Abstract

Power is a core element of society and its analysis deeply characterises social science. As Hay (2002: 168) states: “power is to political analysis what economy is to economics”. While many theorists of political economy might reject this view for seemingly renouncing power's significance as a core concept in economics, this simple phrase shows the extraordinary relevance that power's discussion plays in understanding society. However, the question of what constitutes power is a matter of ongoing contestation, deeply rooted in the historical circumstances and ontological considerations of scientific inquiry [see Chapter 2].