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MAGSINO, M ARY Y E A. COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY
EMPOWERMENT
  A word that means everything also means nothing distinctive
(Riger !""#$%
&A process a mechanism ' y which people organizations and
commnities gain mastery o) their a))airs* (Rappaport !"+!$%
Commnity, Oriented de)inition (Cornell Empowerment
-rop ! " + " $

  Empowerment is an intentional ongoing process centered in

the local commnity involving mtal respect critical
re)lection caring and grop participation throgh which
people lac.ing an e/al share o) resorces gain greater
access to and control over those resorces%
Empowerment is a mltilevel concept0 individals
organizations commnities and societies can 'e c o me more
empowered (Rappaport !"+1$%
 The Context and Limits of

Emo!e"ment  E m o !e"m ent is contextual.

# It di$e"s a%"oss a&& %ontext ' e % a ( s e of d i $ e " i n ) histo"ies,
exe"ien%es and en*i"onment of ea%h +Raao"t, -/.
A fo%(s on %ontext of em o !e"m ent is critical
# It &eads to as0 0e1 2(estions3 Who is to be
empowered? And for what purpose? +4e"0o!it5,
--6/.
  T h ( s , emo !e"ment is a %om&ex, d1nami% "o%ess
that de*e&os in %ontext o*e" tim e. It %an dete"io"ate

ases t!a'e%&&0 ass + 7)i"mo!m, e'"(mt aitn i,s 8 n6o6t6 "/e.* e"s ed
'It1often
sma&&o%%("s t h " o ( ) h e n ) a ) e m e n t in s e t t i n ) s in
! hi % h he&9)i*in) "o&es and "e&ationshis a"e ma"0ed
' 1 "e%i"o%it1, and exe"tise is !ide&1 d i s t " i ' ( t e d .
 
Citi5en Pa"ti%iation
: A "o%ess in ! h i % h indi*id(a&s ta0e a"t in de%ision
m a 0 i n ) in the instit(tion s, "o)"ams, a n d
en *i"o n m en ts that a$e%t t h e m + ; a n d e " s m a n a n d
%o&&ea)(es, -</.
Notions of %iti5enshi
# C(&t("a& Citi5enshi
# G&o'a& Citi5enshi
It is not sim&1 *o&(ntee"in) o" %omm(nit1 se"*i%e.

Pa"ti%iation in*o&*es in=(en%e in m a 0 i n ) %o&&e%ti*e

de%isions in )"o ( s , %omm(nities o" so%iet1.
Peo&e a"e hesitant to a"ti%iate ' e % a ( s e the1 a"e
! o " " i e d a ' o ( t the1 m1th s a ' o ( t e n ) a ) e m e n t in ('&i%
&ife.
Citi5en Pa"ti%iation in A%tion
 A%ts of %iti5en a"ti%iation a"e mo"e e$e%ti*e ! h e n done
%o&&e%ti*e&1 ! i t h othe"s and ! h e n ade2(ate&1 s(o"ted o*e" time
+;ande"sman, 866-/.
Pa"ti%iation> Means o" E nd ?
# Means9 Path to )oa&
# End9 A )oa& in itse&f
As a means, a"ti%iation is often e n% o ( " a ) e d to im"o*e the 2(a&it1 of
&an o" ' e % a ( s e %iti5ens@ %ommitment to a de%ision is of the ) " e a t e " if
the1 a"ti%iated in m a 0 i n ) it + ; a n d e " s m a n  B&o"in, 8 6 6 6 /.
As a n end, %iti5en a"ti%iation is often s e e n a s a n essentia& 2(a&it1 of
a
demo%"a%19"e)a"d&ess of ! h e t h e " it ) e n e " a t e s the "a%ti%a& 'enets, s(%h
a s ' e t t e " de%ision o" ) " e a t e " %ommitment.

