Friends in Common

Friendship is full of revolutionary potential in the face of a profoundly anti-social capitalist system. Friends in Common explores friendship as a radical practice, capable of upending hierarchies and producing social change. Friendship can transcend social boundaries and political borders. It is vital in building communities and underpinning solidarity. But its transformative potency ensures that it is heavily policed and restrained by the state. Understanding the radical possibilities of friendship can help us rethink our approach to family, work and politics, and show us new routes to resistance and ways to open up spaces of solidarity and escape. The dissonance created by comparing societal expectations around friendship and a lonely reality, especially in the wake of an isolating global pandemic, is deeply alienating. Friends in Common shows that friendship as a political practice is foundational to strengthening revolutionary ideas and projects, and is the antidote to capitalist despair.

"I've been waiting for this book for years - a beautifully written, compelling study of the significance of the dense bonds of friendship in fostering and preserving progressive politics. A joyful, empowering read" - Lynne Segal, author of Lean on Me "A moving exploration of the importance and the difficulty of forging intimate relationships within capitalism" - Hannah Proctor, author of Burnout Friendship is full of revolutionary potential in the face of a profoundly anti-social capitalist system. Friends in Common explores friendship as a radical practice, capable of upending hierarchies and producing social change. Friendship can transcend social boundaries and political borders. It is vital in building communities and underpinning solidarity. But its transformative potency ensures that it is heavily policed and restrained by the state. Understanding the radical possibilities of friendship can help us rethink our approach to family, work and politics, and show us new routes to resistance and ways to open up spaces of solidarity and escape. Friends in Common shows that friendship as a political practice is foundational to strengthening revolutionary ideas and projects, and can be the antidote to capitalist despair. Laura C. Forster is a historian and writer based in Newcastle. She is a lecturer in Modern History at the University of York, and has written for Tribune , ROAR and DOPE . Joel White is a writer and researcher based in Glasgow. His writing has appeared in the Guardian , Wire and Tribune . He co-runs the record label GLARC.