Hegemony in international sociaty. Conceptual and methodological proposal towards a new analytical framework

Abstract

Hegemony has been a widely debated concept in the discipline of International Relations. However, analyses tend to confuse notions of primacy and hegemony and, therefore, foster the gap between material and social structures. The present article aims to propose an eclectic methodology that examines both material and social structures towards a comprehensive analysis of hegemony. This way, it is possible to understand the bases of hegemony both materially and socially, examining the material power of the hegemon as well as the social structure created by the system’s leader. Along all these variables, legitimacy is considered a transversal variable to analyse hegemony, as changing legitimacy principles constitute cornerstone events on the continuity and change of the international society.