Resea"%he"s s h o ! s that a"ti%iation ' 1 m e m ' e " s (s(a&&1 in%"eases t he

2(a&it1 of de%ision a nd o*e"a&& o")ani5ationa& e$e%ti*eness. It "omotes
e$e%ti*e &eade"shi a nd a t t a i n i n ) )oa&s.
Emo!e"ment and Citi5en
Pa"ti%iation
  4oth in*o&*es exe"%isin) o!e" in %o&&e%ti*e
de%ision m a 0 i n ) .
 The "in%ia& distin%tion ' e t ! e e n them is
that,
# Pa"ti%iation is a se%i% s t " a t e ) 1 o" ' e h a * i o " ,
!hi&e
# E mo !e " me nt is a ' " o a d e " "o%ess
Meanin)f(& a"ti%iation in %i*i% &ife %an ' e
emmeanoi!ne)"fi(n&)  an"tdi% t i haet &iao%n0 %
oafn o 'e od"ist(enmtiei os! feo""in)
+ L a n ) h o ( t  T h o ma s , 8666/ .
M(&ti&e Bo"ms of P o ! e "
  Power over is the %aa%it1 to %ome& o" dominate othe"s9 often t h " o ( ) h %ont"o& of
*a&(ed " e ! a " d s o" (nishment +B"en%h  R a * e n , -D-/.
# In*o&*es a hie"a"%hi%a&, (ne2(a& "e&ationshi and %an &ead to in(sti%e. 4 ( t it %an a&so ' e
( s e d %o&&e%ti*e&1 to "omote (sti%e, a s ! h e n &a!s %ome& a n end to "a%ia& dis%"imination.
Power to %on%e"ns the a'i&it1 of indi*id(a&s o" )"o(s to ("s(e thei" o ! n )oa&s
and to de*e&o one@s %aa%ities. This %an in*o&*e se&f dete"mination fo" ea%h
e"son.
#  This so"t of ) e n e " a t i * e o!e" m a 1 ' e sha"ed, a s it is not %on%et(a&i5ed a s a &imited
%ommodit1 o" 5e"o9s(m ) a m e .
Power from is an a'i&it1 to "esist the o!e" o" ( n ! a n t e d demands of othe"s. It
%an ' e ( s e d to "esist a dominant ' o s s o" f"iend o" to "esist ! i d e " fo"ms of
o"ession.

These three forms of power occurs in workplace.

 Inte)"ati*e P o ! e "
4o(&din) +--/ dened it a s the %aa%it1 to ! o " 0
t o ) e t h e " , ' " i n ) ) "o (  s, ' i n d eo&e t o ) e t h e " , a n d
insi"e &o1a&t1.
   S o m e t i m e s te"med as people power,  it is a
"ea&i5ation of o!e" to andF o" o!e" f"om.
  Satyagraha- : C&in )in ) to t"(th o" the o!e" of
t"(th3 ' a s i s of Gandhi
 O t h e " fo"ms of i n t e ) " a t i * e o!e">
 St"i0es
 4o1%otts
 O " ) a n i 5 e d %iti5en )"o(
 Th"ee I n st" ( m en ts of P o ! e "
 Th"ee ! a 1 s that o!e" oe"ates in %omm(nit1 and so%ia& &ife
+ G a * e n t a , -6/
  . Cont"o&&in) "eso("%es that %an ' e ( s e d to ' a " ) a i n , " e ! a " d and
(nish
#  This "esem'&es o!e" o*e". It is a n o " ) a n i 5 e d %iti5en"1 t h a t %an e$e%ti*e&1
th" ea te n s( %h (nishments a s n e ) a t i * e ('&i%it1 o" 'o1%otts o" o $ e" att"a
%ti*e %om"omise.
8 . Cont"o&&in) %hanne&s of a"ti%iation in %omm(nit1 de%isions
#   T h " o ( ) h ('&i% d emons t"a tio ns a n d ( s e of th e m e d i a .

# Exe"t o!e"9 a t1e of o!e" ' a s e d on th e e"%ei*ed 0 n o ! & e d ) e , s0i&&, o"

exe"ien%e of a e"son o" ) " o (  .
.  Shain) the denition of a ('&i% i s s ( e o" %on=i%t
# Power of spin, o" th e a'i&it1 to shae th e t e " m s of ('&i% d e ' a t e on a n i s s ( e
# So%ia& m e di a, so%ia& instit(tions and inte"est )"o( ! i t h mone1 
shaes h o ! so%ia& i s s ( e s a"e inte""eted +Raao"t, 8666 / .
 S ( m m a " 1 T h o ( ) h t s on P o ! e "
  P o ! e " is ' e s t ( n d e" s t o o d in "e&ationshis

P o ! e " is %ontext(a&
 Pao%t!(ea"& in*=o(&e*ne%se t hoen %dae%asi
%iiotn1st o+R ei)xe"t,
--/

  P o ! e " is ' e s t ( n d e " s t o o d a s a dimension

  I n t e ) " a t i * e P o ! e " is demonst"ated a t a

*a"iet1 of &e*e&s9
 Pe"sona& J(a&ities fo" Citi5en
Pa"ti%iation and Emo!e"ment
  S i x Pe"sona& J(a&ities a m o n ) em  o ! e" ed e"sons e n ) a ) e d
in %iti5en a"ti%iation

