Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has written a new book, 'Solidarity: The Work', which challenges the superficial use of the term on social media. He argues that true solidarity requires acknowledging both our separateness from others and our innate social bonds, demanding time and emotional labour rather than mere online gestures.
Williams criticises the modern concept of human rights as individual entitlements, which can lead to conflicting absolutes such as debates over free speech. Instead, he advocates for a moral interdependence that balances rights with obligations, drawing on thinkers like Jan Patočka to propose a 'solidarity of the shaken' rooted in shared vulnerability.
The book offers few practical examples, focusing instead on theoretical exploration of 20th-century religious figures such as Edith Stein and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Williams suggests that solidarity requires ceremonial expression, citing South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an example, but largely avoids discussing historical social movements.
While the prose is dense and abstract, the book is described as humane and heartening. Williams concludes that solidarity should not assure us of our innocence but reveal our implication in global inequalities, fostering a shared flawed humanity.
