The Myth Of Empowerment

The Myth of Empowerment surveys the ways in which women have been represented and influenced by the rapidly growing therapeutic culture—both popular and professional—from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. The middle-class woman concerned about her health and her ability to care for others in an uncertain world is not as different from her late nineteenth-century white middle-class predecessors as we might imagine. In the nineteenth century she was told that her moral virtue was her power; today, her power is said to reside in her ability to “relate” to others or to take better care of herself so that she can take care of others. Dana Becker argues that ideas like empowerment perpetuate the myth that many of the problems women have are medical rather than societal; personal rather than political. From mesmerism to psychotherapy to the Oprah Winfrey Show, women have gleaned ideas about who they are as psychological beings. Becker questions what women have had to gain from these ideas as she recounts the story of where they have been led and where the therapeutic culture is taking them.

In Indian context.

This book tries to provide an overview of the empowered status of women with their social systems and assess wether women are really empowered or they are simply living a mythical status.This book foces on women belonging to diverse walks of life awith a special emphasis on the urban, rural and tribal woman.This work tries to comprehend the factual connotation and uncover the vield stories behind the empowered status of women in our society and appraise their level of empowerment, in other words try to uncover wether women of this century have achived the most contentious and sought after status that they deserve but are not getting without a fight.Empowerment as a proclamation offers varying shades of understanding and can act like a mirage in some, this understanding was apparent to manybut a few were incredebly in the clutch of patriarchy regardless of their mythical empowered status.And bringing visibilty to the women and men of this century regarding a measure of gender in a form of the most quintesential term "empowerment" of the female gender is immperitive so that the female race can florish without a hegemonic surrounding.

"There is no easy remedy for systemic injustice and long-established inequity. But we cannot wait for justice to thrive; we must nourish ourselves and each other along the path." Isn't it time we drop the pretense that we can "have it all"? For centuries, women have strived to be extraordinary, but perhaps it is time to awaken to the truth of what really impedes our progress-what keeps us feeling exhausted, overworked, and perpetually dissatisfied. In this brilliant, insightful book, Lynn Bromley charts the ongoing systemic cycle that continues to overburden and oppress women, and she issues a clear, clarion call that it is not women who must change, but the messages and controls within the system. Her brilliant and simple solution-the sisterhood-is at once arresting and applicable to women everywhere. Alive with personal accounts, stories from the front lines of politics, social work, and decades of womanhood, Bromley whisks you through a clear and eye-opening argument for why women do not need to be empowered, only unencumbered. Assertive, bold, and inspiring, On the Path to Justice is the manifesto our foremothers long dreamed of and the necessary battle cry that younger generations desperately need to hear.

Focusing on the term empowerment this book examines the various meanings given to the concept of empowerment and the many ways power can be expressed - in personal relationships and in wider social interactions.

A Circle of Empowerment describes two studies. The first is a single case study which interprets the practical knowledge of an exemplary fine arts supervisor. An analysis of ethnographic data portrays the supervisor's practical knowledge as constructed around a dialectical orientation between two constructs or landscapes of imagery: the empowerment and power of teachers, and bureaucratic power and control of administration The second and extended study describes the supervisor's influence on the practical knowledge of the consultants and specialists with whom she worked. Through in-depth interviews with five women, it became apparent that feminist principles were emerging. The supervisor's transformational and charismatic leadership style was characterized through four dimensions: visionary qualities, communicating a vision, creating trust and commitment, and empowering others. These dimensions propelled the supervisor's commitment to teach leadership through mentoring. The results of these studies suggest that consultants and supervisors develop a unique form of practical knowledge geared to the political context of curriculum reform, and the practical knowledge of consultants and supervisors may influence the practical knowledge of teachers, specialists, and consultants. The studies suggest reconstructing leadership in favor of a role that is dedicated to commitment, caring, and collaboration within the circle of empowerment.