De dichter als publieke intellectueel: Ramsey Nasr

Ramsey Nasr is a vibrantly active artist participating in various societal debates and with an intellectual sensitiveness for urgent emancipatory topics. In 2005 he was appointed as city poet in Antwerp and from 2009-2012 he was elected as the Poet Laureate in The Netherlands. Nasr’s poems and essays articulate a moral perspective on the current political conjuncture in the low countries. Moreover, in outspoken opinionated articles he demonstrates his commitment with the Palestinian case in the Middle East. In this article, I argue that the poet in his various official positions takes up a role as public intellectual and uses his cultural authority to emphasise particular political stances. This role is tied to specific acts of self-representation and prompts readers to identify with his opinions, although it arouses strong aversion as well.