Study Day: Elias Canetti, 'Elements of Power' - Minutes
In the 1st part of the Study Day of February 2006 we discussed Elias Canetti’s text "Elements of Power", published 1981 in the volume "Crowds and Power".
The debate mainly concentrated on the first question "What is so fascinating about being a cat?". Even though this question was initially criticized as being too simple it turned out to provoke a lively debate on power defining instruments and conditions. Several practical examples that were made clarified the facts, that power is dependant on space and time as well as some kind of superiority. Superiority could be expressed not only by physical strength but also by knowledge etc. We also touched the question of how the power of the cat could be limited. Since power can only be elaborated in a defined space, it is always threatened when any kind of exit option exists. Also, power can only be held over free subjects who are not under the power of any other subject. We came to the conclusion that there is a triangle of power, space and speed. The effects of speed were questioned and it was emphasized that speed is only effective in power relations when it is organised. Equally, cat and mouse can never belong to the same community and cannot bond socially, since they always act from an individualistic perspective.
In addition to the second question ("Which consequences does the ’taming of the horse’ have?") we discussed Canetti’s understanding and his questionable comparison of Islam and Calvinism and the aspects of atomizing power through the Nazi-regime and through communism.
Part 3 | Workshop "Interest and Power in the context of our own research projects" (4-5 pm)
In the third part of the 4th study day on the topic of "Interests and Power" Gesine Foljanty-Jost asked the participants to discuss what role the concepts of "interest" and "power" could play in their individual research projects. Three working groups were formed to this purpose, which engaged in vivid discussion for 40 minutes. The members of each group described their research topics, trying to find common themes that could be discussed at future meetings. Each working group came up with different findings depending on their composition and focus. Various aspects such as the issue of how to distinguish "power" from "authority", different kinds of power, power manifestation in architecture, the power of symbols, strategies of the powerless, the topics of power - discourse- globalisation etc. were addressed. Foljany-Jost concluded the meeting by pointing out that discussing conceptions of power in non-European regions of the world could be a task for the next study day of Section 2.