‘M’hemmx aħna u huma.’ A feminist pedagogy of activist solidarity

Keywords: Solidarity, Feminist Pedagogy, Urban Geography, Political Activism, Embodied Education
Abstract Type: Virtual Paper Abstract

Abstract

Whilst people were gathering on the streets of Malta’s capital, Valletta, the powerful chant of ‘M’hemmx aħna u huma’ (“There is no us and them”), filled the air and was followed by a loud, resounding ‘There is only us.’ Protestors with big signs, drums, whistles, and speakers marched through the busy and humid streets of the city, forming a long line of protesting bodies. The sounds of singing, drumming, and chanting echoed through the city’s architecture and embodied resistance to the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ divide that characterises institutional racism in the country. However, the notion of ‘us’ as ‘the people’ is often contested, and solidarities can be competing with one another.

So how does this notion of ‘the people’ relate to solidarity in urban activist spaces? And how is solidarity educated in activist assemblies? In this presentation, I will explore how the notion of ‘us’ as ‘the people’ and its role in solidarity emerge within urban activist spaces. Drawing from my ethnographic research and feminist activist pedagogies, such as those of bell hooks and Judith Butler, I will consider the role of performance and enactment, conflict and confrontation in forming solidarities. Rather than leading to despair or paralysis, I will suggest that this should be seen as an essential part of the messy, affective, and embodied work of activist solidarity. By doing so, I hope to further our understanding of how we can sustain activist communities and solidarities in an ever-changing political climate.