Boycott Israel Backer Judith Butler Pulls Out of Jewish Museum Appearance
Prof 'Withdraws'
Talk on Franz Kafka Cancelled
By Michael Kaplan
Published February 20, 2014
Judith Butler
The Jewish Museum in New York has scrapped a talk that included a planned appearance by Israel critic Judith Butler after Butler pulled out of the event amid pressure from supporters of the Jewish state.
“I cancelled the event,” Butler told the Forward in an email.
Judith ButlerButler was set to speak at an event about the late existentialist artist, Franz Kafka. But many supporters of Israel took issue with the museumÂ’s decision to invite the controversial literary studies professor, given her strongly critical views on Israel and her support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction Movement.
“While her political views were not a factor in her participation, the debates about her politics have become a distraction making it impossible to present the conversation about Kafka as intended,” the museum said in a statement.
Butler is a professor of comparative literature and critical theory at the University of California, Berkeley and also holds positions at Columbia University and the European Graduate School.
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