Bruce Robbins

Bruce Robbins is the Old Dominion Foundation Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University's Department of English and Comparative Literature. His work focuses on 19th- and 20th-century fiction, transnational literature, and literary/cultural theory. He holds degrees from Harvard University (B.A. 1971, M.A. 1976, Ph.D. 1980). Robbins has authored influential books such as Upward Mobility and the Common Good (2007) and Perpetual War (2012), and co-edited volumes including Cosmopolitics (1998). He co-edited Social Text journal (1991–2000) and is currently developing a documentary on American Jewish critiques of Israel.

His research interests include postcolonial studies, cosmopolitanism, and the intersection of literature with social theory. Recent work explores neoliberalism's cultural impacts, global history frameworks, and ethical dimensions of literary representation. Robbins' scholarship bridges critical theory with practical engagements in academic activism, particularly around Palestinian solidarity initiatives like the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

His publications span literary analysis, political critique, and interdisciplinary theory, often addressing themes of justice, solidarity, and historical memory. Current projects include The Beneficiary: Cosmopolitanism from the Viewpoint of Inequality, advancing his cosmopolitanism framework through critiques of global inequality and violence.