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College

College of Arts and Sciences

Major

Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies

Faculty Mentor

Sven Arvidson

Faculty Editor

Hannah Tracy

Student Editor

Fiona McGilly

Abstract

This paper explores how education can be reimagined as a form of liberation through the integration of interdisciplinary theories from political science, ethnic studies, and educational studies. Grounded in Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony and Louis Althusser’s concept of the Ideological State Apparatus, this paper introduces the concept of Reverse Hegemony as a framework to reclaim educational curriculum and mitigate systemic injustice. By applying this framework alongside liberatory pedagogies informed by Paulo Freire, Jarvis Givens, and Bryan Brayboy, the paper argues that education can heal the fractured sense of identity that W.E.B. Du Bois termed double consciousness. Through interdisciplinary integration, the research redefines education not as a neutral institution but as a tool that is capable of either reproducing or dismantling oppression. A fictional narrative following a student of color as he navigates his identity in his education and heals his double consciousness is used to illustrate how Reverse Hegemony and liberatory educational practices can be employed. The story functions as an instance of liberation, demonstrating how reconstructing education towards justice can enable students to cope with dual identities and combat systemic inequalities.

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