Physical co-presence in shared urban spaces enables worker solidarity among food couriers.

Evidence

The success of Italian couriers’ mobilizations has been attributed in part to their capacity to occupy and appropriate public squares, where they wait for client orders, but which also provide opportunities for person-to-person encounters. Hence, public squares have been considered a core condition for the development of collective solidarity and identification framing among couriers. And indeed: The workforce being present in these spaces facilitated the organizing work of the most politically committed couriers, who were able to meet and get to know new colleagues and to promote their agenda of political involvement and socialization. Simply by socializing and sharing drinks and meals in the squares, the workforce developed a common sense of belonging along the way—a crucial precondition for organizing no matter which kind of political action. — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds, 64

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Italian food couriers build solidarity through informal collectives and a politicized class identity — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds: Solidarity…, 71; Conference location functions as physical solidarity with a host community’s struggle — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental…, 620; Shared identity in crowds produces solidarity and expected mutual support. — John Drury, The role of social identity processes…, 104 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Italian food couriers build solidarity through informal collectives and a politicized class identity #exemplifies (0.85) — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds, 71
• Shared identity in crowds produces solidarity and expected mutual support. #corroborates (0.82) — John Drury, The role of social identity processes…, 104
• Enforced physical proximity to strangers generates mutual consideration #corroborates (0.80) — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 449
• Shared world-making requires joint attention in physical co-presence #expands (0.80)
• Conference location functions as physical solidarity with a host community’s struggle #expands (0.78) — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up, 620
• Platform work’s effect on solidarity depends on labour-organization specifics, not platform work itself #complicates (0.76) — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds, 10
• Sectoral union embeddedness, not platform work per se, shapes worker identity and mobilization #complicates (0.75) — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds, 120
• Occupational and status differences structurally restrict urban acquaintanceship #complicates (0.74)
• Solidarity among workers is constructed through shared struggle rather than pre-existing. #qualifies (0.72) — Donatella della Porta et al., Mobilizing Against the Odds, 31