Power Theories

Bourdieu's theory of power and practice:

• Focuses on the importance of the body and practices within the social world.
• Criticised economic factors.
• Social world is divided into 'fields'
• There is a social hierarchy
• Your place in society mirrors your power

Grice's Maxims:

• Be truthful
• Maxim of quantity- don't provide too much information
• Quantity of information- make sure your information which you provide is helpful
• Maxim of relation- must be relatable to the person
• Relevance
• Maxim of manner
• Be clear, avoid obscurity and ambiguity, be brief and orderly

Foucault theory of power:

• "Power is everywhere"- Foucault
• Power is diffused and embodied in discourse.
• Foucault challenges the idea that power is wielded by people or groups
• 'Knowledge is power'
• Foucault expresses the idea that power can sometimes be negative.
• Power is a source of discipline.