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Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea
From renowned organizers and activists Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, comes the first in-depth examination of Solidarity—not just as a rallying cry, but as potent political movement with potential to effect lasting change.
Solidarity is often invoked, but it is rarely analyzed and poorly understood. Here, two leading activists and thinkers survey the past, present, and future of the concept across borders of nation, identity, and class to how can we build solidarity in an era of staggering inequality, polarization, violence, and ecological catastrophe? Offering a lively and lucid history of the idea—from Ancient Rome through the first European and American socialists and labor organizers, to twenty-first century social movements like Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter—Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor trace the philosophical debates and political struggles that have shaped the modern world.
Looking forward, they argue that a clear understanding of how solidarity is built and sustained, and an awareness of how it has been suppressed, is essential to warding off the many crises of our right-wing backlash, irreversible climate damage, widespread alienation, loneliness, and despair. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor insist that solidarity is both a principle and a practice, one that must be cultivated and institutionalized, so that care for the common good becomes the central aim of politics and social life.
Solidarity is often invoked, but it is rarely analyzed and poorly understood. Here, two leading activists and thinkers survey the past, present, and future of the concept across borders of nation, identity, and class to how can we build solidarity in an era of staggering inequality, polarization, violence, and ecological catastrophe? Offering a lively and lucid history of the idea—from Ancient Rome through the first European and American socialists and labor organizers, to twenty-first century social movements like Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter—Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor trace the philosophical debates and political struggles that have shaped the modern world.
Looking forward, they argue that a clear understanding of how solidarity is built and sustained, and an awareness of how it has been suppressed, is essential to warding off the many crises of our right-wing backlash, irreversible climate damage, widespread alienation, loneliness, and despair. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor insist that solidarity is both a principle and a practice, one that must be cultivated and institutionalized, so that care for the common good becomes the central aim of politics and social life.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2024
75 people are currently reading
2722 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 19, 2024
This is truly a fantastic book. It is deeply researched and chock full of historical examples and illustrations, but stays well paced and readable. They make strong general claims, and I felt that they were always backed up with ample concrete information. I found their historical investigation compelling, especially in combination with their commitment in the present to not leaving anyone behind.
Their discussion of union busting in the US was particularly well framed, as it shows that the relative weakness of labor and lack of labor solidarity here result from consistent and concerted suppression by both corporate owners and the state, not from a populace that is inherently more fragmented, selfish, and individualistic. I also appreciated their section on how to engage (or not) with philanthropy and foundations toward the ends of creating more just future. They are honest about the pitfalls as well as the need for the resources of top-down charity organizations as a tool in the middle of the process, even though they do not fit well with the end goals of a solidaristic movement. Finally, I thought the chapter on the sacred and the role of personal attitudes and choices was refreshing and welcome, as I often think the role of the individual within the collective is an important and underdiscussed issue.
In the end, it is hard to see how solidarity wins against the forces of inequality and accumulation, playing on the field they have stacked in their favor, but it is impossible to see how we get anywhere without it. Solidarity is action and organization, not just beliefs and words, and this book is a call to all of us to join in and add our strength to the work.
Their discussion of union busting in the US was particularly well framed, as it shows that the relative weakness of labor and lack of labor solidarity here result from consistent and concerted suppression by both corporate owners and the state, not from a populace that is inherently more fragmented, selfish, and individualistic. I also appreciated their section on how to engage (or not) with philanthropy and foundations toward the ends of creating more just future. They are honest about the pitfalls as well as the need for the resources of top-down charity organizations as a tool in the middle of the process, even though they do not fit well with the end goals of a solidaristic movement. Finally, I thought the chapter on the sacred and the role of personal attitudes and choices was refreshing and welcome, as I often think the role of the individual within the collective is an important and underdiscussed issue.
In the end, it is hard to see how solidarity wins against the forces of inequality and accumulation, playing on the field they have stacked in their favor, but it is impossible to see how we get anywhere without it. Solidarity is action and organization, not just beliefs and words, and this book is a call to all of us to join in and add our strength to the work.
