Charles Wright Mills (1916-1962) was a famed sociologist, social commentator and critic. Noted for his anti-authoritarian, flamboyant character and radical ideas, he has been described as an ‘American Utopian’ – committed to social change, angered by the oppression he saw around him, and critical of what he saw as evidence of U.S. imperialism. His legacy includes a series of classic books – including
The Power Elite, White Collar,
and
The Sociological Imagination
— and he has made a distinctive contribution to American sociological theory, especially in the area of class, power and social structure.