 . C"iti%a& A ! a " e n e s s 9 ( n d e " s t a n d i n ) of h o !  o ! e" an d

so%ioo&iti%a& fo"%es a$e%t e"sona& a n d %omm(nit1 &ife
+7imme"man, 8 6 6 6 / .
# E m e " ) e s f"om th"ee so("%es>
# . Life exe"ien%es ! i t h in(sti%es
# 8 . Re=e%tion on those exe"ien%es and &essons &ea"ned
# . Kia&o)(e ! i t h othe"s
A " i s i n ) 2(estions>
; h o denes %omm(nit1 "o'&ems?
H o ! a"e %omm(nit1 de%ision m a d e ?
; h o s e * i e ! s a"e "ese%ted, an d !
h o s e a"e ex%&(ded?
Pe"sona& J(a&ities fo" Citi5en
Pa"ti%iation and Emo!e"ment
8 . Pa"ti%iato"1 S0i&&s9 a e"son a&so n e ed s
 
'eha*io"a& s0i&&s, t h " o ( ) h a"ti%iato"1
%ometen%e is %ontext(a&, s o m e of the

fsoe&t&toi!n)in t)h as0ni &a&sn aot"hee m".o"e imo"tant

in one
# S h a " i n ) &eade"shi and o!e"
# A* o id in) ' ( " n o ( t ' 1 ndin) ! a 1 s to s ( s t a i n
%ommitment
# Identif1in), m a n a ) i n ) and "eso&*in) %on=i%ts
# I m a ) i n i n ) and a"ti%(&atin) *isions of a ' e t t e "
%omm(nit1
# A%ti*e&1 &istenin) to othe"s, in%&(din)
oonent
So%ia& "eso("%es in%&(de sha"ed *a&(es and the
sha"ed "it(a&s and sto"ies that i&&(st"ate those
Pe"sona& J(a&ities fo" Citi5en
Pa"ti%iation and Emo!e"ment
 . S e n s e of Co&&e%ti*e E%a%19 This is the 'e&ief that
%iti5ens a%tin) %o&&e%ti*e&1 %an ' e e$e%ti*e in
im"o*in) %omm(nit1 &ife.
# L o ! e " %"ime "ates + S n o ! d e n , 866D/
# Bo (ndatio n fo" menta& hea&th and !e&&ness in "("a&
Canadian i n d i ) e n o ( s %omm(nities +"a&  Id&o(t, 866/
# S(i%ide "e*ention and hea&in) e$o"ts

<. S e n s e of Pe"sona& Pa"ti%iato"1 E%a%19

indi*id(a&@s 'e&ief that h e o" s h e e"sona&&1 h a s the
%aa%it1 to e n ) a ) e e$e%ti*e&1 in %iti5en a"ti%iation
a n d in=(en%e %omm(nit1 de%isions.
# One %an ' e a n e$e%ti*e &eade" in %iti5en a%tion
Pe"sona& J(a&ities fo" Citi5en
Pa"ti%iationD.and Emo!e"ment
Pa"ti%iato"1 a&(es a n d Commitment9 Si"it(a&
 
o" mo"a& %ommitment s ( s t a i n e d %iti5en
a"ti%iation a n d em  o ! e " m en t +Moane, 866/

# T"ea"dsiitsitoenna%&e  ai"nt(de %9o %ma"mn

i ti)m feon" to

+t4he"s0,o i!nitte5), "ti -1,

/

# Commitment to (sti%e, ha"mon1, honest1 and

%ha"it1 + Co&'1 and K a m o n , --8/
# S%ho""@s +--/ f o ( n d o ( t that m a n 1 "omote a
sha"ed )"o( %&imate ' a s e d on si"it(a& o" se%(&a"
ideas that "o*ide sha"ed m e a n i n ) and ("ose
"e&ated to %omm(nit1 %han)e.
 . Re&ationa& Conne%tion9 Citi5en a"ti%iation
in*o&*es a ! i d e *a"iet1 of "e&ationshi ! i t h
othe"s, in%&(din) ' o t h ' o n d i n ) a n d ' " i d ) i n ) ties
E m  o ! e " i n ) P"a%ti%es and S e t t i n ) s
  C o m m ( n i t 1 Ps1%ho&o)ist a"e %(""ent&1
ex&o"in) the "o&e of %omm(nit1
s1%ho&o)ist in e m  o ! e " i n ) "a%ti%e.

