Deconstructing Victim-Blaming, Dehumanization, and Othering: Using Empathy to Develop a Sociological Imagination

Abstract

The sociological imagination is a core component of all introductory sociology courses. A main focus of this perspective is how social forces are related to individual lives. Undergraduates are often socialized to rely on individualistic explanations of public issues. These explanations often blame, dehumanize, and other the victim, thereby inhibiting the understanding and application of structural analyses. A classroom activity that sought to increase empathy by showing video clips of individuals affected by the issues followed by a focused discussion of their experience was developed, implemented, and assessed. Results comparing pretests and posttests of students who engaged in the activity and those who were taught via more traditional methods indicate the exercise reduced victim-blaming and increased understanding of the sociological imagination. The pedagogical implications of these results for teaching introductory sociology are discussed along with the promise of sociology in the current socio-political context.