August 26, 2024
I love this book. It links intersectionality and solidarity by quoting the members of Combahee River Collective, “Any analysis limited to a single form of oppression - whether based on national origin, race, gender, sexuality or class - will inevitably leave people out and work against solidarity.”
Much of the activist efforts the authors cited, I experienced IRL, whether it was Occupy, battle in Seattle, protests for racial and reproductive rights, and social change philanthropy.
My favorite part was the chapter on charity because I spent much of my life working in social change philanthropy where my motto is “Change, not charity”. It was a stroll down memory lane as I recognized people and events recounted in that chapter. In fact, I met one of the authors at several international grantmaking conferences where we lauded bottom-up solidarity movements instead of the top-down development supported by billionaire philanthropists who think they know the problems & solutions better than the people.
Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about intersectionality or solidarity or people over politics.
Much of the activist efforts the authors cited, I experienced IRL, whether it was Occupy, battle in Seattle, protests for racial and reproductive rights, and social change philanthropy.
My favorite part was the chapter on charity because I spent much of my life working in social change philanthropy where my motto is “Change, not charity”. It was a stroll down memory lane as I recognized people and events recounted in that chapter. In fact, I met one of the authors at several international grantmaking conferences where we lauded bottom-up solidarity movements instead of the top-down development supported by billionaire philanthropists who think they know the problems & solutions better than the people.
Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about intersectionality or solidarity or people over politics.
June 7, 2024
This was a really fascinating read. It included a history and evolution of solidaristic actions along with real specific sort of “case studies” that helped to illustrate (near)successes and failures in a number of solidaristic actions. A lot of the book focused on how, in the face of systemic and institutionalized injustice, solidarity itself can be systematized and institutionalized. In the face of the huge issues we face as a global society, I get the argument (and found it compelling), even though I also felt a disconnect from all of that because my own work (as a teacher/educator, in particular) isn’t directly engaged in bureaucratic change on a day to day basis. More so, my work is communal and cultural—but the authors give a lot of acknowledgment to how this, too, is important. In other words, if you aren’t directly involved in structural policy work that can make for solidaristic change, cultural work is just as important, because solidarity itself is ultimately structural, cultural, and even spiritual.
July 20, 2024
I like this book. I agree with this book. I liked and agreed with Astra's last book. But for some reason I found Solidarity not very compelling. Maybe I read it during the wrong time of my life or the wrong part of the news cycle. It takes a loooong time to move past a fairly basic history of labor activism before it gets to the actual interesting parts (ie where we go from here) and for a book that's desperately trying to persuade readers to pay attention and care about the people around them that feels like a huge mistake
July 28, 2024
What a great book! This fills a much needed gap in leftist discourse: the roots of solidarity, bringing people together, and realizing that solidarity doesn't mean we all have to act the same or believe the same things. An excellent analysis of capitalism and the other isms that deny humanity the opportunity to live our best lives. Solidarity now, more than ever. Solidarity forever!
Read
September 24, 2024Generally agreed with the authors but didn’t find it a very compelling read.
September 23, 2025
In an age defined by profound inequality, deep social fragmentation, and the mounting crises of climate, democracy, and human connection, Solidarity arrives as both a timely analysis and a call to arms, asking readers not simply to consider the idea of solidarity, but to inhabit it. Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, each with deep roots in organizing, activism, and scholarship, have undertaken a project that is at once historical, philosophical, and profoundly practical: to trace the lineage of solidarity as an ethical principle, a political strategy, and a social practice, and to interrogate what it means to practice it in the modern world.
