Explore the intricate relationship between power and technology in Jan van Dijk’s analytic textbook, “Power and Technology: A Theory of Social, Technical and Natural Power.” This ambitious work uniquely synthesizes social, technical, and natural power into a unified framework, offering a comprehensive understanding for students and scholars. Van Dijk challenges conventional definitions, arguing for the critical inclusion of natural power alongside social and technical dimensions, especially given technology’s ecological impact. Delve into nine distinct forms of power—force, construction, coercion, domination, discipline, dependency, information, persuasion, and authority—across individual, organizational, and societal levels. This essential read grapples with vital contemporary questions about controlling AI and fostering sustainable technology, making it a crucial resource for technology studies, sociology, and philosophy of technology at The Bookish Owl.