Landscape functions and people

Bangkok, october 2010

Power relations in the landscape

Powerscapes

Capacity to make informed decisions

Is there enough information shared so that right holders can make an informed decision?

Is the right holders' decision taken into account into public decision making?

Does the right holder have enough negotiation skills to be taken into account (leveled playing field)

What is the level of decision-making to which right holders have access?

What is the space of decision-making to which right holders have access?

Power

Is power negative or positive?

Power may have different meanings

….‘negative’- some having control over others, the same as

domination

or something ‘positive’, as necessary for

agency and productive action?

….something ‘held’ by actors (powerful and

powerless)

or something that pervades life, in all relationships and

discourses?

….’zero-sum’ (always with winners and

losers)

or something fluid and accumulative?

Feeling power and powerlessness

Take a marker and a sheet of paper, and fold the paper in half

On one side, draw a situation in which you felt powerful

On the other side, draw a situation in which you felt powerless

Present your drawing to your neighbours

1. Expressions of power

Power over… (domination, control)

Power to… (agency, capacity to act)

Power with… (solidarity, mutual support)

Power within… (dignity, self-esteem)

Realms of public, private and intimate power

Public realm of power(visible, employment, public life)

Private realm of power(family, relationships, friends, marriage)

Intimate realm of power(self-esteem, confidence, control over body)

Exercise "feeling power"

First round: align from the highest to the lowest power position

Second round: re-align from the highest to the lowest

Questions for analysis

• What happens during the two rounds? Why?

• How do you feel in the positions assigned to you?

• What does it mean to you and for your working situation?

• What does it mean for stakeholders in your landscape?

The power cube (John Gaventa, IDS)

Understanding the levels, spaces, and forms of power

Assessing power, and the potential to bring about change

Identifying the options for effective empowerment action

Levels of power: household, community, district, national, international

Spaces of power: closed, invited, claimed Forms of power: visible, hidden, invisible

The power cube

National

Local

International

Levels of power

Levels of power

Closed Invited Claimed

National

Local

International

Spaces of power

Levels of power

Spaces of power

Closed Invited Claimed

National

Local

International

Forms of power

Levels of power

Spaces of power

Forms of power

Visible

Invisible

Hidden

Visible power

Participate in (public) decision-making(in public spaces, political processes)

Ability to influence decision-making (defining who who wins and who loses)

Can be observed and measured

Hidden power

Setting the agenda “backstage”

Creating barriers and biases which determine which issues can be addressed

Avoiding decisions to be taken ("non-decisions” are also decisions)

Invisible power

Values, believes, social and cultural norms determining public opinions

Affects internalised sense of power or powerlessness; agency and self esteem

Not always observable or even detectable (but this doesn’t mean it’s not there)

Power cube

Developed by John Gaventa, IDS

Three dimensions of power:

Levels, spaces and forms

Empowerment:

Lifting levels, moving spaces and changing forms

How to use power to strengthen stakeholders'

positions?

Levels of power Mobilise capacities at all levels connect vertically by building alliances and networks

Spaces of power

Strengthen (in)formal institutionsconnect horizontally by building chains of accountability

Forms of power Address the hidden and invisible forms of power at all levels and spaces, and make them visible through lobby and advocacy

Group exercise

Map the power of the right holders in your landscape

Which empowerment strategies would be needed to improve the situation of those having less power?

What is the consequence of these strategies for the duty bearers involved?

How to measure/evaluate these effects?