Lecture with Mark Haugaard - The four dimensions of power and democracy

Lecture with Mark Haugaard

The four dimensions of power and democracy

This lecture re-evaluates the three-dimensional power debate, Foucault’s account of subjectification, which is theorized as the fourth dimension of power, and Arendt’s concept of power as concerted power. Allen has brought these perspectives together using the conceptual vocabulary of power to, power with and power over. Developing this further, focussing upon power over, it is argued that the empirical processes described by the four dimensions of power have the potential either to lead to domination, as is usually emphasized, or to be normatively commendable, leading to concerted power.

Going through the dimensions of power one by one, it is shown that all dimensions constitute the conditions of possibility for stable modern justice and democratic practice. In essence, from normative perspective, this means turning the four dimensions of power upside down, as they are usually interpreted as modes of domination.

Mark Haugaard is editor of the Journal of Power and Chair of the IPSA Research Committee on Political Power. He has published extensively on power (see link: Mark_Haugaard), including editing The Sage Handbook on Power (with Stewart Clegg).

Registration by e-mail before 01.11.2012