From the outset, the book situates solidarity in its historical origins, drawing lines from Roman legal concepts to nineteenth-century European social thought. Here, the reader encounters the earliest articulations of a principle that would both bind communities and challenge hierarchies. The authors trace the evolution of solidarity through the social upheavals of the Industrial Revolution, detailing how laborers and early social movements found in collective responsibility and mutual obligation a framework for both survival and transformation. The clarity with which Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor present these historical threads is remarkable: the reader moves from “obligatio in solidum” to Léon Bourgeois and the solidarist thinkers of France with a sense of continuity that underscores both the endurance and adaptability of solidarity as an idea. Yet the authors are careful not to romanticize the past; they situate each development within the power structures and inequalities of its moment, highlighting the tensions inherent in attempting to weave solidarity into societies organized around profit, hierarchy, and exclusion.
Chapter Two, “Us vs. Them,” reframes solidarity in a contemporary register, emphasizing that collective identification and moral alignment are never straightforward. The authors argue, persuasively, that solidarity is not synonymous with unity or consensus; it is not the absence of difference, but the recognition of it in pursuit of a shared purpose. By engaging deeply with movements such as the disability rights movement and contemporary economic justice campaigns, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor illustrate how solidarity emerges in the crucible of conflict, requiring attention to both internal differences and external threats. There is an elegance here in the way the book navigates these complexities: solidarity is presented as simultaneously ethical, strategic, and contingent, a practice that demands conscious cultivation.
The discussion of collective power in Chapter Three, “Power in Numbers,” further situates solidarity as both a social ethic and a political instrument. Here, the book is at its most prescriptive, offering insights into the architecture of movements that effectively translate shared grievance into tangible change. Drawing on examples from labor organizing, Occupy Wall Street, and the Debt Collective, the authors show that identity, vision, and strategy are intertwined; solidarity cannot be summoned by rhetoric alone, nor can it survive without actionable frameworks for engagement. This chapter is both practical and inspirational, urging readers to imagine themselves not as passive consumers of justice, but as participants in the architecture of social transformation. It is in this chapter that the text most palpably demonstrates its contemporary relevance: the theoretical and historical threads woven in earlier chapters find practical expression in strategies that can shape political and social outcomes today.
Yet the book is also unflinching about the obstacles to building solidarity. In “Divide and Conquer,” Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor trace the myriad tactics employed by elites to fragment communities, from historical examples of slavery and colonization to modern corporate and political strategies that exploit fear, competition, and social hierarchies. Here, the book achieves a level of critical sophistication that is rare in activist-oriented texts: it does not merely celebrate solidarity but interrogates the forces arrayed against it, teaching readers that cultivating collective power is as much about understanding opposition as it is about building cohesion. This critical lens is essential; it situates solidarity not as an abstract virtue, but as a site of ongoing struggle, requiring strategy, education, and vigilance.
“The Problem with Charity,” Chapter Five, extends this critical analysis into the terrain of philanthropy and aid. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor argue that conventional models of charity often undermine solidarity by reinforcing dependency and perpetuating hierarchies, even as they provide temporary relief. By contrast, strategic, movement-aligned philanthropy can amplify collective power without compromising autonomy or agency. Through examples such as Solidaire and Way to Win, the authors demonstrate that solidarity is not only a grassroots phenomenon but also a framework for ethically mobilizing resources in support of systemic change. This discussion, while densely argued, is compelling, offering a roadmap for activists and funders alike who wish to navigate the ethical complexities of support and power.
In “A Solidarity State,” the authors extend their argument to governance, imagining a model of the state that embeds solidarity into institutions, policies, and social systems. The chapter challenges conventional liberal welfare models, presenting a vision of participatory governance, equitable rights and duties, and care-oriented policymaking. It is here that the text articulates a bold normative argument: solidarity should be institutionalized, not merely practiced in movements or voluntary networks. By situating the state as a site for cultivating collective responsibility, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor expand the scale of solidarity from the interpersonal and communal to the national and systemic.
