Overview
exnomination
Quick Reference
Barthes' term for the phenomenon whereby the bourgeoisie hides its name (and identity) by not referring to itself as such in order to naturalize bourgeois ideology and maintain its hegemony, representing itself, for instance, as the nation (see naturalization). Similarly, as Dyer has shown, whiteness has been exnominated or made invisible in Western culture so that it becomes simply the norm (see also racism). Dominant groups still frequently present themselves as beyond naming in relation to aspects of identity: in many contexts, white, male, and heterosexual ‘go without saying’. The markedness of ‘*small talk’ as that of women reflects the exnomination (unmarkedness) of men's talk.
Subjects: Media studies
