Achieving Power aims to provide a new approach to the concept and practice of empowement in the fields of social work and welfare. Stuart Rees' book sets out to liberate students, educators and practitioners from the dominance of economic rationalist thought over the past decade, and to spell out the skills needed to give power to the powerless. The different meanings of power are made clear and relevant through an explanation of individual's biographies in numerous contexts. A political theory for all those in the helping professions is developed through a combination of the insights of poets and philosophers, political scientists, sociologists and social work educators. From this there emerges a new theory of empowerment for practitioners and the powerless - clients, patients, students, defendants and prisoners. Achieving Power combines aspirations and visions of a more fully democratized society with guidelines for achieving change in everyday situations. Achieving power combines aspirations and visions of a more fully democratised society with guidelines for achieving change in everyday situations. Stuart Rees's book is an intellectual achievement that will be extremely useful to scholars and students of social work and social welfare...[it has] a new approach to practice that is fresh and lively - Harry Specht, Dean of School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley ...a convincing perspective on the concept of empowerment which has universal applicability. - Henry S. Maas, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia Stuart Rees is Professor of Social Work at the University of Sydney. He has written widely on social work and social policy issues, including the books Social work face to face and Verdicts on social work. This book is intended for students and researchers in social work and social welfare.