ABSTRACT
Having thoroughly examined the “theoretically irreducible” moral and epistemic dilemmas that are characteristic of contemporary allyship, this chapter examines the “strategies” by which such dilemmas become “practically reducible.” Through a set of shared mitigating factors and practices, allies, to varying degrees of effectiveness, alter the terms of their dilemmas such that they can be prevented, weakened, or even partly resolved. These strategies of mitigation are analyzed under three categories: (1) interactive mitigation, in which social interactions are managed in self-protective ways; (2) cognitive mitigation, in which ideology and identity combine to pressure conformance to allyship norms and truths; and (3) affiliative mitigation, in which one's relationships and other social connections mediate dilemmas and provide safe, alternative spaces for the development of ally identity.
