sorry for being vague, i write symbolic to differentiate from material conditions. In my previous post i refer to the concept of hegemony, by that i mean the constant war that takes place over the meaning, and value of a cultures categories, such as citizenship, gender roles, beauty, purity, criminality...etc. A hegemonic formation is one that has claimed a momentary state of dominance in this war, one that has monopolized the meaning and value of cultural categories, for instance correlating blackness with criminality or being ugly, and unworthy. i believe academics can be activists in the realm of this war, they can work within the system to contest the oppressive nature of these categories, whether it be within academia or popular culture. However the limit to this form of activism is that it can not erase poverty, or give jobs - that is what i mean by material conditions.

native son