The Architecture of Consent: Cultural Hegemony and the Legitimation of Global Hierarchies

Alqattamin, Aktham Raed Ahmad (2026) The Architecture of Consent: Cultural Hegemony and the Legitimation of Global Hierarchies. JOG ÁLLAM POLITIKA: JOG- ÉS POLITIKATUDOMÁNYI FOLYÓIRAT, 18 (2). pp. 129-152. ISSN 2060-4580

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Abstract

The persistence of global inequalities continues to raise questions regarding the mechanisms through which hierarchical relations are maintained within the contemporary international order. While material asymmetries and institutional structures have long been examined, increasing attention has been directed toward the cultural and ideological dimensions of power. This article explores the relationship between cultural hegemony and center-periphery dynamics as an analytical framework for understanding the reproduction of global hierarchies. Drawing on the theoretical contributions of Antonio Gramsci, Joseph Nye, and the broader center-periphery tradition in political and social theory, this study considers how influence can operate through cultural and civil institutions such as education, media, and knowledge production. These domains are approached as sites in which norms, values, and patterns of legitimacy are shaped. Rather than treating cultural processes as secondary to economic or political power, the article reflects on their role in structuring relations between dominant and subordinate actors in the international sphere. By situating cultural analysis within the center-periphery framework, the study contributes to ongoing discussions in political and legal theory concerning power, legitimacy, and the evolving configuration of global order.

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