Oppression, Dominance, and Power
(2021)- Abstract
- This chapter proceeds from the contention that analysing power, oppression, and dominance together – particularly accounting for the experience of being subjected to oppression and dominance in a context of power – reveals deficiencies in what is here referred to as the standard view of what power is. On the standard view, “power” is a purposive capacity concept about what some people do or can do (to things or to other people or beings). Thus understood, power is dispositional; it refers to an ability, not necessarily to the exercise of that ability. Methodologically, the chapter argues that normative concepts need to be apt for to our purposes of theorizing about them and assessing aptness is an inescapably normative exercise. The... (More)
- This chapter proceeds from the contention that analysing power, oppression, and dominance together – particularly accounting for the experience of being subjected to oppression and dominance in a context of power – reveals deficiencies in what is here referred to as the standard view of what power is. On the standard view, “power” is a purposive capacity concept about what some people do or can do (to things or to other people or beings). Thus understood, power is dispositional; it refers to an ability, not necessarily to the exercise of that ability. Methodologically, the chapter argues that normative concepts need to be apt for to our purposes of theorizing about them and assessing aptness is an inescapably normative exercise. The critical discussion of the standard view here focuses on the conceptual implications of considering that an account of power should be apt to explain the experience of not having it, of living without power – unfreely – as a consequence of oppression or dominance. With this in mind, the chapter revisits familiar distinctions in the literature on power – active and passive power; “power over” and “power to”; agency and structure – as well as the question of responsibility for the exercise and effects of power in the social domain. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1a0c228e-0604-434d-91cd-125732f30e3c
- author
- Halldenius, Lena LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- submitted
- subject
- keywords
- Power, Oppression, Dominance
- host publication
- Oxford Research Encyclopedia in Politics
- editor
- Thompson, William R.
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 1a0c228e-0604-434d-91cd-125732f30e3c
- date added to LUP
- 2022-02-01 16:59:27
- date last changed
- 2023-02-06 11:39:19
@inbook{1a0c228e-0604-434d-91cd-125732f30e3c,
abstract = {{This chapter proceeds from the contention that analysing power, oppression, and dominance together – particularly accounting for the experience of being subjected to oppression and dominance in a context of power – reveals deficiencies in what is here referred to as the standard view of what power is. On the standard view, “power” is a purposive capacity concept about what some people do or can do (to things or to other people or beings). Thus understood, power is dispositional; it refers to an ability, not necessarily to the exercise of that ability. Methodologically, the chapter argues that normative concepts need to be apt for to our purposes of theorizing about them and assessing aptness is an inescapably normative exercise. The critical discussion of the standard view here focuses on the conceptual implications of considering that an account of power should be apt to explain the experience of not having it, of living without power – unfreely – as a consequence of oppression or dominance. With this in mind, the chapter revisits familiar distinctions in the literature on power – active and passive power; “power over” and “power to”; agency and structure – as well as the question of responsibility for the exercise and effects of power in the social domain.}},
author = {{Halldenius, Lena}},
booktitle = {{Oxford Research Encyclopedia in Politics}},
editor = {{Thompson, William R.}},
keywords = {{Power; Oppression; Dominance}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
title = {{Oppression, Dominance, and Power}},
year = {{2021}},
}