Ethics and values: Assessment
Power and Privilege.
For the purpose of this assignment I will begin by defining "power" and I will look upon my own experiences of how power operates and affects my life. We can define power as the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds. This definition is strongly contradicted by Foucault who argues in the History of Sexuality Vol.1 that power is something which is performed, something more like a strategy than possession. Power should be seen as a verb rather than a noun, something that does something, rather than something which is or which can be held onto.
In theory power and powerlessness are two actions which are closely linked together, consequently; when one person gains power causes another person to lose it. This is strongly contradicted by Foucault. As we know there are inequalities in our society which can occur on a personal level or structural level. To have a better understanding of power we need to look at how power is distributed in our society. Foucault refers to power to be in a fluid form. In (Mills, 2003) Foucault ideas are expressed in a more clear way. He refers to power as present even in situation where people may feel powerless. Foucault argues that powerless people can exercise power although at the time they may not realise it. The experience which am bringing below it will give an excellent insight into how power operates and is distributed. It will also touch upon the subject of privilege.
I will talk about one issue in which I believe power plays a significant role. It is very difficult to express in few words the obstacles encounter in a foreign country. As a refuge I have seen first hand how difficult life can be in various moment and different circumstances. Married for some time I find myself in a difficult position where I feel as much powerless as I do powerful. My husband is also a refuge awaiting decision whether he can stay or not in United Kingdom. Although we have a family together he does not enjoy the same rights as I do. He lives a conditional life which affects all of us. While I have the advantage to live work and study in the United Kingdom my husband conducts a restricted life. He has no right to work, travel anywhere outside England or study.
This is a classic example in which I can apply the knowledge I have gained in this module. Connecting this part of my life to power and privilege I can understand how power can shift very easily from on person to another. A good example would be this situation. I am powerful in taking the decision to either follow my husband in his country or not. At the same time taking any decision renders me powerless. By choosing to follow my husband I chose to remove my daughter from the chance to have a happier life with more opportunities. On the other hand choosing to stay I deprive my daughter of having both her parents to raise her.
With this personal experience I can rely to being powerful and powerless and I can rely also on privileges me clearly posses but do not recognise their importance on everyday life. It is clear to me how privileges which I posses may go unnoticed but when I compare my situation whit that of my partner I can clearly appreciate my privileges.
As a person who enjoy the right to live freely in the United Kingdom and chose her own path I can appreciate the privileges which I currently possess like being able to get an education, look into a carrier or little things like travelling, holidays, choose the area in which I live, the right to have a say by voting and so on. I also realise that I become powerless in relation to procuring a steady life for myself and my family
Jan Fook who is a social worker and an author of many social work books has very strong postmodernist views. Fook (2002, 46) talks about how people can be empowered although at times they might not actually realise their power. "People do not fit easily into powerful or powerless groupings, sometimes having membership of both at the same time. As well members of powerless groups do not necessarily agree on the form of their empowerment."Fook (2002, 47). Jan Fook also talks about
Another incident I would like to bring is when I was pregnant with my daughter. On the first appointment with my midwife I found myself feeling overwhelmed and stressed due to the way I was approached by the midwife. She asked why I was living in the United Kingdom and not in Albania. To keep an easy atmosphere I smiled politely hoping she would understand that I was more interested in knowing about my pregnancy rather than talk about my circumstances. She kept pressing on more questions which were not related neither with my wellbeing or pregnancy. I try to explain to her that I was more interested in learning about my baby. Her attitude suddenly changed and she started to speak to me in broken English. She also started to use hands to show me things in book. When asked what I was doing as far as employment i explained to her that I was taking an access course to Higher Education. I hoped this would have indicated to her that I could speak good enough English for her to feel more relaxed in our communication. By the end of that visit I felt very much patronised and offended. Suddenly I was reminded of many encounters where people presume that I can not speak English or my understanding is very basic. This is often the attitude which is offered to me where people are judgemental and patronising.
Reading about postmodernism has helped me to realise that there is no one reality for all but that there are many realities. Postmodernism places an emphasis on fragmentation, diversity, multiplicity and contextualise. According to Fook 2002 power is as much a good as it is a bad thing. Different context may influence the type of power how is practised and exercise (Healy, 2000;45) Fook ,2000 goes on to talk about power by expressing that some form of power can be accessible to every person regardless of their status. The distribution of power than differs depending on each context, and changes of context.
