Reproducing Power in Social Domain

The concept of power has always been a matter of controversy. On the one hand, some take power as a hard thing in the hands of the state or government. This enables states to use military force for subjugating people. On the other hand, some, mostly among contemporary theorists, believe the power to be a soft and subjective phenomenon and think it to become effective only when punitive discourses are effective in society. In fact, power in its second sense is a fluid and roaming thing the owners of which are endowed with the necessary influence in society. The social dimension of power can rightly display its softness and fluidity. In this article we intend to understand the reproductive process of power in social domain. To answer the question, we have adopted the library method and have surveyed this at three different layers. The first layer deals with the conceptual development of power and its consequences. The second examines three processes of managing the image, social rituals, and social institutions in relation with power. And finally, the third layer discusses the effect of the three processes on people’s perceptions and attitudes and behaviors. We conclude that the reconstruction of power is a three-phase process that is institutionalized in society at large to individuals’ mind and vice versa.