Chapter Seven, “Solidarity Beyond Borders,” brings the analysis to a global frame, demonstrating how contemporary crises—climate change, economic inequality, pandemics—demand transnational approaches. Through historical and contemporary examples, from anti-colonial movements to climate justice campaigns, the authors show that solidarity is not only ethical or strategic but also global. The chapter emphasizes accountability, respect for local knowledge, and cross-cultural coalition-building as prerequisites for effective transnational solidarity. Here, the book reminds readers that the challenges of solidarity are both practical and moral: it is not enough to recognize interdependence; one must also negotiate complexity, difference, and power on a planetary scale.
“Solidarity and the Sacred,” Chapter Eight, situates the discussion in moral and cultural terms, arguing that solidarity requires a shared sense of what is valued and revered in society. Drawing on Durkheim and Freire, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor highlight the interplay between ethical commitments, social rituals, and institutional practices. Modern society, they argue, often treats wealth, status, and power as sacred, undermining collective bonds. Transformative solidarity, in contrast, requires cultivating a culture in which mutual responsibility, care, and justice are central. By linking values to practice, the authors demonstrate that solidarity is both existential and practical, an ethic embedded in everyday life as well as movements and institutions.
The conclusion, “The Virtues of Solidarity,” synthesizes the book’s lessons, emphasizing courage, commitment, curiosity, and humility as core qualities necessary to sustain transformative solidarity. Here, the text is at its most reflective, urging readers to integrate the principles of solidarity into their personal, social, and civic lives. It is a call not merely to understand solidarity but to live it, to recognize interdependence, and to act in ways that build long-term, equitable, and just communities.
Overall, Solidarity succeeds in bridging historical scholarship, ethical reflection, and practical guidance. It offers a deeply informed, nuanced, and urgent account of what solidarity has been, what it can be, and how it can be practiced at multiple scales—from neighborhoods to nations to the global community. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor do not offer simplistic solutions; they offer a framework for thought and action, recognizing the tensions, challenges, and potential of collective life. The book is intellectually rigorous yet accessible, historically rich yet forward-looking, and morally compelling without lapsing into abstraction.
For readers willing to engage with its density, Solidarity provides a roadmap for understanding and cultivating one of the most consequential ideas of our time. It challenges, inspires, and equips, offering both an analytical lens and a practical guide for building social, political, and global communities grounded in mutual care and responsibility. While some sections are necessarily dense and the application of these principles can be challenging in practice, the book’s overall impact is profound: it reframes how we think about social bonds, power, and responsibility in the contemporary world.
Rating: 82/100
From the outset, the book situates solidarity in its historical origins, drawing lines from Roman legal concepts to nineteenth-century European social thought. Here, the reader encounters the earliest articulations of a principle that would both bind communities and challenge hierarchies. The authors trace the evolution of solidarity through the social upheavals of the Industrial Revolution, detailing how laborers and early social movements found in collective responsibility and mutual obligation a framework for both survival and transformation. The clarity with which Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor present these historical threads is remarkable: the reader moves from “obligatio in solidum” to Léon Bourgeois and the solidarist thinkers of France with a sense of continuity that underscores both the endurance and adaptability of solidarity as an idea. Yet the authors are careful not to romanticize the past; they situate each development within the power structures and inequalities of its moment, highlighting the tensions inherent in attempting to weave solidarity into societies organized around profit, hierarchy, and exclusion.
Chapter Two, “Us vs. Them,” reframes solidarity in a contemporary register, emphasizing that collective identification and moral alignment are never straightforward. The authors argue, persuasively, that solidarity is not synonymous with unity or consensus; it is not the absence of difference, but the recognition of it in pursuit of a shared purpose. By engaging deeply with movements such as the disability rights movement and contemporary economic justice campaigns, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor illustrate how solidarity emerges in the crucible of conflict, requiring attention to both internal differences and external threats. There is an elegance here in the way the book navigates these complexities: solidarity is presented as simultaneously ethical, strategic, and contingent, a practice that demands conscious cultivation.
