Season Two Resources

Definitions of Power

• "The History of Sexuality" by Michel Foucault (1976)
  Foucault explores how power is pervasive and relational, influencing individuals in subtle, often invisible ways. He emphasizes that power is exercised rather than possessed and is embedded in all aspects of society, shaping our thoughts and actions.
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• "Power: A Radical View" by Steven Lukes (1974)
  Lukes defines power as "the capacity to secure compliance" and suggests it is most effective when it doesn't need to be exercised. He introduces three dimensions of power: decision-making power, non-decision-making power, and ideological power, highlighting how power can shape beliefs and perceptions without overt action.
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Psychological and Sociological Theories on Power Dynamics

• "Leadership, Followership, and Evolution" by Mark Van Vugt, Robert Hogan, and Robert B. Kaiser (2008)
  This paper discusses the evolutionary basis of social hierarchies, suggesting that ancestral groups with clear leadership structures thrived due to enhanced coordination and survival. It explores how the human preference for hierarchical organization may be rooted in evolutionary advantages.

• "Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being" by Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci (2000)
  This foundational paper outlines Self-Determination Theory (SDT), identifying autonomy, competence, and relatedness as basic psychological needs. It discusses how the fulfillment of these needs influences motivation and behavior, providing insight into why individuals may seek certain power dynamics.

Examples of Power Dynamics in Real Life

• "When Could Women Open a Bank Account?" by Adam (2023)
  This article discusses the historical context of women's financial rights, highlighting the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, which allowed women in the U.S. to open bank accounts and obtain credit without a male cosigner, marking a significant shift in financial power dynamics.

• "Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men" by Caroline Criado Perez (2019)
  This book examines how data bias affects women, introducing concepts like "Yentl Syndrome," where women's medical conditions are misdiagnosed or poorly treated unless they conform to male patterns. It sheds light on the systemic power imbalances in data collection and application.

• "Amazon Scraps Secret AI Recruiting Tool That Showed Bias Against Women" by Jeffrey Dastin (2018)
  This article reports on Amazon's development and subsequent abandonment of an AI recruiting tool that exhibited bias against women, illustrating how technological systems can perpetuate existing power imbalances when trained on biased data.

• "Being In-Between; Exploring Former Cult Members' Experiences of an Acculturation Process Using the Cultural Formulation Interview" by Hadding et al. (2023)
  This study examines the experiences of former cult members, discussing concepts like "Abdication Syndrome," where individuals relinquish personal responsibility to a leader, reflecting extreme power dynamics similar to non-consensual dominance and submission.

• "Why Some People Hand Their Lives Over to Cults" by Steve Taylor (2023)
  This article explores psychological reasons behind individuals' attraction to cults, discussing how the desire to escape authority can lead to submission within cult dynamics, and drawing parallels to power structures in other areas of life.