Nancy Fraser: Germany Canceled Me for Supporting Palestine
Cologne University has canceled philosopher Nancy Fraser’s planned visiting professorship after learning she signed a pro-Palestine letter. In her first interview after the cancellation, Fraser says she won't let Germany stop her from standing up for Palestine.
Nancy Fraser speaking in 2008. (Wikimedia Commons)
Renowned philosopher Nancy Fraser was set to grace the Albertus Magnus professorship at the University of Cologne this May. But at the end of last week, she was abruptly disinvited by the university’s rector, Joybrato Mukherjee, for signing a pro-Palestinian solidarity letter last fall. In this interview with Hanno Hauenstein, Fraser speaks out for the first time.
Hanno Hauenstein
The University of Cologne disinvited you from the Albertus Magnus professorship. What was it supposed to involve?
Nancy Fraser
The professorship involved a visit of several days and public lectures under the auspices of a program supposed to be devoted to open exchange. I decided to give lectures from my current book project on the three faces of labor in capitalist society, a topic that had nothing directly to do with Israel or Palestine. I had gone ahead and worked hard to write these lectures. I also bought an expensive plane ticket, by the way.
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