SOLIDARITY IN ACTION: A CO-DESIGNED SPECIAL ISSUE WITH BRAZILIAN AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to offer a template for colleagues who wish to seize the opportunity to work together across nationalities to interrogate solidarity. In this Special Issue, twenty-two researchers (nine Brazilians and thirteen international) worked in six small groups for two years to write about their experiences with collaborative practices. Drawing on Freire’s concept of solidarity, the editors shared the steps of the co-design process as well as their views which resulted in three themes: (a) the need of heightening the exposure of the Brazilian academic community; (b) our collective care about language and communication; and (c) how in leading this project we rethought ourselves in different ways. We argue that the template of the co-designed Special Issue should be grounded on solidarity when utilised by colleagues in other countries. It is a solidarity based on sharing the struggle to change social inequalities with people and the will to give and rethink ourselves.