Ideology

Ideology is often referred to as an unconscious set of values or beliefs that a group, society or individual hold to be true or important, and provide a particular view of the world.

The values and beliefs perpetuated by the majority within a society may be described as dominant ideologies. Dominant social institutions include the BBC (who stand for traditional British values and fairness), schools (who instil respect and good behaviour) and the NHS. Some dominant ideologies may be hidden by the “common sense” view or the “naturalised” view. An example of this would be the view that all girls are “naturally” meek and feminine.

Such a consensus view of society is achieved with the consent of the majority of a particular society as a whole, and this has been termed by Antonio Gramsci as hegemony (the way one belief system comes to dominate society).