Europe & Solidarity
Solidarity is taking action together for a common goal. We recognise human vulnerability in another person and support each other in a sense of belonging and connection.
Local, national or international level
Solidarity is implemented at different levels and to different degrees. It can be very local, at school or in the youth movement, or at the highest political echelons in Flanders, Belgium and Europe. Solidarity can focus on members within a particular community, extend to all inhabitants of a country, or cross borders.
Historically, solidarity was anchored at the level of the nation-state. Countries decide for themselves how they interpret and organise the concept. The country provides structures, rights and duties for its own inhabitants.
Is this concept still appropriate in a world of global inequality and migration flows? Many of today’s challenges do not cease to exist at a national border. Everyone on the planet faces them. Consider the climate issue, the COVID crisis and the 2008 financial crisis. Global problems require a cross-border approach.
The European Union
The European Union project attempts to provide an answer to these challenges. Membership leads to dependence on each other’s market and public goods. Member states therefore have every interest in showing solidarity among themselves. But there is still a lot of work to be done.
European coordination and connection to other solidarity networks can be improved. This applies as well to the expansion of the market, and healthcare and social security could also be aligned better.
UCSIA and social justice
At UCSIA, we develop real projects that promote solidarity, in accordance with the Jesuits’ mission for social justice. For Jesuit David Hollenbach sj, social justice is virtually synonymous to solidarity: ensuring minimum human rights, reciprocity and inclusive participation in social life.
We are committed to:
- Exchanging knowledge with lecturers and students from the University of Antwerp and international academic partners
- Collaboration with actors involved in social change
- Providing training for ‘change agents’
3 Domains
In particular, we focus on urgent themes and ‘wicked problems’ in three areas: European humanism, socio- economic policy and global social justice issues.
European humanism
We organise lectures and trainings for students and the broad public on the meaning of solidarity and the role of values.
How can we reframe our European ideas of humanity and rights into something universal? And in return, how do we step into dialogue with what other traditions think about justice?
For example, how do these ideas translate into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and European colonial history? What can we learn from this about social justice for today’s world?
Socio-economic policy
We organise seminars and conferences for policy and practice on socio-economic strategies for European solidarity.
What is the role of the European Union in the battle for social justice? Should Europe primarily support member states in their own social policies? Or does it take matters into its own hands with an overarching European policy?
The European Union is currently sailing an in-between course with a variety of social, fiscal and monetary policy mechanisms. The question that arises is: do these measures actually strengthen mutual solidarity?
Global issues
We organise expert seminars and international workshops for researchers and professionals on global issues such as peace and conflict, migration, climate change, food and agriculture, …
Global issues require a global approach. How can we give the global community a voice in the debates? Which players are involved in global justice? What is their role and influence? Are today’s systems efficient?
In the field of migration, the challenge lies in finding mutual benefits – local or global – to overcome the dilemma between open and closed borders, and the tension between brain drain and local development. Within this domain, Europe is not just one of the players, but the most important one.
The same challenge presents itself in the area of peace and conflict. Analysts and practitioners explore which role Europe can play in this regard.
The same goes for the topic ‘climate, democracy and social justice’ covered in the ‘Economy and Ethics’ theme.
Events
Discover all workshops, conferences, lectures and webinars!
