The COVID-19 pandemic has forced significant societal changes all over the world. The introduction of social distancing, face mask wearing, and economic downturn have led people to alter their lifestyles considerably. This paper aims to apply sociological imagination to COVID-19 to analyze how it has affected the lives of individuals and society as a whole. The paper will outline possible changes in social structures and social forces in the GCC region, which may happen as a result of the pandemic. I will also explain how these changes will affect my community and family.
The Definition of Sociological Imagination
Sociological imagination is a way to see the events of one’s own life in a broader context of social issues and trends. The term was coined by C. Wright Mills, who argued that “neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” (Smith-Hawkins, 2020, p. 8). Sociological imagination is defined as an awareness of the connection that exists between one’s behavior and experiences and the surrounding society that has shaped the individual’s choices and worldview (Griffiths et al., 2015). By applying sociological imagination to everyday life, people can see that their actions are largely influenced by the prevalent societal trends and practices.
Moreover, sociological imagination can show that the decisions people deem their own are actually made with the involvement of their families and communities. One may consider, for example, the decision to have children. In the past, having children was an indispensable part of people’s family lives. Nowadays, people have gained more freedom in deciding whether to have children. However, the eventual decision to reproduce is taken with regard to the culture in which the person lives. For example, in child-centric societies, people are less likely to remain childless because of the pressure they experience from their peers, parents, and the entire community. In Western countries, where the individualistic culture prevails, people do not experience such societal pressure in terms of having children, but they feel urged to boost their personal achievements. As a result, guided by these societal trends, they decide to postpone having children in order to build a career.
Although the term “sociological imagination” was invented by C. Wright Mills, the idea of integrating the lives of individuals and entire societies was used by earlier sociologists. For example, Karl Marx used sociological imagination to explain the process of social change (Griffiths et al., 2015). Marx argued that the social conflict between workers and capitalists would lead to tensions and revolts, which, subsequently, would end in a social change (Griffiths et al., 2015). Max Weber also applied his sociological imagination to understand society and argued that standard scientific methods were not applicable for predicting the behavior of human groups (Griffiths et al., 2015). Weber believed that sociology should take account of culture and get a deep understanding of different social groups rather than strive to obtain generalizable results (Griffiths et al., 2015). Thus, the concept of sociological imagination is essential in sociologists and has been used by scientists even before C. Wright Mills described and coined a term for it.
Possible Changes in Social Structures and Forces in a Post-COVID World
In a post-COVID world, many social structures are likely to change. According to Smith-Hawkins (2020), social structures are “any relatively stable pattern of social behavior found in social institutions” (p. 6). For example, one common social structure is status, which refers to the responsibilities and benefits that people exercise depending on their roles in society (Smith-Hawkins, 2020). In a post-COVID world, some people are likely to experience a change in their status. For example, the pandemic led many entrepreneurs to close their businesses because of the forced lockdown. As a result, these people are likely to lose their status as business owners and will have to find a new occupation. In addition, during the pandemic, the status of healthcare workers has significantly improved, which will probably influence the prestige and attractiveness of healthcare professions for individuals.
Another important social structure is formal organizations, such as banks, schools, hospitals, and others. Within these social structures, the changes include the emergence of new rules, such as face mask wearing, and the modification of the work format. During the pandemic, many organizations have transferred to remote work in response to the introduction of social distancing or were forced to lay off a large number of workers. As a result, individuals had to adapt to new circumstances. In the future, it is possible that the jobs that allow for the remote work format will become more valuable, along with various delivery services. In addition, these changes are likely to change people’s career choices in the future.
Social institutions are also part of social structures, and one important social institution that is likely to change in a post-COVID world is health and medicine. One possible change that healthcare in GCC will undergo is an increase in the use of telehealth. Social distancing, the contagiousness of the virus, and low access to care in rural areas are significant preconditions for the wide use of remote healthcare services.
Finally, in terms of social forces, it is likely that a social action directed toward improving economic policies will emerge. COVID-19 has sharpened social issues that have existed long ago in society, such as poverty and inequality. Many people have become unemployed or experienced a decrease in their incomes. These changes may lead to public discontent, forcing governments to revise their policies related to labor and the economy.
The Impact of Social Changes on the Community and Family
According to the concept of sociological imagination, individuals and society are closely interrelated, and individuals are highly influenced by changes occurring in society. Therefore, one can assume that the changes that will happen in a post-COVID world will influence communities and individuals with their families. Thinking of my community, I believe that healthcare workers will be respected even more than before for their contribution to the fight against the virus. I also think that many people in my community will experience a change in their status. Entrepreneurs who lost their businesses will have to change their social roles; many office workers will change their status to either unemployed or remote employees. As for the influence on my family, my relatives and I will have to adapt to the new economic environment and learn to function effectively under the circumstances of social distancing and remote work. Finally, if my assumptions about the social change in healthcare and policies related to labor and economy are right, both my community and family will benefit in terms of improved access to healthcare and labor conditions.
References
Griffiths, H., Keirns, N. J., Strayer, E., Cody-Rydzewski, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Sadler, T., Vyain, S., Bry, J., & Jones, F. (2015).Introduction to sociology (2nd ed.). OpenStax College, Rice University. Web.
Smith-Hawkins, P. (Ed.). (2020). Introduction to Sociology (AUBH Bahraini ed.). Unpublished manuscript.