Minorities and Philosophy: Robin Zheng

What is the right way to bring about a just society? Ruptural strategies for social transformation anticipate a moment of sharp confrontation between conflicting interests that will culminate in a decisive, system-wide break with current social practice. Interstitial strategies aim to develop new practices within resistant spaces of the existing system, which are meant to eventually transform and replace the whole. Symbiotic strategies identify areas of compromise that solve problems for the dominant classes while improving the welfare of the oppressed. In this talk I argue that we should be pluralists about strategy. I defend a model of solidaristic pluralism that is responsive to the dialectical tensions inherent in social change. Solidaristic pluralism allows diverse movements to exercise significant autonomy, while maintaining the power of solidarity that is necessary for effecting transformative change.