The discussion of collective power in Chapter Three, “Power in Numbers,” further situates solidarity as both a social ethic and a political instrument. Here, the book is at its most prescriptive, offering insights into the architecture of movements that effectively translate shared grievance into tangible change. Drawing on examples from labor organizing, Occupy Wall Street, and the Debt Collective, the authors show that identity, vision, and strategy are intertwined; solidarity cannot be summoned by rhetoric alone, nor can it survive without actionable frameworks for engagement. This chapter is both practical and inspirational, urging readers to imagine themselves not as passive consumers of justice, but as participants in the architecture of social transformation. It is in this chapter that the text most palpably demonstrates its contemporary relevance: the theoretical and historical threads woven in earlier chapters find practical expression in strategies that can shape political and social outcomes today.
Yet the book is also unflinching about the obstacles to building solidarity. In “Divide and Conquer,” Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor trace the myriad tactics employed by elites to fragment communities, from historical examples of slavery and colonization to modern corporate and political strategies that exploit fear, competition, and social hierarchies. Here, the book achieves a level of critical sophistication that is rare in activist-oriented texts: it does not merely celebrate solidarity but interrogates the forces arrayed against it, teaching readers that cultivating collective power is as much about understanding opposition as it is about building cohesion. This critical lens is essential; it situates solidarity not as an abstract virtue, but as a site of ongoing struggle, requiring strategy, education, and vigilance.
“The Problem with Charity,” Chapter Five, extends this critical analysis into the terrain of philanthropy and aid. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor argue that conventional models of charity often undermine solidarity by reinforcing dependency and perpetuating hierarchies, even as they provide temporary relief. By contrast, strategic, movement-aligned philanthropy can amplify collective power without compromising autonomy or agency. Through examples such as Solidaire and Way to Win, the authors demonstrate that solidarity is not only a grassroots phenomenon but also a framework for ethically mobilizing resources in support of systemic change. This discussion, while densely argued, is compelling, offering a roadmap for activists and funders alike who wish to navigate the ethical complexities of support and power.
In “A Solidarity State,” the authors extend their argument to governance, imagining a model of the state that embeds solidarity into institutions, policies, and social systems. The chapter challenges conventional liberal welfare models, presenting a vision of participatory governance, equitable rights and duties, and care-oriented policymaking. It is here that the text articulates a bold normative argument: solidarity should be institutionalized, not merely practiced in movements or voluntary networks. By situating the state as a site for cultivating collective responsibility, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor expand the scale of solidarity from the interpersonal and communal to the national and systemic.
Chapter Seven, “Solidarity Beyond Borders,” brings the analysis to a global frame, demonstrating how contemporary crises—climate change, economic inequality, pandemics—demand transnational approaches. Through historical and contemporary examples, from anti-colonial movements to climate justice campaigns, the authors show that solidarity is not only ethical or strategic but also global. The chapter emphasizes accountability, respect for local knowledge, and cross-cultural coalition-building as prerequisites for effective transnational solidarity. Here, the book reminds readers that the challenges of solidarity are both practical and moral: it is not enough to recognize interdependence; one must also negotiate complexity, difference, and power on a planetary scale.
“Solidarity and the Sacred,” Chapter Eight, situates the discussion in moral and cultural terms, arguing that solidarity requires a shared sense of what is valued and revered in society. Drawing on Durkheim and Freire, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor highlight the interplay between ethical commitments, social rituals, and institutional practices. Modern society, they argue, often treats wealth, status, and power as sacred, undermining collective bonds. Transformative solidarity, in contrast, requires cultivating a culture in which mutual responsibility, care, and justice are central. By linking values to practice, the authors demonstrate that solidarity is both existential and practical, an ethic embedded in everyday life as well as movements and institutions.
