The Power of Situations: An Approach to Understanding Powerlessness and Oppression

Authors

Dennis Saleebey, The University of Texas, Arlington
Mary Ski Hunter, University of Texas, Arlington

Abstract

Much of the difficulty people have in organizing, directing, and coping with their lives is, perhaps, directly traceable to their lack of awareness of, and erroneous assumptions about, the interactional contexts in which they seem or feel powerless. This is especially true, but not exclusively so, of the poor and ethnic, sexual, and political minorities. To the extent that powerlessness exists and is implicated in the various miseries of existence, the role of social worker as advocate, broker, counselor, or agent of change might profitably and accurately be defined in interactional, structural terms.

Recommended Citation

Saleebey, Dennis and Hunter, Mary Ski (1980) "The Power of Situations: An Approach to Understanding Powerlessness and Oppression," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 7: Iss. 2, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.1404
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol7/iss2/4