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7 months ago in Development Studies , Social Theory By Rohan

How is the concept of “empowerment” understood in the social sciences?

 Empowerment is widely used in policy and development discourse.Its meaning often appears vague or inconsistently applied.I want to understand how social scientists define and operationalize it.

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By Saravanan Answered 5 months ago

 From my experience working with development and social theory, empowerment is understood as a process rather than an outcome. I have seen scholars stress that it involves gaining control over decisions and resources within unequal power structures. I would recommend being cautious of purely rhetorical uses of the term. In serious research, empowerment implies structural change, not just individual confidence or participation.

 

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