In short, hegemony is dominant ideology & the dominance of values attitudes and beliefs of an elite social group.

It’s important to note that we’re not talking about absurd conspiracy theories like the Illuminati.

This is not some elite shadow government. Much more mundane, but no less important, we are typically talking about white, middle class, usually male values. It is this group who control the media and, as such, are in positions of cultural and social influence.

The question that hegemony poses is; ‘Who controls representations in the media and whose values, attitudes and beliefs do they reflect and whose do they marginalise?’

Here is a key article by Clare Pollard about hegemony and which uses some great examples from a movement called Legally Black, which challenges the dominant ideology by subverting texts that are dominated by white middle class male characters and their view of society.

This is a link to a very up to date report on how white privilege and dominance is still alive and kicking in America.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47712096

And of course this recent music video and song really do point the finger at how society thinks it is fair, diverse and equal but in reality – it just isn’t and how much of that is a result of the media?