The conclusion, “The Virtues of Solidarity,” synthesizes the book’s lessons, emphasizing courage, commitment, curiosity, and humility as core qualities necessary to sustain transformative solidarity. Here, the text is at its most reflective, urging readers to integrate the principles of solidarity into their personal, social, and civic lives. It is a call not merely to understand solidarity but to live it, to recognize interdependence, and to act in ways that build long-term, equitable, and just communities.
Overall, Solidarity succeeds in bridging historical scholarship, ethical reflection, and practical guidance. It offers a deeply informed, nuanced, and urgent account of what solidarity has been, what it can be, and how it can be practiced at multiple scales—from neighborhoods to nations to the global community. Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor do not offer simplistic solutions; they offer a framework for thought and action, recognizing the tensions, challenges, and potential of collective life. The book is intellectually rigorous yet accessible, historically rich yet forward-looking, and morally compelling without lapsing into abstraction.
For readers willing to engage with its density, Solidarity provides a roadmap for understanding and cultivating one of the most consequential ideas of our time. It challenges, inspires, and equips, offering both an analytical lens and a practical guide for building social, political, and global communities grounded in mutual care and responsibility. While some sections are necessarily dense and the application of these principles can be challenging in practice, the book’s overall impact is profound: it reframes how we think about social bonds, power, and responsibility in the contemporary world.
Rating: 82/100
December 5, 2023
Reviews for Library Journal; full review can be found
there. This was an ARC.
there. This was an ARC.
Read
March 31, 2024DNF at 35%
I think I’m not smart/ politic savvy enough for this book
I think I’m not smart/ politic savvy enough for this book
April 17, 2024
A must read ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
August 26, 2024
I picked this book up on a whim, and I'm glad I did!
I did overall appreciate this book, I think it was a timely and interesting work that can serve as a great thorough introduction to someone new to radical ideas and ideologies. By charting a wide range of topics, regions, and times, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor try to show the global scope of left wing ideology across the eras in pursuit of a broad strokes understanding of how solidarity has manifested itself globally and how it has been undermined by the ruling class.
My fundamental critique of this book is that I simply must disagree with the repeated attempts to try to explain away how racism and xenophobia undermine solidarity as simply "the ruling class trying to divide the working class". I understand why rhetorically that is appealing, especially to two white authors. But the dark reality and truth is that racism and xenophobia are not solely produced from the ruling class, because they sit at the core of how racial capitalism maintains its hegemony. White workers are not being tricked into supporting racism, most of them know full well that there is a purpose to their racism, to maintain their position within the racial caste hierarchy. It's uncomfortable to admit, because it means that you have to treat white working class racism as not an accident but a material political force that must be challenged and reckoned with, but it is true.
Overall though, this book was fairly accessible, thorough, and detailed, and covered a lot of useful texts and topics that a new leftist would want to follow up on.
I did overall appreciate this book, I think it was a timely and interesting work that can serve as a great thorough introduction to someone new to radical ideas and ideologies. By charting a wide range of topics, regions, and times, Hunt-Hendrix and Taylor try to show the global scope of left wing ideology across the eras in pursuit of a broad strokes understanding of how solidarity has manifested itself globally and how it has been undermined by the ruling class.
My fundamental critique of this book is that I simply must disagree with the repeated attempts to try to explain away how racism and xenophobia undermine solidarity as simply "the ruling class trying to divide the working class". I understand why rhetorically that is appealing, especially to two white authors. But the dark reality and truth is that racism and xenophobia are not solely produced from the ruling class, because they sit at the core of how racial capitalism maintains its hegemony. White workers are not being tricked into supporting racism, most of them know full well that there is a purpose to their racism, to maintain their position within the racial caste hierarchy. It's uncomfortable to admit, because it means that you have to treat white working class racism as not an accident but a material political force that must be challenged and reckoned with, but it is true.
Overall though, this book was fairly accessible, thorough, and detailed, and covered a lot of useful texts and topics that a new leftist would want to follow up on.
June 10, 2024
Very solid and valuable book. Chapter 4 Divide and Conquer should absolutely be used in schools.
