Solidarity Not Charity: Mutual Aid for Mobilization and Survival

Item Type Journal Article Author Dean Spade URL https://doi.org/10.1215/01642472-7971139 Volume 38 Issue 1 (142) Pages 131-151 Publication Social Text ISSN 0164-2472 Date 2020-03-01 Journal Abbr Social Text DOI 10.1215/01642472-7971139 Accessed 2025-02-19 04:37:54 Library Catalog Silverchair Abstract This article argues that, in the face of worsening conditions from climate change, enhanced border enforcement, a growing wealth gap, housing crises, and policing, social movements should focus on expanding mutual aid strategies. Mutual aid projects directly address survival needs, mobilize large numbers of people to participate in movements actively rather than solely participating online or through voting, and offer spaces to practice new social relations. The article looks at examples from efforts for migrant justice, police and prison abolition, disaster relief, and other contemporary struggles and discusses potential pitfalls of mutual aid strategies, such as supplementing and therefore stabilizing existing systems of maldistribution and adopting principles and practices from the charity frameworks that proliferate in capitalism. Short Title Solidarity Not Charity