Global internationalism: An introduction

ABSTRACT Internationalism is a very broad concept that can have several meanings and has a long history. Two conceptions of internationalism can be distinguished, a strong and a weak one. There are different types and forms of international solidarity. It can be understood as part of a politicization process in which identities are built and reconfigured as a result of political struggle and combines altruistic motives and mutual interest. International solidarity can be associated with the concept of translation used among other author by Gramsci. This special issue of Labor History aims to discuss internationalism, with a special emphasis on labor internationalism, blending historical and present-day analysis. ‘Internationalism’ is not a term commonly used in contemporary political discussion. As a virtue, it has a strong political and strategic meaning and internationalism, transnationalism and also terms such as global justice or global solidarity should not necessarily be considered as mutually exclusive.