ipl-logo

What Does Van Ham Define Social Power?

157 Words1 Pages
Even if narrations are a form of ‘agential constuctivism’ (Miskimmon et al., 2013), meaning the intentional activity of an actor on organizing compelling narratives that define what states make of anarchy, they are not monological creations. In fact, we must consider what Van Ham defines ‘social power’. This malleable type of power is intrinsically relational, and it takes place when a state is able to define what is legitimate, and therefore normal and admitted in the international realm. Communication and relationships are fundamental because resources (even material ones) and aspirations are not given, but depends on the way they are used and how they are perceived. For this reason, social power shows up on complex contexts, such as social
Open Document