Durkheim Revisited: Possible Contribution to the Understanding of Gramsci’s Notion of Hegemony

Abstract

The paper attempts to explore the possibility of using Durkheim to understand the Gramscian notion of hegemony building on the claim that Gramsci’s idea is fragmentary and contentious. Durkheim’s concepts such as social solidarity, integration, rites and collective conscience the paper argues maybe deployed to comprehend Gramsci’s notion of hegemony particularly consent generation. The paper also contends that Durkheim’s ideas on the state and secondary groups voluntary organizations (civil society) may be helpful in explaining the Gramscian concept of consent building. In effect, the paper also tries to demonstrate that sociological positions that are viewed as rivals can complement each other. Sociologists should do more explorations in areas of convergence rather than divergence of sociological positions.