The four dimensions of power: conflict and democracy

Abstract

This article theorizes the four dimensions of power, which builds upon the work of Dahl, Lukes, Foucault, Bourdieu, and Giddens, among others. The four dimensions correspond to four aspects of social interaction. The first dimension refers to the agency-energy aspect of interaction. The second concerns the structural components. The third concerns the epistemic element of interaction. The fourth relates to the social ontological elements of social subjects. The theory has implications for both normative and empirical research. Normatively the theory provides a pragmatist power-oriented way of building democratic theory. Empirically the theory provides a power-oriented conceptual map of everyday interaction.

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