The former chair of sociology at the University of Leeds has rejected an honorary doctorate from a Polish university, blaming antisemitic attacks against him.
Following the announcement that professor emeritus Zygmunt Bauman was to receive an honorary doctorate at the University of Lower Silesia in Wroclaw on October 24, the 87-year-old philosopher received several antisemitic attacks via social media internet sites.
According to reports these comments included,“I cannot stand the Jewish Bolshevik”, “Death to the Zionist plague of mankind”, and “Down with Judeo-Communism” .
In his letter declining the doctorate, Professor Bauman expressed his desire to protect the university from an “unnecessary uproar” .
