Hierarchies of solidarity

Abstract

Breakfast & Discussion with சிந்துஜன் வரதராஜா (Sinthujan Varatharajah) & (Moshtari Hilal) مشترى هلال, moderated by Jonas von Lenthe

How does solidarity emerge? When are political alliances formed beyond differences, and why do certain struggles seem to garner more solidarity than others? What constitutes solidarity work, and what contradictions, interests and strategies shape it?

Taking their book Hierarchies of Solidarity (Wirklichkeit Books 2024) as departure point, சிந்துஜன் வரதராஜா (Sinthujan Varatharajah) and مشترى هلال (Moshtari Hilal) jointly reflect on a practice that, as an act against oppression, manifests itself in both seemingly small, everyday gestures and global political contexts. The conversation traces the racist structures of the discourse landscape and offers alternative ways of understanding solidarity. The discussion is moderated by Jonas von Lenthe, editor of Hierarchies of Solidarity and publisher at Wirklichkeit Books.

சிிந்துஜன் வரதராஜா (Sinthujan Varatharajah) is a researcher and essayist based in Berlin. Having studied political geography, they now work on the subjects of statelessness, mobilities and anti-colonial resistance with a special focus on infra structures, logistics and building cultures. வரதராஜா is embedded within the Eelam Tamil liberation movement and has worked for various human and asylum rights organisations in London and Berlin over the Years. Their nonfiction book an alle orte, die hinter uns liegen (to all places that lie behind us) was published by Hanser Verlag in September 2022.

(Moshtari Hilal) مشترى هلال is an artist, researcher and curator who lives in Hamburg. She is a cofounder of the collective AVAH (Afghan Visual Arts and History) and the research project CCC (Curating Through Conflict with Care). In her work, which encompasses both artistic and discursive formats, she is concerned with beauty, ugliness, shame and power. Hilal studied Islamic Studies with a focus on gender, decolonial studies and Cultural Studies in Hamburg, Berlin and London. Her debut novel Hässlichkeit (Ugliness) was published by Hanser Verlag in September 2023.