The technological construction of social power
Abstract
This essay presents a theory of the role of technology in the distribution and exercise of social power. The paper studies how technical artefacts and systems are used to construct, maintain or strengthen power relations between agents, whether individuals or groups, and how their introduction and use in society differentially empowers and disempowers agents. The theory is developed in three steps. First, a definition of power is proposed, based on a careful discussion of opposing definitions of power, and it is argued that a theory of power should have two components: a theory of power relations and a theory of empowerment. Second, an analysis of power relations is presented, in which five basic types of power relations between agents are distinguished, and this analysis is applied to technology, resulting in an account of the possible roles of technical artefacts in power relations. Third, I analyse how technology can lead to or contribute to empowerment and disempowerment, and what resistance strategies are possible against disempowerment through technological means. The theory of technology and power presented in this paper is claimed to be an essential ingredient of a critical theory of technology, which is a theory that analyses and critiques the role of technology in the distribution and exercise of power in society. In the final section of this paper, it is argued that the theoretical analysis of power and technology presented in this paper provides an adequate basis for the further development of such a critical theory of technology. I study how it may, specifically, be used to develop strategies for the democratization of technology.
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Brey's (2008) theory of the technological construction of power signals that power relations do not require intentionality but the exercise of power always does.
“Brey's (2008) theory of the technological construction of power signals that power relations do not require intentionality but the exercise of power always does.”
From Young people’s conceptualizations of the nature of cyberbullying: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research (2020) · cites this paper as Brey, 2008
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- Authors
- Brey, P.
- Corresponding author
- Brey, Philip
- ORCID
- Brey, Philip
- Venue
- Social Epistemology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2008-01
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 71-95
- ISSN
- 0269-1728 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-5297
- OpenAlex
- W1971079026
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 13.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Epistemology (publishedVersion)
- University of Twente Research Information (publishedVersion)
- University of Twente Research Information (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Philosophy and Social Theory
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Theory and Philosophy
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Cybernetics and Technology in Society
- Keywords
- technology and power, social power, power relations, empowerment, disempowerment, technical artifacts, critical theory of technology, resistance strategies, democratization of technology
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