This website will contain a gradually evolving interdisciplinary exploration of power. Why is such an exploration necessary?
Understanding power is a prerequisite for social change.
1. Power is an aspect of all human relationships. If we want to improve these relationships, power must be properly understood.
2. As people are looking for ways to improve society, the issue of power inevitably comes up, hidden in such questions as: "Whose fault is this problem?", "Who is supposed to fix it?", "Who gets in the way of making things better?".
3. Power is often seen as a binary: some people have it while others do not. Because this assumption obscures the complexity of social relationships, there is a risk of creating new problems as we are trying to eliminate old ones.
2. As people are looking for ways to improve society, the issue of power inevitably comes up, hidden in such questions as: "Whose fault is this problem?", "Who is supposed to fix it?", "Who gets in the way of making things better?".
3. Power is often seen as a binary: some people have it while others do not. Because this assumption obscures the complexity of social relationships, there is a risk of creating new problems as we are trying to eliminate old ones.
We need to see power as a paradox, not as a binary.
Image credit: M.C. Escher, "Drawing Hands," 1948.
Seeing power as a paradox means acknowledging that the world is not divided into those having power and those lacking it. Rather, each one of us is powerless and powerful at the same time.
This counterintuitive perspective is actually not new. The complexity of human co-existence has been explored in many disciplines within the humanities, social and behavioral sciences. It can be also found in such practices as mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication.* The project hosted on this website will bring various ideas about the complexity of power to public and scholarly attention.
The topic of power is incredibly complex. To properly explore it, I will need to draw connections between different practices and directions of thought, connections that do not seem obvious.
This counterintuitive perspective is actually not new. The complexity of human co-existence has been explored in many disciplines within the humanities, social and behavioral sciences. It can be also found in such practices as mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication.* The project hosted on this website will bring various ideas about the complexity of power to public and scholarly attention.
The topic of power is incredibly complex. To properly explore it, I will need to draw connections between different practices and directions of thought, connections that do not seem obvious.
I am writing a book about power by creating a hypertext.
A hypertext I am working on here is essentially a non-linear book. Hosted on this website, it will consist of multiple entries interconnected through links. In other words, I will be writing a book on this website, developing my ideas and drawing on a variety of sources. This is an unusual format, as I will invite my reader to explore my book as I am writing it (what a way to fight my own perfectionism!).
This project was launched in November 2021. As I am writing it on my own time, the hypertext will be growing slowly. Although it will appear incomplete, you can browse and read it anytime (I recommend going to the Introduction** first).
This project was launched in November 2021. As I am writing it on my own time, the hypertext will be growing slowly. Although it will appear incomplete, you can browse and read it anytime (I recommend going to the Introduction** first).
Image credit: Richard Giblett
If you are a scholar, you should know that this website will use the rhizomatic research method introduced by postmodernist philosophers Deleuze and Guattari. Human thinking is nonlinear and power is an especially complex concept. That's why using the non-hierarchical structure for representation and interpretation of ideas about it can be especially fruitful. The hypertext format is ideally suited for this task, as it will allow me to trace connections between multilayered, multi-branching ideas through links.
If you are a curious non-academic, you should know that the hypertext will consist of entries written in an accessible language meant to make sense to the broader audience. Some pages will explain theories or concepts, others will tell stories and describe practices, yet others will contain summaries of books or articles related to the topic of power. Entries will touch upon a wide variety of social contexts, including parenting, education, art, politics, commerce, and media.
If you are a scholar, you should know that this website will use the rhizomatic research method introduced by postmodernist philosophers Deleuze and Guattari. Human thinking is nonlinear and power is an especially complex concept. That's why using the non-hierarchical structure for representation and interpretation of ideas about it can be especially fruitful. The hypertext format is ideally suited for this task, as it will allow me to trace connections between multilayered, multi-branching ideas through links.
If you are a curious non-academic, you should know that the hypertext will consist of entries written in an accessible language meant to make sense to the broader audience. Some pages will explain theories or concepts, others will tell stories and describe practices, yet others will contain summaries of books or articles related to the topic of power. Entries will touch upon a wide variety of social contexts, including parenting, education, art, politics, commerce, and media.
People are caught in webs of meanings they have created.
This hypertext builds on the theory of micro- and macropower introduced in my first book Media is us: Understanding communication and moving beyond blame. According to this theory, we should investigate the paradoxical relationship between individuals and the social system. The paradox is that each person is shaped by society, but is at the same time shaping society in return. Acknowledging this does not prevent us from investigating power imbalances between different individuals or social groups.
Although the complex processes related to power have tangible outcomes, their source is in people's heads. Human behavior is shaped by meanings people use to understand the world, including themselves and other individuals. That is why the first part of this project's title is POWER of meanings. I will pay special attention to the role of meaning-making in power relations that permeate society. Among other things, my work is inspired by Clifford Geertz’s description of people as “animal[s] suspended in webs of significance [they themselves have] spun” (this is a perfect way to capture the paradox of power). It is my belief that disentangling these webs with patience and empathy can help us become better individuals in a happier society.
The second part of the title – MEANINGS of power – signals that I aim to explore interpretations of power and a host of related concepts, such as free will, agency, social system, responsibility and blame. My goal is not to formulate a perfect definition of power, but to use conversations about this multi-faceted concept to help people better understand each other.
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*Purple links lead to pages outside of this website.
** Blue links connect between different entries of this hypertext book.
Last updated on 04/14/2022.
Although the complex processes related to power have tangible outcomes, their source is in people's heads. Human behavior is shaped by meanings people use to understand the world, including themselves and other individuals. That is why the first part of this project's title is POWER of meanings. I will pay special attention to the role of meaning-making in power relations that permeate society. Among other things, my work is inspired by Clifford Geertz’s description of people as “animal[s] suspended in webs of significance [they themselves have] spun” (this is a perfect way to capture the paradox of power). It is my belief that disentangling these webs with patience and empathy can help us become better individuals in a happier society.
The second part of the title – MEANINGS of power – signals that I aim to explore interpretations of power and a host of related concepts, such as free will, agency, social system, responsibility and blame. My goal is not to formulate a perfect definition of power, but to use conversations about this multi-faceted concept to help people better understand each other.
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*Purple links lead to pages outside of this website.
** Blue links connect between different entries of this hypertext book.
Last updated on 04/14/2022.