This document discusses key concepts related to ideologies research. It defines hegemony as leadership or dominance by one social group over others. It notes that Gramsci believed there was not one dominant class but a shifting of social classes. It also discusses Louis Althusser's structural Marxist views on how society makes individuals conform to its image through ideological state apparatuses. Finally, it explains how ideologies build representations and stereotypes in media to create characters audiences can identify with and form connections to.

1. Ideologies Research
Qainaat Aftab

2. Hegemony
• What is Hegemony?
- Hegemony is leadership or dominance, especially by one state
or social group over others.
- Italian Marxist Gramsci brought about the concept of cultural
hegemony. Gramsci believed that their isn’t one dominant
class, but a shifting of different social classes.
- Hegemony can been seen in media texts, it is used to appeal
to the reader/audience and present the norm or challenge
the idea of this.
 More Information:
http://faculty.washington.edu/mlg/courses/definitions/hegemony.html

3. Louis Althusser
• Althusser was a French Marxist philosopher.
He is referred to as a structural Marxist, his
ideas where published in his essay called
‘Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses’.
Louis Althusser he believed that it was
essential to imagine how society makes an
individual its own image.
• Read his essay here:
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/althusser/1970/ideology.htm

4. Ideology in our Film
• Ideologies build up representation in
media, this is essential is creating characters.
Characters follow stereotypes to form a
connection between readers. The audience is
able to identify the type of character through
this stereotype which provides a sense of
realism within media. If ideology is media was
challenged it would alienate the audience and
break a connection between the characters
immediately.