Theory of Constructed Hegemony

The concept, from Gramsci, that a ruling class maintains power not just through force, but by constructing the cultural and ideological "common sense" of an era. Hegemony is built when the dominant group's worldview—its values, beliefs, and social structures—becomes so normalized in media, schools, and everyday life that it's seen as the natural, inevitable order, not as one constructed arrangement among many. Consent is manufactured by making the constructed feel like the given.

*Example: "The idea that working a 9-5 for a corporation is the 'normal' path to a good life is a triumph of constructed hegemony. It wasn't always so. Through 20th-century media, education, and suburbia, this specific life model was built as the default dream. The Theory of Constructed Hegemony shows how questioning it feels like questioning reality itself, because the construction is so complete it hides its own seams."*

by Abzu Land January 31, 2026

Theory of the Hegemony of Scientific Paradigms

An examination of how, once a paradigm wins, it establishes total intellectual dominance, becoming the invisible, unquestioned foundation for all "serious" work in a field. This hegemony is maintained through textbooks, grant funding, journal editorial boards, and university hiring, which all reinforce the paradigm's basic assumptions. To challenge the hegemony is to risk being labeled a crank, even if your critique is valid.

Theory of the Hegemony of Scientific Paradigms Example: The near-total Hegemony of the Big Bang theory in cosmology for decades meant that alternative theories like the Steady State model were excluded from major conferences and funding. Proposing alternatives was career suicide, a perfect example of how a reigning paradigm polices its borders and maintains intellectual monopoly power.

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026

Theory of Scientific Hegemony

The most pervasive form of control, where the scientific worldview becomes the dominant, "common sense" framework for understanding reality itself. It’s when scientific authority extends beyond the lab to shape culture, ethics, and politics, making alternative ways of knowing (e.g., spiritual, artistic, traditional) seem pre-modern or invalid.

Theory of Scientific Hegemony *Example: The mantra "Follow the Science!" during a public health crisis. While well-intentioned, it can establish a scientific hegemony where complex political trade-offs (liberty vs. security) or ethical choices are framed as purely technical problems with a single scientific solution. This sidelines democratic debate and frames dissent as "anti-science," consolidating authority in expert institutions.

by Dumu The Void February 7, 2026