Hegemony: Potentials and Limits of a Theoretical Concept, 7,5 ECTS

This course is offered by the Department of History, as a part of the Doctoral School in the Humanities. The course is offered during the spring semester of 2026 and on campus.

Course Content

Hegemony is a term originating in political theory, widely used in studies of power, ideology and cultural dominance. It is a powerful conceptual tool for researching inequality, social hierarchies, gender relations, state formation, colonialism, systems of education, and more. The major aim of the course is to deepen the students’ understanding of the concept of hegemony.

The course does so by exploring both the possibilities and the limits of the concept and its theoretical traditions. Special attention is given to the genealogy of the concept, including the development of different theoretical traditions and methodological approaches that engage with the study of non-coercive dominance. Key theoretical readings are considered in relation to state-formation processes, education, culture, and gender relations.

Participants are invited to read and critically engage with the concept of hegemony, starting with its origins prior to Antonio Gramsci. Central stage is given to Gramsci’s work as the leading figure in shaping the modern understanding of the concept. Another important theme in the course is recent developments in hegemony theory that move beyond historical materialism and offer new methodological approaches (such as critical discourse analysis). The course also highlights the role of hegemony in post-colonial theory and offers critical reflections on the concept and its limits for capturing forms of dominance.

Finally, the application of different research traditions of hegemony is a central aspect of the course. Most thematic seminars therefore consist of theoretical readings accompanied by participants’ presentations of empirical studies in their own fields of research that apply the concept.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student will be able to:

give an overview and summarize the historical development of the concept hegemony
discuss and compare major theoretical traditions and their methodological approaches related to the concept hegemony in the field of humanities and social sciences
discuss potentials and limits of the concept’s applicability in studies of culture and society
identify potential ways of applying the concept to contextualized research questions

Practical information

Mandatory elements

Attendance is obligatory. It is important to notify the teacher if you are unable to attend, so that a suitable compensatory task can be assigned.

Examination

The course is examined through a final written assignment (final paper).
In the final paper, the student is invited to engage critically with the course literature and extend it with their own literature search and study from the field of hegemony (approx. 200–300 pages). The student may choose either to discuss the possibilities and limits of the concept of hegemony based on their own doctoral thesis or to apply the literature to a formulated and contextualised research question. Expected length of the final paper: 6–8 pages.

Instruction

The course will be taught as seminars. The course is taught in English.

Please note: Course offered on campus.

Course dates

See attached schedule. docx, 14.8 kB.

Language of instruction:

English

Apply to the course

Application

Applications for courses between November 15 and December 15 2025. Notifications of acceptance are sent out as soon as possible after the final date.

All applications are sent by the supervisor to: doctoralschool@hum.su.se. Official transcript of records, or certificate of registration, verifying the applicant's status as doctoral student should be enclosed with the application.

All courses are free of charge, and they are open to all who are admitted to studies on PhD-level, regardless of faculty or university. Prerequisites and special admittance requirements may apply for some courses.

How do I apply?

The application form (document link below) is used to apply for a place in a course. The supervisor (or equivalent) must support the doctoral student’s application with a motivation as to why the doctoral student should participate in the course. The supervisor also submits the proposal to the following address: doctoralschool@hum.su.se.

Application form for place in a joint faculty course docx, 294.6 kB.

Who can apply?

The Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral students have priority for places, and external doctoral students (from Stockholm University or another university) can be admitted to a course subject to availability. External doctoral students will be registered in Ladok in order to enable the Board to monitor all participants in a course.

Last updated: 2025-12-09

Source: Områdeskansliet för humanvetenskap