The Foundations of Social Relations--Part II

Social relations may be categorized through several types of mechanisms, all of them seemingly contingent--based on cultural norms which even extend down to the individual level. However, we are interested in a particular type of social relation and interaction, and that is the social relations that accumulate, disperse, disguise or reveal power. Power has mutliple forms, but all of its forms enable the individual that has power to conduct in relations and interactions, and those that do not have this power are limited in their relations and interactions.

It is difficult to determine exactly how much power an individual may have. This power must be valued relative to other individuals and are informed by cultural norms. The cultural norm of most value to this valuation is the interaction and recognition between the two or more parties involved in the power relation being studied. As we are speaking of this power relation abstractly, our discussion strives to make general observations about power relations.