In a previous post, Janet raised questions about how solidarity might spontaneously arise during the pandemic to challenge anti-Asian racism. Drawing on Arendt and Dean, Janet emphasizes that responsibility to others, rather than feelings of affection or good will, must be central in a conception of solidarity. I have also drawn attention to the need for a relational account of solidarity in relation to public health ethics. In the past month, the spontaneity of solidarity seems to have … [Read more...]
Spontaneous solidarity – a new way forward?
What does solidarity mean? This is a question I’ve been grappling with since the pandemic started. It might be a strange topic to be thinking about, given that a lot of people are concerned with public health and vaccines, but I think their questions and mine are related. Think about it this way: aren’t the lockdown measures a symbol of solidarity? By complying with the stay-at-home orders, we’re demonstrating solidarity with the sick and vulnerable, friends and colleagues, our family, and even … [Read more...]
A state of unwelcome
It was chilling to read about Texas Governor Greg Abbott's statement that Texas would not resettle refugees in 2020. In recent years, Texas has been the state to resettle the largest number of refugees. Echoes of Arendt's Origins of Totalitarianism The Governor's decision reminds me of Hannah Arendt's discussion of the decline of the nation-state in the Origins of Totalitarianism. The phenomenon of statelessness tested the limits of national sovereignty. Some states stripped their unwanted … [Read more...]
Even more sabbatical downtime
My final few weeks in New York were frantic. I submitted a paper for review, began to think about Winter syllabi, and finished (mostly) the massive pile of books I had checked out from the library. But, I managed to have some downtime too. Challenging borders I attended a few events at Where No Wall Remains, the 2019 biennial Live Arts Bard festival at the Fisher Center for the Arts. I like the intellectual grounding of the festival. Artists submit items for inclusion in the festival syllabus, … [Read more...]
Introducing “At Home with Arendt,” a new blog series
Welcome to “At Home with Arendt,” a special series that explores questions of home and belonging. I welcome my collaborators in sharing this digital space: Dr. Rita A. Gardiner, an Assistant Professor in Critical Policy, Equity, and Leadership Studies (CPELS) in the Faculty of Education at Western University Harshita Jaiprakash, a PhD student in CPELS at Western Janet Jones, a PhD student in Applied Philosophy at the University of Waterloo Together, the four of us will … [Read more...]