Abstract

The question of social power in the educational context has troubled philosophers, off and on, for centuries. Ambitious attempts by several contemporary theorists to rework liberal political thought have once again thrust this issue to the forefront of social/political philosophical debate. A conception of social power is offered in this paper that draws on the work of Thomas Wartenberg. I attempt to show how this conception sheds light on the question of power in education. In conclusion I challenge the commonly held view that power in education is always objectionable and I show how my view of power supports such a challenge