A Guide to Power Analysis in Community Organising
In the context of community organising, a Power Analysis is a tool that helps us begin to understand where power currently sits within a community.
By investigating the individuals and organisations who have power, we can get a sense of the current power balance and begin to devise strategies for how to shift it. We can also learn the strengths and weaknesses of both allies and opponents, as well as reflecting on our own base of power and how ready we are to engage with others.
Finally, on a practical note, knowing who the powerful people in the community are is a good idea before we start engaging with people and potentially bump into them!
I propose that there is another kind of power based not on resources, things, or attributes, but rooted in the social and cooperative relations in which people are enmeshed by virtue of group life.
