Preface

There is something at work in our society that we seldom see or hear, yet, at the same time, we both undergo and shape it every day again. That’s hegemony.

Hegemony colors how we think and what we do, how we live and how we work.

The people around us think and do things in a certain way and so we think and do the same. Because we believe that’s how things ought to be.

Although this seems fairly straightforward, an unequivocal description of hegemony is not so easy. The word has a long history and depending on the domain in which it is used, the interpretation differs.

In international relations, hegemony relates to the dominance of certain states. In sports, we speak of the hegemony of a team or of individual athletes within a discipline. In political philosophy and sociology, “cultural hegemony” refers to “the dominance of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class who manipulate the culture of that society - the beliefs and explanations, perceptions, values, and mores - so that the worldview of the ruling class becomes the accepted cultural norm.”1 This view of hegemony was developed by the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci.

What do all these approaches have in common? Time and again, the "hegemon" (a leader or leading group) is in a dominant position and exercises power over others. There’s always a form of coercion at play.

But much of what we think and do as citizens on a daily basis, we think and do because that is the way it should be done, without anything or anyone forcing us. Without anything being imposed on us. Within a theory of hegemony this is called consent (assent, acceptance) and common sense.

In this booklet, hegemony (how we think and what we do) is disconnected from the typical power relations we attach to certain

individuals (e.g. political leaders or managers) or institutions (e.g. political parties or governments).

Here the focus is on how hegemony affects our daily lives as citizens. It is "hegemony without hegemon."

Although hegemony is also always coercive, in reality it is often very difficult to pinpoint a hegemon. Hegemony in society is shaped by all of us. It is not imposed on all of us from on high. We reproduce it ourselves all the time.

This also means that we, citizens, hold the keys to changing hegemony.

In “Towards a sustainable society”, we take a closer look at this form of hegemony and at the same time we consider how counterhegemony can help us move towards a sustainable society. A necessity if we want to keep our planet livable.

Those who wish to create and realize sustainable, counter-hegemonic ideas themselves can do so with the mini-manual “How we can save our world”, which contains a diagram, examples and tips to create and realize sustainable counter-hegemonic ideas and initiatives.

We will have to determine together which roads we take towards a sustainable hegemony. The most important thing is that we do so with as many as possible, as soon as possible. Only together can we get there.

Have an inspiring journey.

Dirk Stael

December 2021