Professor Graeber, Leader of Occupy Wall Street Protest, Passes Away... Contributed to Coining the Slogan 'We Are the 99%'
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] David Graeber, a professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics (LSE) who led the 2011 "Occupy Wall Street" protest, suddenly passed away on the 2nd (local time). He was a key figure in creating the slogan "We are the 99%" during the protest.
According to CNN and other outlets, Graeber's wife, Nika Dubrovsky, announced on Twitter on the 3rd, "My husband and friend, David Graeber, the kindest person in the world, passed away yesterday at a hospital in Venice." He was reportedly staying in Venice, Italy, when he suddenly fell ill and was taken by ambulance. The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.
As an anthropologist, Professor Graeber was known for his sharp criticism of capitalism and bureaucracy and was famous for his anarchist perspective. In his 2011 book, Debt: The First 5,000 Years, he presented anti-capitalist analyses that resonated with many readers following the 2008 global financial crisis.
He attended the initial meeting that sparked the "Occupy Wall Street" protest, which began on September 17, 2011, at Zuccotti Park in New York, and was involved in creating the slogan "We are the 99%." He explained, "I suggested we call ourselves 'the 99%'," adding, "Two 'Indignados' from Spain and a Greek anarchist added 'we,' and a veteran free meal activist added 'are'."
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Born in New York and a graduate of the State University of New York, Graeber served as a professor at Yale University before moving to Goldsmiths, University of London, and then joining LSE. Laura Bear, a professor at LSE, said, "David was a highly influential anthropologist, political activist, and public intellectual. Our staff and students know that although he is no longer with us, his outstanding work will be read across generations."
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