ABSTRACT
In company with many similar ideas that sound not only simple but also ‘right’, empowerment is quite a complex notion that requires us to think across a broad perspective rather than along the narrow lines of a superficial judgement. In critiquing it we are looking to explore the significance of the concept to the reality of everyday practice. In this Chapter I will focus on empowerment in relation to health care interactions, patient empowerment, as that is my research field. However, the arguments apply across the range of empowerment environments.