Overall, the book references much essential history and literature though the call to action did not feel particularly strong or actionable. Despite being deeply interested in the topic, I was surprised at how much I struggled to identify powerful quotes that could be circulated. The text sometimes undermined itself by too often being self referential instead of generating motivating statements that carry weight.
We understand that some books have dissertations as underlying research, though to really connect with broader non-academic audiences, the voice has to be really engaging. The book relies too much on old philosophy that is somewhat interesting, but likely hard for young, contemporary would-be activist audiences to really be inspired by. The content is overall poetic and thoughtful, with ok rhetoric, but this edition could have used less Durkheim and more of a concrete playbook for actually building movements.
All in all it's a wonderful contribution and I mean to be strategically honest, not negative. Cheers to the authors and I hope to see you in the streets.
Overall, the book references much essential history and literature though the call to action did not feel particularly strong or actionable. Despite being deeply interested in the topic, I was surprised at how much I struggled to identify powerful quotes that could be circulated. The text sometimes undermined itself by too often being self referential instead of generating motivating statements that carry weight.
We understand that some books have dissertations as underlying research, though to really connect with broader non-academic audiences, the voice has to be really engaging. The book relies too much on old philosophy that is somewhat interesting, but likely hard for young, contemporary would-be activist audiences to really be inspired by. The content is overall poetic and thoughtful, with ok rhetoric, but this edition could have used less Durkheim and more of a concrete playbook for actually building movements.
All in all it's a wonderful contribution and I mean to be strategically honest, not negative. Cheers to the authors and I hope to see you in the streets.
December 22, 2025
Leaning between 4 and 5 stars but will round up as I appreciated the overall framework applied in this book, ie using the concept of solidarity to examine a wide array of different issues and case studies. That really worked for me. Where I had some minor critique is that it often slid into what felt like the authors just running through a bunch of problems and complaints about society and capitalism in a way that felt unneeded and redundant. I would have preferred they spent less time explaining, for instance, why the IMF is bad (something most readers of this probably already understand) and more time showing positive role models and explains of solidarity in action. There was a lot of “this thing could have been good but capitalism ruined it” which may be true and I certainly agree with but I have to wonder who they think is reading this that would need convincing. All that aside, great book with tons of useful and thoughtful insight.
December 3, 2024
According to the Goodreads review, the book is supposed to be a philosophical review of solidarity, emphasizing interdependency and cooperation among society members. However, the book’s introduction seems to equate the ideal of solidarity with progressive visions such as the New Deal and today’s equity movement and pit it against the liberal views of individualism and free market competition. As such, I don’t expect the book to provide an unbiased assessment at the philosophical level. Therefore, I stopped reading.
May 18, 2025
It is an interesting book and is grounded in an idea of equality and reciprocity in the present world. The book propounds the idea of transformative solidarity. It aims to upend the oppressive structures by emphasising commonalities while simultaneously prioritising the voice of those who are often sidelined and silenced
March 25, 2024
An absolutely essential read for this moment. I'm going to be sharing this book far and wide-- with friends, fellow organizers, people with whom I'm already in community and people with whom I dream of being in community.
Read
May 13, 2024My review: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMvjrQLb/
May 16, 2024
“Irreversible climate change”: book cover illustrates photo of torus lol the irony!
Want to read
May 19, 2024DMPL. EXAMINED 2024_05.
Background for critical librarianship?
Background for critical librarianship?
May 26, 2024
Super dense book but SO well researched. We are all in this together 💕
May 29, 2024
Good overview.
October 3, 2024
Can you imagine being known for the Doctrine of Solidarity as the Twentieth Century has begun but your last name is Bourgeois? LOL.
February 25, 2025
A stirring survey: "We must become mad about solidarity just as the martyrs became mad about Christ."
October 11, 2024
First of all, this book has two authors, and Goodreads doesn't credit Astra Taylor, which I hope they will fix.
