From science fiction to social science facts, or generally agreed-upon expert observations, the MarkFoster.ORGanon now journeys at warp speed through the wormhole of your sociological imagination. The term sociological imagination was coined by the late Columbia University sociologist, C. Wright Mills, in his book which bears that name.

It refers to an ability to perceive the intersections of history (indispensable to mature sociological understanding) and biography. Or, to phrase it another way, it allows the researcher to view human lives as they are shaped by historically conditioned social forces.

That being the case, the science of sociology promotes a better understanding of the human condition through the study of social constructions beyond the individual level. It appears as though Americans, in particular, with our persistent psychologism (explanation of human social behavior in terms of psychological categories) have difficulty in developing a sociological imagination.

Confronting an anti-intellectual age of psychic hotlines and talk show zoos, which cuts across social class boundaries while exploiting the poor and their problems for economic profit, sociology advocates the use of the scientific (deductive-inductive) method and critical thinking in the systematic examination of human society, culture, groups, and, above all (as I see it), social structure.

In my on-campus classes, I combine lecture with class and small-group discussions. Emphases are placed on the social construction of groups and societies and, especially in my Social Problems course, on the deconstruction, or elimination, of political, economic, and social oppression. My classes are constructed to promote structured dialogue.