A Hermeneutical Account of Social Distance as a Form of Negative Solidarity. Exploring the Peculiar Case of “Coronationalism”

Abstract

The overarching aim of this contribution is to make a hermeneutical account of social distance as a form of negative solidarity. This scope brings forth two guiding questions worth considering: 1. How does a collective solidarity narrative that supports inward security influence the execution of restrictive measures such as social distancing? 2. Does a collective solidarity narrative merely focus on prescribing social distance as a universal normative measure or does it involve other sociopolitical narratives that can cause negative solidarity? In order to answer these questions, I focus on the adverse effects that a flawed collective solidarity narrative can cause in respect to social cohesion. In the sociopolitical sense, I focus on the peculiar case of nationalist politics known as coronationalism. In order to reach this aim, I expound upon various insights found in the hermeneutic tradition, as well as draw from other sources that involve the fields of social ontology and phenomenology.

Keywords

• collective solidarity
• negative solidarity
• social distancing
• coronationalism