Foreword by Steven Lukes Introduction 1. On Extant Definitions 2. The Meaning of Power 3. Power and Political Science: Causality, Probability, Necessity 4. Power and Political Theory: Domination, Normativity, Teleology 5. Power and the Space of Appearances Bibliography

"Parietti makes a large contribution to our understanding of the vexed and contested concept of power. In addition to spot-on critiques of others' views, he develops a refreshingly original 'Arendtian' analysis of power." -- Terence Ball, Professor Emeritus, Political Science and Philosophy, Arizona State University "Parietti's analysis of 'power' makes a vital contribution to our understanding of this key political concept. Taking issue with the dominant conceptualizations of 'power' as a thing, an object, or a potentiality tied to a determined end, Parietti invites us to understand it instead as a modal category that denotes open possibilities. This rethinking, inspired by Hannah Arendt's political thought, results in a meticulously researched and lucid account of 'power' that should be of great interest to political theorists, philosophers, and social scientists working on this concept." -- Ayten Gündo&gdu, Tow Associate Professor of Political Science, Barnard College "If you think you know what 'power' means, Guido Parietti's book will make you think again, and help you along. On the Concept of Power is at once a bracing polemic and a patient reconstruction of the fundamentally 'modal' character of this elusive concept. Any scholar of politics will learn a lot from Parietti, whether they're inspired by his perspective, provoked to disagreement, or both!" -- Patchen Markell, Associate Professor of Government, Cornell University "Guido Parietti's On the Concept of Power is a major contribution to the history of philosophy and to social scientific analyses of power." -- John P. McCormick, Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago "Bridging the gap between philosophical and social science disciplines, Parietti presents the two sides of power - its subjective representation and its objective effect. And both are unavoidable if we want to understand when an actor has power or does not have power." -- Morten Bønke, Information "Parietti has given us something rare-a genuinely important, interdisciplinary book-which shows us how clarity about concepts, and especially about the concept of power, is necessary for speaking intelligently about our shared world." -- S.N. Jaffe, Contemporary Political Theory

Selling point: Provides a proper and explicit definition of "power" Selling point: Explains how and why important sectors of political philosophy and political science are structurally incapable of including a proper concept of power Selling point: Offers a novel perspective on the work of Hannah Arendt and places Arendt's insights in contact with diverse theoretical traditions