Power and Privilege.
For the purpose of this assignment I will begin by defining "power" and I will look upon my own experiences of how power operates and affects my life. We can define power as the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds. This definition is strongly contradicted by Foucault who argues in the History of Sexuality Vol.1 that power is something which is performed, something more like a strategy than possession. Power should be seen as a verb rather than a noun, something that does something, rather than something which is or which can be held onto.
In theory power and powerlessness are two actions which are closely linked together, consequently; when one person gains power causes another person to lose it. This is strongly contradicted by Foucault. As we know there are inequalities in our society which can occur on a personal level or structural level. To have a better understanding of power we need to look at how power is distributed in our society. Foucault refers to power to be in a fluid form. In (Mills, 2003) Foucault ideas are expressed in a more clear way. He refers to power as present even in situation where people may feel powerless. Foucault argues that powerless people can exercise power although at the time they may not realise it. The experience which am bringing below it will give an excellent insight into how power operates and is distributed. It will also touch upon the subject of privilege.
I will talk about one issue in which I believe power plays a significant role. It is very difficult to express in few words the obstacles encounter in a foreign country. As a refuge I have seen first hand how difficult life can be in various moment and different circumstances. Married for some time I find myself in a difficult position where I feel as much powerless as I do powerful. My husband is also a refuge awaiting decision whether he can stay or not in United Kingdom. Although we have a family together he does not enjoy the same rights as I do. He lives a conditional life which affects all of us. While I have the advantage to live work and study in the United Kingdom my husband conducts a restricted life. He has no right to work, travel anywhere outside England or study.
This is a classic example in which I can apply the knowledge I have gained in this module. Connecting this part of my life to power and privilege I can understand how power can shift very easily from on person to another. A good example would be this situation. I am powerful in taking the decision to either follow my husband in his country or not. At the same time taking any decision renders me powerless. By choosing to follow my husband I chose to remove my daughter from the chance to have a happier life with more opportunities. On the other hand choosing to stay I deprive my daughter of having both her parents to raise her.
With this personal experience I can rely to being powerful and powerless and I can rely also on privileges me clearly posses but do not recognise their importance on everyday life. It is clear to me how privileges which I posses may go unnoticed but when I compare my situation whit that of my partner I can clearly appreciate my privileges.
As a person who enjoy the right to live freely in the United Kingdom and chose her own path I can appreciate the privileges which I currently possess like being able to get an education, look into a carrier or little things like travelling, holidays, choose the area in which I live, the right to have a say by voting and so on. I also realise that I become powerless in relation to procuring a steady life for myself and my family
Jan Fook who is a social worker and an author of many social work books has very strong postmodernist views. Fook (2002, 46) talks about how people can be empowered although at times they might not actually realise their power. "People do not fit easily into powerful or powerless groupings, sometimes having membership of both at the same time. As well members of powerless groups do not necessarily agree on the form of their empowerment."Fook (2002, 47). Jan Fook also talks about
Another incident I would like to bring is when I was pregnant with my daughter. On the first appointment with my midwife I found myself feeling overwhelmed and stressed due to the way I was approached by the midwife. She asked why I was living in the United Kingdom and not in Albania. To keep an easy atmosphere I smiled politely hoping she would understand that I was more interested in knowing about my pregnancy rather than talk about my circumstances. She kept pressing on more questions which were not related neither with my wellbeing or pregnancy. I try to explain to her that I was more interested in learning about my baby. Her attitude suddenly changed and she started to speak to me in broken English. She also started to use hands to show me things in book. When asked what I was doing as far as employment i explained to her that I was taking an access course to Higher Education. I hoped this would have indicated to her that I could speak good enough English for her to feel more relaxed in our communication. By the end of that visit I felt very much patronised and offended. Suddenly I was reminded of many encounters where people presume that I can not speak English or my understanding is very basic. This is often the attitude which is offered to me where people are judgemental and patronising.
Reading about postmodernism has helped me to realise that there is no one reality for all but that there are many realities. Postmodernism places an emphasis on fragmentation, diversity, multiplicity and contextualise. According to Fook 2002 power is as much a good as it is a bad thing. Different context may influence the type of power how is practised and exercise (Healy, 2000;45) Fook ,2000 goes on to talk about power by expressing that some form of power can be accessible to every person regardless of their status. The distribution of power than differs depending on each context, and changes of context.
