Week 11: Hegemony, Regionalism & Global Governance

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on the concepts explored in the lecture on hegemony, global governance, and civil society.

Hegemony

The dominance of one group over another, often supported by legitimating norms and ideas.

Political Society

Institutions of direct domination such as the state, government, police, courts, and military.

Civil Society

Institutions that shape consent and ideology, such as media, education, culture, and associations.

Superstructure

The sphere of ideas, institutions, beliefs, and cultural practices that helps maintain or challenge the existing social order.

Integral State

Antonio Gramsci's concept that global governance institutions should be seen as extensions of political society surrounding national states.

Counterhegemony

Forces that build new ideas and institutions to challenge dominant classes at the national level.

Transnational Civil Society

The concept that acknowledges the interconnectedness of national and global civil societies.

Dominant Class

A class that leads through moral and intellectual leadership over other classes.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

An international organization that enforces free trade rules, replacing the GATT in 1995.

Bretton Woods System

A monetary order established after World War II to regulate international financial relations but has since shifted towards dominance by global finance.

Global Civil Society

A space of social organization and interaction that transcends national borders, often linked to global capitalism.

Transformismo

Gramsci's term for the process by which counterhegemonic forces are co-opted into the dominant order.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

An international organization that provides loans and financial assistance to countries, often with strict conditions that reshape national policies.

Crisis of Authority

A situation where the leadership or control of an institution, such as the U.S. post-2008, is challenged or undermined.

Market-Driven Policies

Economic strategies that favor privatization, deregulation, and minimal state intervention in favor of free markets.

Institutional Authority

The capacity or power of an institution to enforce rules and norms, often reflecting dominant interests.

Global Reserve Currency

A currency that is widely accepted for global transactions and held by countries as part of their foreign exchange reserves.

Healthy Eating

Normative concepts around food consumption that reflect societal and cultural standards, often tied to hegemonic ideals.

Public Accountability

The obligation of institutions to be answerable to the public and to justify their actions.

Transnational Networks

Structures that facilitate interactions and exchanges between actors across national borders, often impacting global governance.

Ideological Framework

A system of ideas and ideals that forms the basis of a social, economic, or political reality.

Social Structures

The organized patterns of relationships and institutions that shape society and influence human behavior.

Asymmetries

Imbalances in power, resources, or influence between different groups or nations.