Power Chart
This exercise looks at people’s multiple experiences of power and oppression. You can use the exercise to explore who has power in society and process group members’ experiences of having or not having power, identify the ideas and histories that legitimize oppression, develop empathy for groups that are on the nonpower side of the chart, and talk about the roles of resistance and privilege in ending gender-based violence.
How to Use the Chart
On the left side of the chart, develop a list with the group of who has power in our society. On the other side, develop a list of people they have power over. For instance: adults over children; able-bodied people over people with disabilities; men over women; heterosexuals over gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Notice that very few people inhabit only one side of the chart. Almost everyone is in a position of more or less power versus someone else on the chart. Someone might be male, for example, but also Native American, or Jewish, and so on.
Once the chart is complete, talk about what it reveals. Explain:
In our society, the groups on the left side of the Power Chart are allowed more power that the groups on the right. For the most part, they have better-paying jobs and better housing, education, physical security, legal protection, police protection, health care, and representation in government.
Of course this isn’t true for every individual in each group—there are always exceptions on both sides. But overall, the groups on the left have power at the expense of the less powerful groups, whose access to resources is limited or denied. These “nonpower” groups are often the targets for violence from the power groups. We might also call them “target” groups.
If participants quarrel with the power chart (for example, if a male participant says that women really have more power than men), emphasize that we are talking about social power, not individual strength. Remind participants of the difference between oppression, which is a system of power and control, and individual acts of violence, which are a response to oppression.
Explore any beliefs that support the contention that hierarchy and power are inevitable and unproblematic. Explore the group’s experiences of being on the down side of power. Explore the history of the social divisions the group has identified and discuss the issues that come up for people.
Ask the group to give examples of violence done to people on the nonpower side.
Have the group split into pairs. Ask the pairs to discuss their experiences of being on the power and the nonpower side. Come back together and discuss what people on the nonpower side can do to resist the oppression and violence they suffer and what people on the power side can do to use their privilege to challenge oppression and end the violence.
Sample Power Chart (adapted from work done by the Oakland Men’s Project)
| Factors | More Privilege | Less Privilege |
| Gender | Man | Woman |
| Age | Adult | Young person |
| Wealth | Richer | Poorer |
| Employment | Boss | Worker |
| Ethnicity | Majority | Minority |
| Religion | Majority | Minority |
| Location | Urban | Rural |
| Education | Formal | Non-formal |
| National Status | Native-Born | Immigrant |
| Marital Status | Married | Divorced or Widowed |
| HIV Status | HIV Negative or Untested | HIV Positive |
| Sexuality | Heterosexual | Gay, Lesbian, Transgender |
Adapted from Paul Kivel, www.paulkivel.com
Resource Information
- Resource Type:
- Exercise
- Toolkit Sections:
- Get to Work
- Toolkit Sub-Sections:
- Get to Work - Good Practices
