Solidarity for social justice is a nonpartisan framework for journalism.
In the United States, dominant news outlets often focus on partisanship. Using categories like “Democrats” and “Republicans,” emphasizing partisan divides, and focusing on the party affiliations of individuals with institutional power are common practices in news reporting.
Solidarity journalism does not classify people or issues using partisan logic, nor does it fixate on partisan conflicts. Instead, solidarity journalism represents what is happening on the ground by focusing on shared conditions that undermine people’s basic dignity.
These shared conditions are not “single-party issues,” nor are they easily attributed to a particular party holding power. For example, consider homelessness in the United States: both President Ronald Reagan and President Joe Biden saw soaring homelessness rates under their presidential terms. Solidarity journalism investigates the systemic reasons and remedies for homelessness, according to people subjected to it, rather than primarily reporting what Republicans and Democrats in power say about homelessness.
While the party in power can worsen, ease, or address the structural conditions that place people’s basic dignity at stake, social justice issues almost always endure beyond the span of a presidential term or legislative session. Social justice issues don’t discriminate: they affect people of all political views and affiliations. Solidarity journalism reports this reality truthfully.
Why doesn’t solidarity journalism focus on partisanship?
Throughout U.S. history and in contemporary times, political parties have had various notions of what social justice means, and have made strategic use (and misuse) of the term. While some politicians and political activists vehemently reject the phrase “social justice” and others enthusiastically embrace it, all political actors tend to promise that they will stand up for their supporters’ basic dignity. Who they define as their supporters, what they mean by basic dignity, and whether they deliver on their promises after winning elections is never a foregone conclusion – nor is it the primary focus of solidarity journalism.
Solidarity journalism is not focused on partisanship because such a focus risks diverting attention away from addressing the roots of systemic issues. Unlike journalism that focuses on identifying and holding an individual “bad apple” in government accountable, solidarity journalism seeks to hold an unjust system accountable for perpetuating dehumanizing conditions.
Instead of seeking to advance a political party’s interests or a politician’s pursuit of power, solidarity reporting prioritizes the insights and needs of people who are marginalized under the status quo.
Marginalized people are subjected to conditions that place their basic dignity at stake. Examples include human needs for survival such as housing, food, clean water, clean air, healthcare, and public safety, to name a few.
How does solidarity journalism serve the public and not political parties?
Solidarity reporting moves away from amplifying accusations, speculation, and drama – common cornerstones of partisan reporting. Instead, solidarity reporting investigates from the ground up. This means starting with people who struggle for basic survival, finding out why they struggle, and investigating what they need – and why they don’t have it.
Dating back to the 1800s in the United States, solidarity reporting has endured far longer than any partisan platform or any individual’s political career. In a best-case scenario, leaders of political parties may decide to work to align themselves with solidarity for social justice, but solidarity for social justice is never beholden to a political party or politician. Solidarity journalism serves the public by putting vulnerable people first.
For examples of solidarity reporting, check out: https://mediaengagement.org/examples-of-solidarity-reporting/
This resource is based on peer-reviewed research and a public-facing workshop, available here:
- https://mediaengagement.org/solidarity-journalism-academic-research
- https://mediaengagement.org/blogs/solidarity-reporting-beyond-the-latino-vote-and-the-arab-vote/
If you would like PDFs of any of the scholarship linked above, please email anita.varma@austin.utexas.edu.