Y09W02VC Theme Words — Power structures & society

The dominant authority, influence or control that one country, group or system exercises over others, often in ways that come to seem natural or inevitable.

Word family: hegemonic (adj.)

Example: The text examines how cultural hegemony shapes what a society considers to be normal or desirable.

Synonyms: dominance, supremacy, authority

Collocations: cultural hegemony, political hegemony, challenge hegemony

Relating to or deeply embedded within an entire system, organisation or society, rather than affecting only individual parts.

Word family: system (n.), systematic (adj.), systemically (adv.)

Example: The report argued that poverty in Australia is a systemic issue that cannot be resolved through individual actions alone.

Synonyms: structural, deep-rooted, widespread

Collocations: systemic racism, systemic change, systemic inequality

A system of beliefs, values and ideas that forms the basis of a political, economic or social approach or theory.

Word Breakdown: -logy (suffix meaning 'study or theory of')

Word family: ideological (adj.), ideologically (adv.)

Example: The government's ideology shaped every aspect of its approach to welfare, education and economic policy.

Synonyms: belief system, doctrine, worldview

Collocations: political ideology, dominant ideology, challenge an ideology

To make a process, action or outcome easier to achieve or more likely to happen.

Word Breakdown: -ate (suffix meaning 'to cause or bring about')

Word family: facilitation (n.), facilitative (adj.)

Example: The mediator facilitated a productive discussion between the two groups, helping them reach a compromise.

Synonyms: enable, support, assist

Collocations: facilitate discussion, facilitate learning, facilitate change

To develop or express something, such as a plan, idea or argument, in a systematic and precise way.

Word family: formulation (n.), formula (n.)

Example: The committee formulated a policy that aimed to address growing inequalities in the education system.

Synonyms: develop, devise, design

Collocations: formulate a plan, formulate a response, formulate a policy

To produce or bring into existence something such as ideas, energy, debate or income.

Word family: generation (n.), generator (n.)

Example: The documentary generated considerable debate about the concentration of media ownership in Australia.

Synonyms: produce, create, spark

Collocations: generate debate, generate revenue, generate ideas

To make something clearer or more understandable by using examples, diagrams or descriptions.

Word family: illustration (n.), illustrative (adj.)

Example: The historian used two contrasting case studies to illustrate how power can be both maintained and challenged.

Synonyms: demonstrate, show, exemplify

Collocations: illustrate a point, illustrate the impact, illustrate how

To combine different elements into a unified whole, or to include someone or something within a larger group or system.

Word family: integration (n.), integral (adj.)

Example: The school worked to integrate students with different backgrounds into a shared learning community.

Synonyms: combine, incorporate, merge

Collocations: integrate into, integrate systems, integrate communities

Used in academic writing to signal that a piece of evidence implies a particular interpretation or conclusion, without stating it as absolute fact.

Example: The unemployment rate rose by 3% in the final quarter; this suggests that the policy had unintended economic consequences.

Synonyms: this indicates, this implies, this points to

Collocations: this suggests that, this suggests a link, this suggests the author