our eBooks are available for individuals through Google ebookstore and eBooks.com and for libraries through EBSCOhost, Ebrary, EBL, Myilibrary and Dawsonera. All enquiries about purchasing collections email [email protected]

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 Professor Julia Brannen

5. Mills, Miliband and Marxism Michael Newman

6. C. Wright Mills and the Contemporary Challenge of Biographical Methods Mike Savage