Understanding Power: Focusing Energy for Change

The session will guide participants in identifying potential mechanisms of societal change. We are now experiencing a hegemonic crisis—a historic moment, unprecedented since the 1970s, that helps explain the rise of figures like Trump. This monumental moment brings both possibilities and significant dangers.

Taking a moment to zoom out, we will make power structures visible. Deepening our understanding of power within society will help us focus our efforts to speak truth to power.

We will use hegemony power analysis to understand how society is controlled by groups of elites that effectively use consent and coercion to shape the path of social change to their benefit.
We will uncover how consent is manufactured through stories that provide the ideological backbone of systems of injustice. And explore structures in society that provide coercive persuasion when consent for the societal order breaks down.

The session will start with a short presentation of theoretical framework, followed by a highly participatory process. Participants will come away with tools to analyse power and a better understanding where they can put their effort to have an impact.

The session is led by Lucas de Koning, a member of the Movement Ecology Collective, which helps changemakers build collective power through training, facilitation and consultation.

Quotes from participants on Movement Ecology’s 3 day training, which also includes this session on power:
“It made me realise how important all our work is, across all social movements and all those organising for a better world. It feels like that’s already providing the basis on which something new could grow.”
“Leaving feeling more connected to my community. More shared language with colleagues to talk more directly about how to focus our future planning… This feels good :)”
https://movementecology.org.uk/