Home › Philosophy › Feminist Philosophy › hegemony

hegemony

hih-JEM-uh-nee /hɪˈdʒem.ə.ni/

nounC1GRESATCATUPSC

academicformal

Leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others; cultural or political control.

In social theory, refers to dominance achieved through ideological consent and cultural norms rather than raw military force alone.

The story behind the word. Derived from Greek 'hegemonia' (leadership, authority), from 'hegemon' (leader), rooted in 'hegeomai' (to lead). Originally used for dominant city-states like Sparta or Athens in ancient Greece.

Word relationships

dominance: Dominance can rely purely on physical or economic force, whereas hegemony implies cultural and ideological leadership.

subordination: Subordination is being placed in a lower or subject position.

Commonly confused with

hierarchy: Hierarchy is a ranked system of levels, whereas hegemony is the overarching dominance of one group over others within a system.

Word family

hegemonic (adjective): Ruling or dominant in a political or social context.
hegemon (noun): A dominant state or group.

Collocations

cultural hegemony
hegemonic power
challenge hegemony

Example sentences

"Cultural hegemony operates by making the worldview of the ruling class seem like universal common sense." Political Philosophy (Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks)
"The empire maintained its hegemony over the region through a combination of trade treaties and political alliances." International Relations

Memory hook

He-gem-on = He leads on. Leadership and dominance over others. Cultural or political dominance.

When not to use

Avoid using for simple individual bossiness; it describes broad institutional or socio-cultural dominance.

Fun facts

Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci developed the concept of 'cultural hegemony' while imprisoned by Mussolini's fascist regime.