Power, Empowerment And Social Justice

Question 1

What is the power over, power to, power from model?

Answer 1

Power comes from multiple sources
Power over - capacity to dominate other (resisted, social injustice and social change)
Power to - capacity to pursue own goals and develop own capacities; individual self determination
Power from - capacity to resist power of others; resist oppression

Question 2

What is the integrative power model?

Answer 2

The capacity to work together
“People power”
Eg civil rights movement, union strikes

Question 3

What is the three instruments of social power model?

Answer 3

Controlling resources in order to bargain, reward or punish (power over)
Controlling channels for participation in decisions - knowing hidden rules and using them to benefit one group; expert power
Controlling the definition of the issue - use of media, censorship etc

Question 4

What is resistance to dominant discourse?

Answer 4

Dominant discourse is powerful but amenable to change
Is weakened by alternative discourse or normative narrative ‘authored’ by the community
Eg changing discourse around same-sex marriage leading to it being dominant view

Question 5

What is empowerment?

Answer 5

A process by which people, organisations and communities gain mastery of their affairs
Ongoing, dynamic, mutually influenced, multidimensional, multiple levels, contextual
BUZZWORD

Question 6

How is empowerment achieved?

Answer 6

Collectively, macro level
Citizen participation - citizens take part in decision making in organisations that affect them
Requires a change in roles

Question 7

What are the personal qualities required for citizen participation?

Answer 7

Critical awareness
Participatory skills
Sense of collective efficacy
Sense of personal participatory efficacy
Participatory values and commitment
Relational connections

Question 8

What are the criticisms of empowerment?

Answer 8

Implies simplistic, dichotomous relationship of power and no power
Emphasises individual - individual may be criticised, is collective effort
Alludes to/draws on masculine concepts such as mastery and power
Middle-class concept appropriated to control and regulate those supposedly being empowered
(Term ‘resistance’ is often preferred)

Question 9

What is unearned privilege?

Answer 9

A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or only available to the dominant group
Based on possessing characteristics that are consistent with the dominant culture eg race, gender, orientation

Question 10

Why power?

Answer 10

Power inequality is core of oppression

Need to understand power to understand empowerment and social justice