Dr. Elizabeth Anker

Biography

Elizabeth S. Anker is a Professor of Law in the Department of Literatures in English at Cornell University. She has published and taught in the areas of human rights, humanitarianism, comparative constitutional law, literature, contract law, postcolonial studies, animal rights, immigration law, and legal political theory. Her recent book, 'Paradox: Claims Theory' (Duke 2022), discusses how the logic of paradox has influenced the intellectual left and the rise of critical theory, while addressing central debates on social justice ethics and the value of the humanities. Anker's notable works include 'Fictions of Dignity: Embodying Human Rights in World Literature' (Cornell 2012), which explores the relationship between human dignity and liberal human rights through case studies including the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and women’s freedoms in Egypt. She has also contributed to law review articles examining the jurisprudence of the Roberts Court and has co-edited significant collections on literary critique and interdisciplinary scholarship. Anker holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Research Interests

Experience