power relations

English translation: see explanation

00:09 Dec 18, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
English term or phrase: power relations
It (making certain forced changes to society) requires a re-engineering of moral and social cultures that are deeply ingrained and a recasting of societal structures, especially power relations and allocation of assets, that are particularly resilient.

I asked the question in my own language pair, but speculation was ripe and certainty about what it actually meant was not. I would like to know, what, exactly, this term means - is it the relationship between the powerful and the not so powerful, between the government and the people, is it to do with relationships between men and women or something else entirely?

I would be very grateful for a detailed answer. Thanks in advance.
Konstantin Kisin
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:08
Selected answer:see explanation
Explanation:
We are talking about societal power relations not those between governments. Power relations have always existed throughout society where ever there is an ability of one individual or group able to coerce, oblige, command, direct or influence the life or lives of others.
In many cases it is detrimental to those affected. On the other hand society can not exist without some sort of ordered hierarchal arrangement; parents-children; teachers-students; employer-employee, government-citizens. The term was first propsed by Karl Marx and ever since there have been those that have sought to destroy these relationships and supplant it with their own elitist hierarchy. The Sov Union was an example of this. Lately, the cry has been taken up by the extreme liberals and the anarchist movements to tear down social institutions, but with no plan as what to replace them with.

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Note added at 47 mins (2004-12-18 00:56:43 GMT)
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\"making certain forced changes to society) requires a re-engineering of moral and social cultures that are deeply ingrained and a recasting of societal structures\" PURE MAOISM
Selected response from:

bigedsenior
Local time: 02:08
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +5see explanation
bigedsenior
3 +4see links
Ioana Costache
3 +1power dynamics
humbird
3any relationship that contains controversy (push & pull)
Gabo Pena


  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
any relationship that contains controversy (push & pull)


Explanation:
''

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Note added at 2004-12-18 00:35:19 (GMT)
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it is a most debated subject, philosophically.

here\'s ONE definition.

\"A working definition of power relations that distinguishes them from causation without losing their similarities is that

Power relations are what enable who to do what to whom.
rather than \"who does what to whom.\" A more structurally explicit and useful definition is:

Power relations are the matrix of possible actors and their possible interactions. \"


Gabo Pena
Local time: 02:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
see links


Explanation:
i think it's all that you've already mentioned, depending on who uses the concept and in what context. you may find these Foucault links useful.


    Reference: http://www.sla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/newhistoricis...
    Reference: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Speech/rccs/theory54.htm
Ioana Costache
Romania
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RomanianRomanian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Balaban Cerit
4 mins
  -> thanks :)

agree  Ltemes: Indeed, we have to look to Foucault and his writings to understand where this concept came from...
14 mins
  -> thanks :)

agree  Alexandra Tussing
4 hrs
  -> thanks :)

agree  Jörgen Slet
22 hrs
  -> thanks :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
see explanation


Explanation:
We are talking about societal power relations not those between governments. Power relations have always existed throughout society where ever there is an ability of one individual or group able to coerce, oblige, command, direct or influence the life or lives of others.
In many cases it is detrimental to those affected. On the other hand society can not exist without some sort of ordered hierarchal arrangement; parents-children; teachers-students; employer-employee, government-citizens. The term was first propsed by Karl Marx and ever since there have been those that have sought to destroy these relationships and supplant it with their own elitist hierarchy. The Sov Union was an example of this. Lately, the cry has been taken up by the extreme liberals and the anarchist movements to tear down social institutions, but with no plan as what to replace them with.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 47 mins (2004-12-18 00:56:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"making certain forced changes to society) requires a re-engineering of moral and social cultures that are deeply ingrained and a recasting of societal structures\" PURE MAOISM

bigedsenior
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  RHELLER: forcing change on society is an example of "power relations"
9 mins
  -> thx, Rita, you are right

agree  Refugio: as is happening in the US as we speak
4 hrs
  -> thx, Ruth

agree  Cormac Bracken
5 hrs
  -> thx, Cormac

agree  Asghar Bhatti
16 hrs
  -> Thx, Ashgar

agree  Jörgen Slet
22 hrs
  -> ths, Jorgen
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
power dynamics


Explanation:
In other words "power game".
Any aggregation of dynamics between strong and weak, haves and have-nots, liberals and conservatives, etc., etc., play synergic influence on social changes in time of upheaval. The weaks are not necessarily weak, and those in power may get caught by the dynamics. Status quo is in disarray before reorganization of social order.

humbird
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nesrin: That's how I understand it.
4 hrs
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