The emergence of domination
Abstract
Neo-republicans claim that domination is an interpersonal dependence relationship. Others reply that structures should be more central to republican arguments. This paper analyses these criticisms. Neo-republicans respond that structures can indirectly facilitate interpersonal domination. However, we require a picture of how structures are in place, are reproduced, and impact individual behaviour. I use the idea of emergence to conceptualize this. Moreover, this idea illustrates how certain social macro-phenomena create disempowerment over and above interpersonal relations. Thus, I argue that emergent structures sometimes give rise to systemic domination, where an agent lacks freedom in relation to a diffuse multiplicity of agents.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Foucault
Power
and Ethics
Interdisciplinary Cultural and Social Studies
Global Economic and Social Development
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Political Power
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 383–402
- Publication date
- 3 April 2026
- Language
- EN