Professor Watchlist

Wendy Belcher is a Professor of African Literature with a joint appointment in the Princeton University Department of Comparative Literature and the Department for African American Studies. 

Belcher’s university profile states: 

“Working at the intersection of diaspora, postcolonial, medieval, and early modern studies, she has a special interest in the literatures of Ethiopia and Ghana and is working to bring attention to early African literature (written between 1300 and 1900), particularly that in African languages, through her research and translation.”

In April 2024, Belcher signed a “Statement of solidarity with Columbia University students from Princeton faculty and staff.” The statement came after student protestors established a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on the lawns of Columbia University, disrupting campus operations, sparking safety concerns, and causing classes to be held remotely for the remainder of the semester. 

The statement begins: 

“We, Princeton University faculty and staff, affirm our solidarity with and support for the Columbia University and Barnard College students who are continuing to demand that the university divest from Israel’s genocide in Gaza and ongoing occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and other Palestinian land.” 

The signatories have committed to boycotting Columbia University and Barnard College until several demands are met, including: 

• “We call upon the Columbia University administration to reinstate those students who were wrongfully suspended for exercising their constitutionally recognized right to speech and peaceful assembly.”
• “We demand that all charges be dismissed and expunged from their student records, and that all rights and privileges be restored to them immediately.” 
• “We call upon the Columbia University administration to remove the New York City Police Department from campus. All criminal charges that have been brought against student protestors who were arrested by the NYPD at the behest of the university administration should be dropped immediately.” 

The faculty and staff have also called for the university to reverse the suspension of two student groups, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine and Columbia Jewish Voice for Peace. They concluded their statement with the following: 

“We vow to withhold our academic labor from Columbia and Barnard, not to participate in conferences and other campus events, and not to collaborate with university institutions until such time as the administration has met these demands and demonstrated its commitments to upholding the well-established norms of unrestricted scholarly inquiry and academic freedom.” 

Published – April 29, 2024