Definition
Political empowerment refers to the process of transferring various elements of power (resources, capabilities, and positions) to those who do not have it. Political empowerment requires inclusion in democratic decision-making processes.
Description
A common understanding of political empowerment (the transfer of power to those who do not have it) embraces the definition of power in distributive terms. Following this understanding, political empowerment must include giving access to various political offices, including positions in the government, to the members of disadvantaged populations. The literature on political empowerment attempts to assess the impact of access to political offices on the overall well-being of minorities.
A different understanding of political empowerment refers to the transformation of various relations between the “haves” and “have-nots.” This understanding of empowermentsuggests that the transformation of the societal and political structures...
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Budryte, D. (2014). Political Empowerment. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2196
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