Table of ContentsIntroductionWhat is Sociological Imagination?Personal Problems and Social ProblemsSuicide as a Problem Facing University Students in South AfricaSuicide as a social problemSocial cause of suicide among black college studentsConclusionReferencesIntroductionIntroduction: In this essay I will look at what sociological imagination is as defined by C Wright Mills. I will then distinguish between personal issues and public issues in this essay. I will then examine suicide as an issue that South African university students face, particularly black South African students. Thesis Statement: The cause of this problem will be explored as well as ways to resolve the problem. I will conclude on the value of sociological imagination in this particular case. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayWhat is sociological imagination?Background: C Wright Mills proposed the concept of sociological imagination. C Wright Mills (1959: 3) mentions it; “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” The sociological imagination is a “critical thinking tool” that allows us to critically examine issues within a society (Stewart and Zaaiman 2018: xxxvi). This further allows us to analyze an individual and the society from which they come, as well as the impact of society on the individual. The goal is to objectively assess the personal problems an individual faces and the social problems experienced in the community. This can be done by putting aside personal experiences and cultural biases during assessments and trying to consider all aspects that influence the individual. Personal Problems and Social Problems Personal problems and social problems are the two main factors we look at when we approach the sociological imagination. “There is a distinction between problems affecting the individual and problems affecting individuals collectively within a society” (Stewart and Zaaiman 2018: xxxvi). Topic Sentence: Personal problems concern the individual and are problems that affect and hold back the individual. This may include a learning disability that makes it difficult for the individual to understand certain things that a person without a disability can understand and would therefore need help. Social problems affect all individuals in society due to social structure. These include load shedding or water shortages. Imagine if a person from the community commits suicide, it would be detrimental to their family and loved ones, but if individuals from the community start committing suicide, it becomes a public issue and affects the society as a whole. In order to understand the individual, we must examine their context, their origin and the factors that influence their behavior, actions, lifestyle and thinking. It is important to examine the cultural and historical context of the society from which they come, as this also impacts them and this must be done with absolute objectivity. Suicide as a problem facing university students in South Africa. Suicide is the successful attempt to take one's own life using harmful substances or objects, including: self-poisoning using a pesticide, hanging or firearm. Yan (2012:14) states that most suicides among South African university students are due to identifiable stressors such aslack of support, alcohol and other substance use, mental illness and societal factors such as sexuality and gender. A wide variety of factors, such as work overload, stress or financial problems, have been reported to increase suicide among the university population (Yan 2012: 14). According to (Mail & Guardian 1999); "David Malebana, who was a student at the Tompi Seleka Agricultural College in the Northern Province, filmed three of his lectures before committing suicide due to an extension of his studies. Commentary: The story of David Malebana shows us the The intensity of the pressure he faced to succeed in his studies and to continue his studies was the worst thing that could have happened to him.Suicide as a social problemTopic sentence: According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group's Suicide (SADAG 2016 ) is the second leading cause of death among university students, after accidents “The prevalence of suicide among South African university students has become a major concern Since 1950, the suicide rate of white males (15-24 years old) has. tripled and that of white women (15-24 years) has more than doubled. Over the last 15 years, the suicide rate among black men (15-24 years) has increased by 2/3” (SADAG 2016). Additionally, Bantjies et al. (2016:15) suggests that studies have shown that up to 20% of university students experience suicidal thoughts at some point in their academic career. Evidence and Citations: The above statistical information shows us that suicide rates have increased significantly and could be caused by the transition phase from high school to college where the student finds themselves in this new structureless environment accompaniment. Comment: Suicide is a problem shaped by broader societal structures, as the statistics above show. These are not a few cases of suicide, but a large number of individuals. This alludes to the fact that suicide is a problem that belongs to society. The cause of suicide can therefore be found in society and the way it is shaped. Social Cause of Suicide Among Black College Students Topic Sentence: Many responsibilities and unrealistic expectations are placed on black men. “Black South African students also tend to experience more financial difficulties and increased family or personal expectations for academic success” (Peltzer et al. 2000). Comment: They leave home and come to college without any social support structure. As soon as they leave home, they already know that they need to succeed in their studies so that they can finish in record time and eventually work to support their family. Those who receive scholarships sometimes even have to use the scholarship money to help around the house. The responsibility is too great and the academic pressure is too great. It all becomes too much and suicide seems like an easy way out because in the black community people rarely talk about their feelings and expressing them is seen as weakness. Particularly for black men, they are told to suppress their feelings and show strength. Suicide is seen as an attention-seeking mechanism and is taken lightly until it is successful. Peltzer et al (2000) focused on how ethnic differences affect suicide rates among college students. “Suicide is negatively stigmatized among many South African ethnic groups, particularly among black South Africans. » Furthermore, due to this negative stigma, (Young 2009; Cluver et al. 2015) believe that studentsBlack students at South African universities are at greater risk of suicide than white students. In my opinion, understanding black culture and how black communities operate will be helpful in understanding why these pressures are placed on black men. There are cultural expectations placed on the black man from birth. From a young age, a black boy is told that crying shows weakness and that he must demonstrate strength. As he grows up, he is told that his job is to take care of his family. He already has a lot on his shoulders and he carries it with him to college. Since showing emotion is considered weak, he won't even try to ask for help. The only expression considered socially acceptable is anger. Firstly, the change in mindset is very important and we must learn that suicide is not an attention-seeking mechanism but indicates a serious underlying problem. Talking about it and expressing your feelings is also something that should be practiced. Things like therapy should not be considered for certain racial, ethnic groups or mentally unstable people. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion Conclusion Paragraph: In conclusion, I agree that the sociological imagination is valuable whenever we address issues that affect an individual or society as a whole. In this case, it leads us to examine the possible causes of suicide among black college students, without placing blame on the individual. The above factors help us conclude that this is due to the social structure of black society. Instead of seeing a struggling young black man who can't control his emotions, we now see a young black man who is experiencing societal pressures that have caused him to act a certain way. ReferencesBantjies, J, R, Kagee , A, McGowan, T and Steel, H. 2016. “Posttraumatic stress, depression and anxiety symptoms as predictors of suicidal ideation among South African university students.” Journal of American College Health, 64(6): 429-437. Cluver, L, Orkin, M, Boyes, M, E, and Sherr, L. 2015. “Children and Adolescent Suicide Attempts, Suicidal Behaviors, and Experiences negative childhood experiences in South Africa: a prospective study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57(1): 52-59. Mail & Guardian. 1999.' The Bar must transform itself.” Accessed March 2, 2020, https://mg.co.za/article/1999-01-18-law-society-to-transform/ .Mills, C, W. 1959. The Sociological Imagination, London, Oxford University Press . Peltzer, K, Cherian, V, I and Cherian, L. 2000. “Cross-cultural attitudes towards suicide among South African secondary school students”. East African Journal, 77(3): 165-167. South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) 2016.' Teen Suicide, accessed March 2, 2020, http://www.sadag.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=744:are-more-suicide-in-universities-to-be-expected-this-year&catid = 92&Itemid=154 .Stewart, P. 2018. Sociological Theory” in Sociology: A concise South African Introduction, edited by Paul Stewart and Johan Zaaiman, Cape Town: Juta. World Health Organization (WHO) 2014 Preventing suicide: “A global imperative”. Accessed March 2, 2020, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide. Young, C. 2009. “CORE-OM Admissions Standards for Students Attending Counseling South African academic: A comparison with data from UK consultancy services. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 37(4):473-483. Yan, C. 2013. “The Lived Experiences of Black University Students :.