Political Solidarity

By Sally J. Scholz

Experiences of solidarity have figured prominently in the politics of the modern era, from the rallying cry of liberation theology for solidarity with the poor and oppressed, through feminist calls for sisterhood, to such political movements as Solidarity in Poland. Yet very little academic writing has focused on solidarity in conceptual rather than empirical terms.

Sally Scholz takes on this critical task here. She lays the groundwork for a theory of political solidarity, asking what solidarity means and how it differs fundamentally from other social and political concepts like camaraderie, association, or community. Scholz distinguishes a variety of types and levels of solidarity by their social ontologies, moral relations, and corresponding obligations. Political solidarity, in contrast to social solidarity and civic solidarity, aims to bring about social change by uniting individuals in their response to particular situations of injustice, oppression, or tyranny.

The book explores the moral relation of political solidarity in detail, with chapters on the nature of the solidary group, obligations within solidarity, the “paradox of the privileged,” the goals of solidarity movements, and the prospects for global solidarity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: PSUPress
• Release date: Jul 23, 2008
• ISBN: 9780271056609

Sally J. Scholz

Sally J. Scholz is Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University, Pennsylvania. She is currently faculty-in-residence at the Center for Peace and Justice Studies at Villanova, where she co-edits the Journal for Peace and Justice Studies. Scholz has lead feminist marches and advises student groups on global feminist issues. She lives in Rosemount, Pennsylvania.

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