Sanctioned Identities: Navigating the Paradox and Myth of Solidarity

Solidarity is a widely accepted prosocial concept that illustrates social cohesion and unity. Such cohesion often speaks to commonages that bring us together to live in harmony with each other. While conceptually this ideal is attractive, it fails to consider that unity can also manifest in antisocial activities as evident in discriminating and dehumanising activities around the world. The exclusively prosocial conception of solidarity glosses over the complexities of solidarity in the harsh reality of lived experience. This represents the paradox of solidarity wherein unity can be grounded in both good and bad intent. Moreover, the overextension of solidarity risks turning it into a myth. Overall, the ideal of solidarity is submerged in the theory-praxis gap so that the ideal of solidarity is missing in the relational entanglements of humanity.