International Solidarity: A Realist View

In this paper I argue that by relying on either of two essentially moralized ways of conceptualizing solidarity (namely ‘solidarity among’ and ‘solidarity with’), current theorizing on international solidarity tends to ‘overlook’ inherently political forms and instances of solidarity (as, for instance, in the so called ‘refugee crisis’). However, as I try to show, a third conception of solidarity, which is informed by a realist view of politics, can cover this blind spot. On this conception, acts of supporting others do not have to be analysed with reference to a given notion of community or fixed values, but may be identified as a form of political engagement which is precisely about questioning existing notions of membership and communal obligations as well as dominant interpretations of values (such as liberty, equality, or human rights) and the political implications drawn from them. Apart from expanding the theoretical tools for analysing (international) solidarity, this importantly also offers a helpful perspective on the debate between moralists and realists (in international political theory). While this debate is still mostly held on a predominantly theoretical level, looking at ‘moralist’ and ‘realist’ conceptions of solidarity gives us a much better idea of what the respective differences amount to on a more practical level.