This annotated reader is an introductory guide to some of the most significant perspectives on the subject of power within social and political theory. Containing extracts from such leading contemporary thinkers as Giddens, Lukes, and Bourdieu, alongside recent conceptions of power from important 20th century figures including Weber, Arendt, and Foucault, this book is intended as an introductory text for students encountering the subject for the first time.