Avital Ronell is a renowned American academic with a distinguished career spanning multiple disciplines, including continental philosophy, literary studies, psychoanalysis, political philosophy, and ethics. Her academic pursuits have led her to hold esteemed positions in the humanities and in the departments of Germanic languages and literature and comparative literature at New York University, where she is a respected professor. In addition to her work at NYU, Ronell also teaches at the prestigious European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, as the Jacques Derrida Professor of Philosophy.
Born in Prague to Israeli diplomats, Ronell's early life was marked by international intrigue and diplomatic circles. Before embarking on her academic career, she was a performance artist, showcasing her creative talents on various stages. In 1956, she made the bold decision to emigrate to New York, where she would eventually establish herself as a leading scholar in her field.
However, Ronell's academic career was marred by controversy in 2018, when an eleven-month investigation conducted by New York University revealed that she had sexually harassed a male graduate student. As a result, the university suspended her without pay for the 2018-2019 academic year, a decision that sent shockwaves through the academic community. Despite this setback, Ronell's contributions to the world of academia remain significant, and her work continues to influence scholars and thinkers across the globe.
