The Juxtaposition of Conceptions of Power

Cassie Lawler

International Politics: POLS 170-03

Professor Shirk

Due: Thursday, February 3, 2022


Blog Post #1

The Juxtaposition of Conceptions of Power

Power has been a concept synonymous with domination, masculinity, and absolute control for centuries. Despite the misemployment and overuse of the word “power” in this context, a multitude of different structures and dynamics have emerged and made room for control in many different realms. Power takes shape in many forms, the majority of which are seemingly unrecognizable due to their subtle nature. 


In an ever evolving society and world that is increasingly technological, soft power is a  , and is oftentimes indiscernible. Soft power can disseminate biased beliefs through mainstream media, television and movies, education, but above all reputation and appeal. In practice, people are much more likely to commend a state or institution if they have a reputation rather than if they outwardly claim to. For example, the United States more or less has upheld a reputation that they are a model nation of freedom and independence, a beacon of hope for many immigrant groups. This dissemination of an untainted image of America is probable to garner more admiration than if President Biden were to hold a press conference and declare that the US is the greatest nation in the world.

Soft power is something that can be directly juxtaposed with brute force and coercion as seen in The Melian Dialogue, which features a group of marginalized, the Melians, peoples facing a violent outlet of colonization. They are presented with two options, one of which is with sure death, the other - utter surrender of their identities to adopt the Athenian way of life, and in either case are victims of grand coercion.

This coercive and institutionalized viewpoint of power is one that is discussed at length in J. Ann Tickner’s Hans Morgenthau’s Principles of Political Realism: A Feminist Reformulation. Tickner, as a feminist international relations theorist, critiques Morgenthau’s stance on power relative to the masculinity he believes it represents and requires. This composition is most closely related to discursive power. Tickner advocates for the feminine perspective in international relations which at the time of its publication in 2014 was even more neglected than it is currently. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy this piece but in regard to her message, I completely agree. Through her rhetoric, her audience is able to distill a few core tenets that are central to her argument and shed light on a topic constantly suppressed and censored by the dominant viewpoint, otherwise known as the male viewpoint. These tenets include the fact that the female voice is severely underrepresented in IR, if this was not the case there would be possibility for better conflict resolution and harmonious structures, and the importance of control in modern realism.


Today’s reality is predicated on the fact that power functions as a backbone of the modern world that invisibly governs politics, institutions, states, and nations upon themselves. Most notably, however, power is a driving force of today’s society and no matter the mold it is labeled with, has the undeniable potential to shape the future. This simple fact has been corroborated by our latest readings, class discussions, and upheld time and time again in our society.

Comments

  1. BlakeFebruary 8, 2022 at 6:47 PM

    I agree with the fact that with the evolution of technology and especially Media (social media, movies, news) creates the opportunity for states to have soft power over others. This can be positive by helping evolve some states but it is definitely a threat to other states that do not want an influence on their own culture.

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  2. Jack CahalaneFebruary 8, 2022 at 8:54 PM

    I also discussed the notion of power in regards to the Median Dialogue. I too agree that Morgenthau's principles of power are often too literal and relative to physicality through coercion. I believe that Tickner's perspective is a more applicable one especially in the 21st century.

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