Hodnotová neutralita, angažovanosť a verejná zodpovednosť sociológie. Sociologická imaginácia C. W. Millsa v mediálnom a politickom zápase o charakter sociológie

C. W. Mills in his well-known The Sociological Imagination commented critically on the argument about value neutrality of sociology, even though he developed the heritage of value neutrality of a scientific analysis himself. However, in practice and in his The Sociological Imagination, he promoted engaged sociology. The seeming paradox is inspiring when it comes to reflecting on current sociology, which has been drawn into present struggles for the appearance of public space (mostly in media) and the character of politics in many ways. However, mass public mobilisation of middle-class and mostly more educated population in central Europe makes sociologists ask a question: which values and political visions are still acceptable and how shall they think about the engagement of sociology? Different historical, cultural and political conditions in central-European sociology also pose questions to again analyse Mills’ definitions of value-neutral science and principles that a publically relevant and committed sociology should rely on. The Sociological Imagination by Mills has become a challenge for an updated and contextualized sociology of sociology.