Think about the sources and forms of power you see around you or may have working for you in your life. Below are some questions to stimulate your thinking. You don’t need to answer all questions, or list all sources and forms of power but work with the ones that are most relevant to your experience. Your reflection should be about 5 paragraphs. You can also include photographs and artwork or other illustrations. I’ve also enabled the upload for media recordings.
- Which of the sources and forms of power do you see on campus, in your workplace, place of worship (if applicable) and in political issues of interest to you? Is power used in these settings in legitimate or illegitimate ways (or both)?
- What sources and forms of power do you personally have access to? Are any denied?
- What power do you have to affect the politics at any level? Have you been involved in politics of community activism of any kind. It’s fine if you have not, but if you share your experience.
- Consider Prof. Dacher Keltner’s power paradox- the problem that empathy declines as people rise up the chain of command. What are personal examples you have seen of excellent and not so excellent leadership (abuse of power)? Give examples of the sources and forms of power used by these leaders. What are the qualities of a good leader?
