Hegemony refers to a system of practices, meanings and values in which some groups and thought patterns become and remain dominant in society through the creation of consent among subordinate groups. The concept of hegemony emphasizes power structures as contingent and dependent on continuous recreation through the incorporation of subordinate groups and alternative meanings and values. Hegemony reflects current power structures and their ability to incorporate opposition to stay intact, but due to its emphasis on contingency it also opens up the possibilities for resistance and change.