Power and solidarity in Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology
E. Magrì
Thesis Eleven August 26, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/07255136261480129 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Argues that Merleau-Ponty reconfigures power as the crystallization of social interest that connects individuals and groups despite differences in their social and political membership, and proposes that solidarity be reconsidered as the power to institute a different sense of reality from the shared experience of work and oppression. The author illustrates the contingency of solidarity with the social struggle that led to Italian law 199/2016 against the exploitation of undocumented workers. |
Abstract
This contribution explores power and solidarity in Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, bringing together his reflections on the social world in Phenomenology of Perception with his appraisal of sociology and Marxism in Signs and Adventures of the Dialectic . I argue that Merleau-Ponty reconfigures power as the crystallization of social interest that connects individuals and groups despite the differences in their social and political membership. This paves the way for a reconsideration of solidarity as the power to institute a different sense of reality from the shared experience of work and oppression. I conclude with an illustration of the contingency of solidarity in connection with the social struggle that led to the Italian law 199/2016 against the exploitation of undocumented workers.
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