As the authors repeatedly point out, solidarity is an under-examined concept, with surprisingly little academic work around it. They seem to do an excellent job of probing what there is, pulling concepts together, and sorting out various historical and current trends. They are also quite clear about the obstacles facing a real solidarity economy/social order, although they (like most social change authors) tend to gloss over just how hard the work will be to get us there.
I especially appreciated the international chapter, which hammers on the importance of local movements connecting around the globe.
Worth reading for anyone deeply interested in the topic.
As the authors repeatedly point out, solidarity is an under-examined concept, with surprisingly little academic work around it. They seem to do an excellent job of probing what there is, pulling concepts together, and sorting out various historical and current trends. They are also quite clear about the obstacles facing a real solidarity economy/social order, although they (like most social change authors) tend to gloss over just how hard the work will be to get us there.
I especially appreciated the international chapter, which hammers on the importance of local movements connecting around the globe.
Worth reading for anyone deeply interested in the topic.
August 5, 2024
Really good!!! Explains so much about the world.
June 11, 2024
This book argues that solidarity is the key concept for winning the progress social movements need in the coming decades, and define solidary as coalition-in-difference.
It's a fine concept, not I think as revolutionary or unknown as they suggest. They do a decent job of teasing out the main strengths and weaknesses, the history of the idea and its prior successes. They are, in most respects, correct in the basic analysis. In their view, solidarity requires justice, hospitality (I would call it generosity), commitment, courage, humility and curiosity.
I do not agree with their view that we need an "us vs. them" framing -- I believe that as soon as you take that route you commit yourself to the very division you're opposing, and the "them" that believes in separation and difference basically wins. They also use flawed arguments at times (for example, comparing the failures of a single protest or tactic by one movement unfavourably to another successful movement over several decades -- no movement wins or loses by a single protest or tactic and the comparison is disingenuous). And, possibly because one of the co-authors is a wealthy heiress and philanthropist, they spend a truly ungodly amount of time arguing about how important wealthy philanthropists with the right ideals are for progressive movements, in my view not very convincingly.
It's a good read if you're looking for an easy-to-read primer on some political concepts that are more hopeful than the increasingly dogmatic and divisive approach often taken today in progressive circles, particularly online, and I'd recommend it.
It's a fine concept, not I think as revolutionary or unknown as they suggest. They do a decent job of teasing out the main strengths and weaknesses, the history of the idea and its prior successes. They are, in most respects, correct in the basic analysis. In their view, solidarity requires justice, hospitality (I would call it generosity), commitment, courage, humility and curiosity.
I do not agree with their view that we need an "us vs. them" framing -- I believe that as soon as you take that route you commit yourself to the very division you're opposing, and the "them" that believes in separation and difference basically wins. They also use flawed arguments at times (for example, comparing the failures of a single protest or tactic by one movement unfavourably to another successful movement over several decades -- no movement wins or loses by a single protest or tactic and the comparison is disingenuous). And, possibly because one of the co-authors is a wealthy heiress and philanthropist, they spend a truly ungodly amount of time arguing about how important wealthy philanthropists with the right ideals are for progressive movements, in my view not very convincingly.
It's a good read if you're looking for an easy-to-read primer on some political concepts that are more hopeful than the increasingly dogmatic and divisive approach often taken today in progressive circles, particularly online, and I'd recommend it.
March 11, 2024
*4.25
Solidarity is something that is used a lot but it's something that people don't fully understand. Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor do a fantastic job breaking down what solidarity is, how it breaks down, and what we need to do to cultivate it. Solidarity was one of my anticipating reads and I wasn't disappointed! I highly recommend this to anyone involved in political organizing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Solidarity is something that is used a lot but it's something that people don't fully understand. Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor do a fantastic job breaking down what solidarity is, how it breaks down, and what we need to do to cultivate it. Solidarity was one of my anticipating reads and I wasn't disappointed! I highly recommend this to anyone involved in political organizing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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