Introduction
The first part of this essay considers the sociological imagination, which is an integral aspect of sociology that enables individuals to understand and connect with society. Sociological imagination provides a historical and social context for issues that individuals face. Next, the paper considers two key social conditions: automation and globalization. The latter will then be analyzed from a functionalist perspective. Lastly, the essay discusses how globalization can impact career plans. Ultimately, the aim of this paper is to draw a connection between the sociological imagination and social conditions that affect the future of work.
Sociological Imagination
The sociological imagination is a crucial component of sociology that promotes personal and social awareness. Mastering the sociological imagination is necessary to understand how events relate to each other in societal structure. It also expands one’s viewpoint beyond their own personal experiences into a broader social context. Sociological imagination is more than just a concept; it is the awareness of how individuals and culture connect. The sociological imagination offers a broader view of societal challenges by posing challenging questions (Seeger 46). The sociological imagination is the most useful tool for examining how society is structured and analyzing the impact of every individual action on the whole group.
Some of the social conditions people often experience include automation in the workplace and globalization. Automation is the use of technology to manufacture and distribute goods and services that require little to no human involvement. It is typically used to decrease labor costs or to replace people who perform routine or unskilled jobs. This social condition is likely to affect the future of work as machines are increasingly used as substitutes for human labor.
Globalization is a continuing process that entails interrelated transformations in society’s social, political, cultural, and economic sectors. It is an activity that involves constantly blending different elements across borders, cultures, and even ostensibly remote areas (Johnson and Tyson). Globalization will open more opportunities in the future, considering that one can learn new ideas and knowledge. When globalization increases, many industries will be created, lowering the cost of living.
Johnson and Tyson’s (2020) article provides different views about the impact caused by automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace environment. The research found that many Asian communities have a favorable view of the introduction of automation in society. The second finding is that countries like France view automation as bad. Regarding gender, most men, compared to women, are likely to recommend artificial intelligence. This was notable when the survey was conducted across different places, where almost three-quarters of men (72%) expressed satisfaction with job automation compared to 56% of women. Finally, the research also found that those more educated (65%) in society believed in job automation more than those with less education (38%). From the Pew Research, these were the three most relevant findings for me because they help me understand how different cultures and genders view automation. This could have an influence on my job prospects and, consequently, how I conduct my job search.
Sociological perspectives
Among the essential conceptual pillars in the discipline of sociology is functionalism. This sociological perspective can be used to analyze globalization, which is a social condition. Functionalism is a worldview that emphasizes how individuals communicate with social institutions to extract valuable information from sociocultural settings (Rusu 12). Functionalism emphasizes how societal norms are interdependent and how this interconnectedness affects how societies, individuals, and organizations operate.
Globalization is demonstrated by functionalism theory through the presence of democratic representation and internet connectivity in industrialized, capitalist nations. Nevertheless, this way of thinking raises specific issues. First, it adopts a limited understanding of democracy consistent with the continental paradigm, defined by political and corporate collaboration and tightly regulated public debate. An open, interactive democracy could be more appealing and practicable in developing nations (Almeida 190). Functionalists, therefore, claim that liberty is a byproduct of capitalist society and that customers’ widespread internet connectivity may help to lessen the consequences of oligopolistic news dominance.
Unquestionably, having a connection to the web and its vast features has benefited globalization. It allows individuals to expand their understanding and livelihood independence since it has been stated that globalization brings growth avenues for individuals who do not have them in the analog society. This demonstrates that, whereas functionalists consider these objectives to be inherently possible due to globalized economic ideas, conflict theorists might have historically concentrated on fair and equitable recruitment. Regrettably, this fails to consider the obstacles that initially prohibit individuals from using these technologies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sociological imagination establishes causal links between situations that appear unconnected and provides an explanation for an individual’s behavior. It is beneficial since people can understand every aspect that is happening in the societal structure. For instance, one can expand personal viewpoints in various societal settings. I have gained a lot of insight from this assignment that will shape my career plans. Since society is expanding as time goes on, globalization and automation will take center stage in the future. Therefore, I have to learn skills that cannot be made redundant by globalization and technological advancement. I also plan to be more adaptable to change because this is the only way to remain relevant in a dynamic world.
Works Cited
Almeida, Paul, and Chris Chase-Dunn. “Globalization and Social Movements.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 44, no. 1, 2018, pp. 189–211. Web.
Johnson, Courtney, and Alec Tyson. “People Globally Offer Mixed Views of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence, Job Automation on Society.” Pew Research Center, 2020. Web.
Rusu, Mihai Stelian. “Street Names through Sociological Lenses. Part I: Functionalism and Conflict Theory.” Social Change Review, vol. 18, no. 1, 2020, pp. 144-176. Web.
Seeger, Sean, and Daniel Davison-Vecchione. “Dystopian Literature and the Sociological Imagination.” Thesis Eleven, vol. 155, no. 1, 2019, pp. 45-63. Web.