Empowerment Theory

Empowerment theory works to enable individuals to gain control of the position they hold in society. Within this sociological framework, individuals, usually those in marginalized groups, work to increase their personal strength and confidence in order to influence the views of a more powerful group. In order to do this, self empowerment relies heavily on education and action.

Empowerment theory thrives on education in many forms. First and foremost, self awareness and self knowledge is central to empowerment.With self evaluation, an individual will come to realize the values that are central to their belief system. This also reveals habitual behaviors performed by the self, as well as society. Once a person has a clear idea of who they are and what they are entitled to, they are then more capable of seeing the ways in which society denies them the life they are meant to lead. From this point, education becomes the responsibility of the individual and focuses on revealing the various sources of oppression in society.

With this acquired education, empowerment theory then requires action. A plan of action can now be devised from the gained awareness about an individual's prescribed place in society. Action is essential to empowerment because, without it, there will only be an awareness of the discrepancies and no forward motion. With empowerment comes self improvement and motivation. An individual can use their gained knowledge to develop a plan of action involving smart goals that supports their cause. In this arena, people seek to gain allies, both inside and outside of their targeted group. With a strong organization centered around change, empowered individuals will find strength in organized numbers.

Empowerment theory is used for investigating many issues and is also a central framework for social change. As individuals become more educated, they are moved to action to create better lives for themselves and others. Empowerment relies heavily on the self to become an educated force of change.