Domination becomes a mutual communicative asymmetry, not just objective control

Evidence

Given that the fulfilment of the three original conditions—their fulfilment in any noticeable degree—is generally going to be a matter of something approaching common knowledge, the domination to which the conditions bear testimony will have an important subjective and inter subjective significance. Domination is generally going to involve the awareness of control on the part of the powerful, the awareness of vulnerability on the part of the powerless, and the mutual awareness—indeed, the common awareness among all the parties to the relationship—of this consciousness on each side. The powerless are not going to be able to look the powerful in the eye, conscious as each will be—and conscious as each will be of the other’s conscious- ness—of this asymmetry. — Philip Pettit, Republicanism, 315

Categorization

• XREF: The eye-contact asymmetry of domination connects to the reader’s past work on silence, looking, and what speech the powerless are denied. — connects to: Operational and behavioral thinking serves as an instrument of social domination — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the…, 141; Freedom as non-domination is conceptually inseparable from reducing uncertainty, strategy, and subordination — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 441; Domination varies in intensity from mild to absolute unchecked interference — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 300 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• A rationality geared to domination shapes how we construe the Other #expands (0.85) — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism, 464
• Dialogue between unequal powers can serve domination as easily as liberation #complicates (0.80) — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 664
• Predictability of domination does not reduce domination itself #expands (0.75) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 30