Power

Types of Power

In the United States, power is frequently discussed and conceptualized in gendered terms. According to a Pew Research Center poll in 2018, when referring to a man, power is primarily viewed as a positive trait, but when used in reference to women, it is seen as overwhelmingly negative. This is just one example of the ways in which power is differentially ascribed and assigned depending on a multitude of intersecting social and cultural axes, such as race, health, sexuality, and many more. When conceptualizing power, these dynamics are crucial to consider.

Different disciplines conceptualize power differently, and there is debate even within disciplines about how power is produced, maintained, and used. It is generally understood that power can be wielded in a few different ways. One way people often understand power is in terms of “power-over,” meaning the person or group with more power can and does exert that power over another person or group for personal gain. Power can also exist as “power-to,” meaning power is ascribed to a person or group but not necessarily used by that person or group. Finally, there is the idea of “power-with,” meaning power is used in relationship to meet the goals and needs of both parties. At the individual level, three primary types of power are distinguishable, positional, personal, and political power, though it is possible to possess all three simultaneously. Positional power comes when a person is seen as occupying a leadership role. Political power generally refers to the ability to influence or determine the distribution of resources, where the person or group with the power wants those resources to go.

Laura S. Brown, prominent feminist therapy writer, named four types of personal power: somatic power, intrapersonal power, interpersonal power, and spiritual or existential power. Somatic power refers to feelings of safety in and compassion toward one’s body and an honoring of one’s bodily needs and desires. Intrapersonal power refers to self-trust, an awareness of one’s emotions, the ability to experience those emotions without harming oneself or others, and the ability to think critically. Interpersonal power involves being able to be in relationship and hold one’s boundaries, be intimate, and effectively handle conflict. Spiritual or existential power refers to the use of a meaning-making system, which includes one’s social and cultural identities and their sense of purpose and vitality.

Beyond the individual level, structural power refers to the ways in which relationships between groups and institutions facilitate the movement of resources that other groups and institutions rely upon. The connections these groups have to each other create the structure referred to in the term “structural power.” Structural power typically deals in vast quantities and has a far-reaching influence over the relative individual-level power. With this power, groups can effectively cause tangible, group-level change.

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