Any Similarity to Events and Persons Is Incidental: Literature to Help Sociologist Cover Image

Wszelkie podobieństwo do zdarzeń i osób jest przypadkowe – literatura na pomoc socjologowi
Any Similarity to Events and Persons Is Incidental: Literature to Help Sociologist

Author(s): Dobrosław Mańkowski
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Language and Literature Studies, Sociology, Sociology of the arts, business, education, Theory of Literature
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Keywords: literature; sociology; sociology of literature; literary imagination; sociological imagination

Summary/Abstract: In this article, I follow the trail of it what can be found in the fine literature (belles-lettres) as a useful knowledge for sociology. I recognize that the social world contained in the literature can be treated as a source of “inspiration for sociological analysis” (P. Ćwikła) and also as a research field. I also raise an interesting research issue, which is the relationship between sociological imagination and literary imagination. Both are related and both have equally important tasks in describing, understanding (or attempting to understand) social reality. It can be said that literary imagination is the older sister of sociological imagination. Therefore, in my opinion, a sociologist should not underestimate the literary imagination, and a writer (literary man) should not embroider the sociological imagination. The importance of both imaginations for understanding, describing and presenting social reality is becoming apparent, especially since it can not be said that both (imaginatively) through their sources – literature and sociology – are not related to each other. I also recognize that literature and sociology can learn from each other and thus develop (D. Alworth).

  • Issue Year: 45/2017
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 123-132
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Polish