Justification and the four dimensions of power

This article is a dialogue with Forst on the role of justification in power relations, which is theory building in its own right. The article starts with Forst’s argument that power is a cognitive event that entails reason-giving. Developing this observation, the article explores how reasoning shifts across the four dimensions of power. How different types of power situations elicit different forms of justification in order to obtain compliance from the less powerful. This gives insight into the complex relationship that reason-giving has with structure, dominant ideology, reification, paradigms, discipline, domination and empowerment.