Power and the Self

Power and the Self, first published in 2002, deals with an important but neglected topic: the ways in which power is experienced by individuals, both as agents and as objects of the exercise of power. Each contributor presents a series of case studies drawn from a variety of cultural contexts, including the analysis of the appeal of Japanese superhero toys for American children; the conditions that lead to dehumanising treatment of patients in an American nursing home; the experiences of a Turkish immigrant woman in the Netherlands; a contribution relating theories about the capacity to commit genocidal violence to 'everyday forms of violence', and other cases from New Guinea and Samoa. The introduction provides a readable historical review and synthesis of the theoretical ideas that provide the context for the work presented in the book.

Reviews & endorsements

'This sparkling collection of essays addresses the ways in which subjects experience power, both as agents of social process, and as the objects of such processes … As a collection these papers are remarkably well synthesized, presented a variety of approaches … many of the papers speak to one another, and actually illuminate complimentary perspectives … I found each of these papers interesting and rewarding …'. Cambridge Anthropology

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Product details

• Date Published: January 2002
• format: Paperback
• isbn: 9780521004602
• length: 234 pages

• dimensions: 228 x 152 x 17 mm
• weight: 0.378kg
• availability: Available