Required course essay on J. Toth’s book The Mole People
“The sociological imagination [perspective] may be most useful in helping sociologists see the linkage between private troubles and public issues.”
Use the “sociological imagination” which you have gained in the course to describe and analyze the place of the Mole People within US society and culture. How can a sociological perspective provide us with a deeper understanding and insight into the lives of the people of this counterculture, and what does the existence of this counterculture tell us about the nature and social structure of the broader U. S. society which has created the counterculture of the “Mole People” in the first place? Be sure to use as many sociological concepts and theories, as developed in the Introduction to Sociology course, which you think are applicable to an understanding of the Mole people and their place within contemporary US society and culture. For example, Marx’s concept of “alienation” clearly applies to an understanding of the underground homeless population. You should also include sociological concepts and theories from the topics of Deviance and Social Stratification which we have reviewed in the course. There are many other sociological topics and perspectives which could also apply to an understanding of the existence of the ‘Mole People’ in U.S. society, such as dysfunctional family life and its impact on those affected, or the availability and addictive use of hard core drugs, such as heroin, within the daily culture of the U.S. Be sure to comment on the nature and social structure of the underground communities formed by some of the tunnel dwellers.