What I Talk About When I Talk About Solidarity

Abstract

This text examines the pervasive yet ambiguous concept of solidarity, arguing that its contemporary usage is marked by semantic blurring and ideological appropriation. Tracing its origins from a precise Roman legal term (in solidum) to a French revolutionary ideal and a sociological fact, the analysis reveals solidarity as an “essentially contested concept.” Its meaning oscillates between describing interdependence and prescribing moral obligation. To rescue it from becoming an empty platitude, the article proposes a multidisciplinary methodological approach, combining intellectual, conceptual, and contextual history to unravel its complex genealogy and restore its substantive power for addressing modern social challenges.