#  The "st S ( m m i t on C o m m ( n i t 1
Ps1%ho&o)1 P"a%ti%e ! a s &a(n%hed in
866-

It &eads ( s to a n exa m in a ti on of the

oo"t(nities fo" "e%i"o%a& he&in),
fo" m(t(a& in=(en%e, fo"
%o&&a'o"ation, fo" de%ision m a 0 i n )
a n d fo" %"eatin) %h an )e.
E m o ! e " i n ) and Emo!e"ed
Comm(nit1 Settin)s

Empowering
a"ti%iation a n dsetting
s h a " i n )foste" mem
o" o!e" in' e)"o(
"
de%isions a n d a%tions
Empowered setting exe"%ise o!e" in the
! i d e " %omm(nit1 o" so%iet1, in=(en%in)
de%isions a n d he&in) to %"eate %omm(nit1
a n d ma%"o s 1 s t e m %ha n) e.
E m o ! e " i n ) and Emo!e"ed
Comm(nit1 Settin)s

 . 4&o%0 4ooste" P"oe%t

  8 . T h e Hi)h&ande" Resea"%h
a n d Ed(%ation Cente"

 . Bami&1 Reso("%e Cente"s

Beat("es of E m  o !e " i n )
P"a%ti%es and S e t t i n ) s
S o&ida"it   . P"o mo t in) a St"en)ths9 4 a s e d 4e&ief S 1 s t e m +Hi)h&ande"
S%hoo&/
1 # E m  o ! e " i n ) %omm(nit1 s e t t i n ) s "omote "in%i&es o" 'e&iefs that
dene m e m ' e " and o")ani5ationa& )oa&s, "o*ide m e a n i n ) and
insi"ation fo" a%tion, de*e&o s t " e n ) t h s and "omote otimism in the
fa%e of set'a%0.
8 . B o s t e " i n ) So%ia& S(o"t +Bami&1 Reso("%e Cente"s/
# E m  o ! e " i n ) s e t t i n ) s attend to the 2(a&it1 and n a t ( " e of
inte"e"sona& "e&ationshis in a s e t t i n ) and "omote e x
% h a n ) e of so%ia& s(o"t a m o n ) m e m ' e " s .
. Ke*e&oin) Leade"shi +4&o%0 4ooste"/
# E m  o ! e " i n ) s e t t i n ) s h a * e %ommitted &eade"s ! h o a"ti%
(&ate the *i s o n fo" the o" )ani5at io n, exem&if1
inte"e"sona& and o")ani5ationa& s0i&&s, s h a" e o!e", a n d
mento" n e ! &eade"s
Beat("es of E m  o !e " i n )
P"a%ti%es and S e t t i n ) s
  <. P " o * i d i n ) Pa"ti%iato"1 Ni%hes a n d Oo"t(nit1
Ro&e St"(%t("es Mem'e"
# Pa"ti%iato"1 ni%hes "omote" "e%"(itment and t " a i n i n )
Pa "ti
%ia tion
omfeinmd'i*ei"ds(@a&
e&sa dfoe"" s"ho&ies s n0ie&
&esd, eadn d' 1s

tt"heen )stehtetin )th, eini"%"ease inte"e"sona& ties ! i t h i n

the )"o(.
 . eein)
M a 0 i n ) ade%isions
D.Essen%e Bo%(s on inTas0s and Goa&s
#
%&(si*e&1 of %iti5en a"ti%iation> ! id es "ead,
) e n ( itnhei n )o!e"
# Mo"e s ) e t t iann) ddone
*oi%e fo" %iti5ens
Q mo"e mem'e"s
. R e ! a " d i n ) a"ti%iation
# R e ! a " d i n ) in*o&*ement Q mo"e in*o&*ed %iti5en
Beat("es of E m  o !e " i n )
P"a%ti%es and S e t t i n ) s
 . P " o m o t i n ) K i*e" s it1

o a &( e m e m ' e " di* e "s it1 th"o( ) h "e s e

%t
a n d s(o"t
- . B os te" in ) Inte")"o( Co&&a'o"ation
o  C om m itm e n t
o 4 o( n da "1 s a n nin ) 9 "e &a tion s h is th a t
%onne%t ) " o(  s ! i t h i n a n o")an i5ation,
he&in) ea%h ( n d e " s t a n d the othe" a n d
' ( i & d i n ) %aa%it1 fo" %o&&a'o"ation.