The vertical metaphor of power

Abstract

The article discusses how power is conceptualized via the vertical metaphor. Within it, people’s roles and positions are described in terms of a spatial structure, in which being higher or lower means having more or less power or prestige. To show its use, I analyze a dataset of floor debates in national parliaments. The results show that this metaphor is used in three instances: social class, civilization, and structures of governance. In conclusion, the article suggests that we treat power also as a topic rather than only as an analytic resource.