Lecture Notes October 15 2015 Ideology and Hegemony I Ideology a set of beliefs that individuals and societies accept as true a Ideology of science fundamentally understand the world through science b Example heteronormativity as an ideology the idea that it is the norm in society to be straight heterosexual alternative sexualities are the exception abnormal c Reinforced through many different aspects of society Heteronormativity as an ideology The law marriage sex laws adoption laws inheritance Church powerful institutions with many rules and restrictions Focus in society on nuclear family man and woman are the foundation and they have children that they raise Cultural norms such as prom king and queen in high school Automatically assume that little kids are straight Kids are often divided by gender to avoid sexual contact Coming out the default is straight Media production reproduction of ideologies Cultivation theory George Gerbner and Larry Gross since we learn so much from television is there a difference in the ideologies of people who watch a lot vs a little TV People who watch television share lots of world views such as the elderly being a dying breed that they will encounter violence think that people can t be trusted they are just looking out for themselves more likely to have sexist views Hegemony The ideology that is normalized is the hegemonic ideology the most dominant Examples include heteronormativity opposite homonormativity misogyny How is Hegemony Ideology Upheld Repressive state apparatuses main mode of operation is actual violence such as the police the stick you do what they say because you re afraid of them Ideological state apparatuses schools churches the media use ideology to keep people in line with their symbolic power the carrot your incentive Hegemony and consent involves the constant winning and re winning of the consent of the majority to the system that subordinates them Counter Hegemony Activists fight for visibility Counter cultures have their own norms Shows such as Will Grace