On standpoint epistemology: I do think that ones own position socio-economically is a strong influence on ones own positions. Class analysis presents a framework in which these standpoints are made manifest wrt production but there are lots of other ways in which one might be more sensitive to structures of domination which are not obviously or directly exonomic in origin. However, humans *are* capable of both empathy and abstraction which yields us the capacity to generalize our notions of fairness and emancipation and to recognise the conditions of others who are also subaltern. My favourite concept of solidarity is in the extension of mass collective power to potentiate further more generalized links with others in struggle. Our focus as progressives should be on the ability to provide alter systemics through collectivities that can obviate the ones that currently exist. These may be immediate and practical but should also be ambitious and long term. This is not an economism - it is born out of the understanding that to make meaningful change we must grab at the root - and production and reproduction is the root of all permanent change which does not merely accommodate.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 19:53:25 +0000
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