“It is the political task of the social scientist — as of any liberal educator — continually to translate personal troubles into public issues, and public issues into the terms of their human meaning for a variety of individuals. It is his task to display in his work — and, as an educator, in his life as well — this kind of sociological imagination. And it is his purpose to cultivate such habits of mind among the men and women who are publicly exposed to him. To secure these ends is to secure reason and individuality, and to make these the predominant values of a democratic society.” MenMindHumansWellsKindEndsReasonPoliticalPurposeValuesIndividualSocialTermImaginationIssuesTroubleHe ManHabitMen And WomenTasksScientistDemocraticIndividualitySecureVarietyExposedDisplayTranslateEducatorDemocratic SocietySociologicalHabits Of Mind Book:The Sociological Imagination Source: The Sociological Imagination
“Political society wants things simple. Political scientists know them to be complex... One could argue that, in part, the leftist impulse is so conspicuous among the educated and well-to-do precisely because they are exposed to more information, and are accordingly forced to choose between living with the strains of complexity, or lapsing into simplism.” KnowsWantWellsPoliticalSimpleInformationScientistComplexesArguingEducatedImpulseComplexityExposedStrainLeftists Book:Coping: On the Practice of Government Source: Coping: On the Practice of Government
“Critics of the war plans (including myself) have pointed to the disastrous political results that must be expected: Iraq would break into three parts (Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the center, Shi'ites in the south), the Middle East would be exposed to the onslaught of Iranian fanaticism, pro-Western Arab regimes would collapse. Israel would be surrounded by aggressive Islamic fundamentalism, like the Crusader kingdom with the advent of Saladin.” WarWould BePoliticalThreeResultsBreakPlansMiddleSouthCriticsWesternIncludingIraqIsraelEastExpectedKingdomsIslamicAggressiveExposedRegimesMiddle EastCollapseFundamentalismFanaticismIranianAdventKurdsIslamic FundamentalismWar PlansSaladin Author:Uri Avnery