dominés

Dominés refers to individuals or groups who are subjected to domination within a social order. In sociology and political theory, the term is used to describe those with less power in relation to others who hold authority or resources. It highlights subordination across economic, political, cultural, or interpersonal dimensions and is commonly contrasted with dominants or dominant groups.

The concept is used across several theoretical traditions. In Weberian analysis, domination can derive from traditional, charismatic, or legal-rational authority. In Marxist and neo-Marxist theory, domination is linked to class relations and control over the means of production. Foucauldian approaches view power as diffuse and embedded in discourses, institutions, and practices rather than only in explicit coercion. Bourdieu adds the idea of symbolic domination, where cultural capital and social norms perpetuate unequal power. Overall, domination is understood as a structured and often institutional phenomenon, not solely the product of individual actions.

Contexts and forms of dominion vary. Subordination can be class-based, gendered, racialized, colonial, or related to age, disability, or migration status. Mechanisms include economic dependence, unequal access to education and resources, legal and political exclusion, discriminatory practices, and surveillance or social stigma. Symbolic processes, such as language and representation, also reinforce domination by normalizing subordination.

Resistance and change emerge through social movements, policy reform, collective bargaining, education, and cultural transformation. Examining dominés helps illuminate how power operates, how inequalities are produced and reproduced, and where emancipation efforts may target structural reform.