This exploration takes a look at how students in higher education are disempowered through regimes of social power that are always already extant and ubiquitous within educational regimes. Moreover, this exploration pays particular interest and attention to students in higher education because in many cases throughout relevant research, these…

In commenting on Prilleltensky's (this issue, pp. 116-136) interesting and provocative article, the authors share with readers their perspectives on empowerment as a concept and as an intervention strategy. Conceptually, they appreciate the seeming paradox that "someone" would acquire control over a less than satisfactory situation by having…

This article discusses how the white savior syndrome renders the misrepresentation of the potential of people of color to resist and lead the transformation of oppressive conditions within their own social context. Indigenous resistance requires endogenous (internal) leadership such that all social justice actions derive from and continue to flow…

The article discusses the narrative of four women in academia spanning a ten-year relational journey. As a performance collaborative autoethnography, it explores and presents theories of subjectivity and transitional space. Through journals, e-mails, and dialogue, the authors are "trying on", "being in", and "becoming" feminist poststructural…

In this article, the authors provide their analyses on a scenario wherein Dr. Luanda, an evaluator, facilitated an empowerment evaluation with youth. In this commentary, the authors review what they think is missing in Dr. Luanda's participatory evaluation effort to empower youth and highlight the knowledge and skills they believe are essential…

Social justice pedagogy appeals to experience as a form of empowerment and as a starting-point for working collaboratively in the diverse classroom. However, taking experience as unmediated and as an authoritative source of knowledge can function in ways that are counterproductive to the aims of social justice education. This essay examines the…

Participation of the "target group" is a key concept in working on empowerment in health education. However, it raises many questions and is not without struggle. I will discuss the findings from a study into the state of the art of empowerment in health education, which includes a literature review and the analysis of eight Dutch…

Explores multiple meanings of empowerment and community participation and what health means in this context. Considers whether the tyranny of the professional has been replaced by the tyranny of the community. (SK)

The author states that the movement to increase discipline and detail in post-Freirean adult education may ultimately reduce it to reproducing the status quo. He argues that empowerment and power are opposing concepts and that adult educators must oppose the systemizing of adult education if they hope to effect social change. (CH)

Discusses reasons why empowerment is a salient issue for the information profession and explores the sources of power. Strategies are suggested for increasing position power, knowledge power, and personal power, thereby enhancing the overall power profile of the individual and the profession. Barriers to and benefits of empowerment are also…

Empowerment for disadvantaged communities is complex; issues involved are defining community, conflicts of interest, equating populism with empowerment, and viewing it as zero-sum. Given these impediments and the nature of disadvantage, community development should conduct rational analyses of need, continue dialog with community interests, and…

Discusses "Researching Language," a full-length study dealing with questions about power and method in a range of social science disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, and sociolinguistics. The discussion asks whether the balance of power between researchers and research subjects can be altered. (VWL)

Comments on a previous article that deals with questions on researching language, and suggests that the assumption driving the arguments contained in that article is that social scientists typically possess a power-advantage over their research subjects. It is argued that such an assumption is implausible. (VWL)

Responds to an article dealing with issues of method in researching language, and addresses the question "what is research and why are linguists doing research?" (VWL)

Comments to a previous article focusing on power and method in linguistic research. It is suggested that the research approach highlighted in the article has indisputable merit, but that the blueprint is vague and difficult to know when to put into practice. (VWL)