Is Hegemony synonymous with Empire?

Question: Is Hegemony synonymous with Empire!?

A test question switched up the wording (which was crucial to knowing the answer) in a statement and i wanted to know if it was one and the sameWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

No they aren't!.

Empire implies a more direct control, while hegemony is used more or less to mean neo-imperialism, a condition of control using less direct means!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hegemony is a concept developed by Gramsci, and while Negri & Hardt, in their publication 'Empire' are somewhere referring to Gramsci and his concept of hegemony, their notion of 'Empire' is very different all together!. Not sure if this answers the question!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com