Volume 50, 2008
Social and Political Philosophy
Joanna Szalacha
Pages 781-788
The Concept of Structural Power
Its relations to other contemporary concepts/theories of power and its social explanatory force
In this paper the concept of structural power is presented as a philosophical and social category that should be used when modern processes of political, cultural or economic change are considered. The arguments will be presented in three stages: 1. Power - two perspectives, two traditions 2. Structural power - the concept 3. Structural power - as a mechanism of explanation the modern social change. The paper refers to two traditions of analyzing the problem of power (as a corrective or as a persuasive influence) and shows that concept of structural power can be a link between those two theoretical perspectives. The paper also refers to the problem of modern, macro changes. It will be shown how the concept of structural power, because of its usage of categories like "experts' power,
"public discourse meanings" or "legitimization", can be useful in philosophical reflection about contemporary international and national issues.