I don't live in the past, I just work there. ®

First, the fun stuff.

This Week in the Ancient Near East
The podcast that takes archaeology exactly as seriously as it deserves.
(with JP Dessel and Rachel Hallote)



The New (ish) Book.


.


Published September 2020.


The Old Books.


 





The Academia.edu page
Go there for academic papers and reviews on archaeology, modern history, environmental security, etc etc etc




A free monthly ezine, edited by yours truly.

Sign up and become a Friend of ASOR and get The Ancient Near East Today for free!

Also vaguely archaeological by me.

"My Meeting with Mellaart or, Dutch Cigars and the Case of the Missing Wall Paintings."
The Ancient Near East Today, April 2021.

"Pickles and Prehistory."
The Ancient Near East Today, July 2020.

"Passover in the Time of Pandemic."
The Ancient Near East Today, April 2020.

"The Ancient Near East after 1919."
The Ancient Near East Today, September 2019.

"About That Museum in Washington."
The Ancient Near East Today, September 2018.

"Shulgi, King of Cleveland."
The Ancient Near East Today, February 2017.

"So it is Written, So it Shall be Done:" The Ten Commandments at Sixty."
The Ancient Near East Today, May 2016.

"How to Chase a White Whale, A Response to “Biblical Archaeology: The Hydra of Palestine’s History.”"
Bible and Interpretation, March 15, 2016

"In a world where slaves make bricks without straw..."
The Ancient Near East Today, January 2015.

"Tucson, August 1984."
The Ancient Near East Today,
August 2014.

"Remembering Martin Bernal."
The Ancient Near East Today, August 2013.


And now, the serious stuff.

 


Reframing the Middle Eastern and Palestinian Refugee Crises. March 13, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

Conference: Reforming UNRWA. March 18, 2018.
 



BDS Monitor, A monthly digest of BDS events and trends.

"Biden's Foreign Policy of the Pursuit of 'Legitimacy.'" August 25, 2021.

"Jews Gaslighting Jews: A Primer." July 22, 2021.

"Gaza and the War Between the Democrats." May, 18, 2021.

"The Two Faces of American Foreign Policy." May 4, 2021.

"The Europeanized USA."
April 7, 2021.

"Joe Biden's Foreign Policy: A Preliminary Assessment." February 4, 2021.

"The Swamp Returns to Washington." January 5, 2021.

"The US Election: Preliminary Lessons for US Allies." November 16, 2020.

Video: "American Cities after Coronavirus and Black Lives Matter." October 21, 2020.

"The US Election: Preliminary Lessons for US Allies." November 16, 2020.

"US Foreign Policy on the Verge of the Election." September 7, 2020.

"Israeli Sovereignty and Its Unlikely Benefactors" July 13, 2020.

"After New York." June 3, 2020.

"Coronavirus: A Sputnik Moment for Science Education." April 20, 2020.

"Coronavirus: State Responses and Cultural Dimensions." March 19, 2020.

"Sanders, AIPAC, and Israel." February 26, 2020.

"Democrats, Experts, and Peace Plans." February 4, 2020.

"Soliemani, the Blob, and the Echo Chamber." January 7, 2020.

"Implications of the British Elections for Jews and Israel." December 20, 2019.

"Trump and the "Settlements": A Preliminary Analysis." November 22, 2019.

"Clarity Amidst Chaos: The Implications of Trump's Syria Policy." October 27, 2019.

"BDS, Antisemitism, and Class." October 17, 2019.

"The Tlaib-Omar Trainwreck: A First Assessment." August 16, 2019.

"The Social Geography of the BDS Movement and Antisemitism." August 8, 2019.

"A Memo to Jared." May 12, 2019. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The Antisemitism Crisis in the Democratic Party." March 20, 2019.

"The Failure of Palestinian Nationalism." March 7, 2019.

"Americans' Two Conceptions of Israel." February 19, 2019.

"Explaining the Trump Doctrine." December 18, 2018.

"Supporting Faculty on Israel: Now More than Ever." December 16, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The Logic of the West's New Anti-Semitism Crisis." September 23, 2018.

 




"The UN Agency for Palestinians is Worse than You Imagine." August 6, 2019. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Palestinians, You Don't Have to Live Like  Refugee." September 6, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The U.N. Agency That Keeps Palestinians from Prospering." January 10, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

 

"The Quakers. No Friends of Israel." November 5, 2015. With Asaf Romirowsky.


"Defund the UNRWA."
Wall Street Journal Europe, April 1, 2011. With Asaf Romirowsky.

 

“Egypt’s Antiquities Fall Victim to the Mob.” February 1, 2011.



A special report on ISIS and Antiquities


"Monumental Fight: Countering the Islamic State's Antiquities Trafficking." November 20, 2015. With Yaya Fanusie.


"The world must finally awaken to the UN refugee agency's failures." With Asaf Romirowsky. June 12, 2017.


"New Leads on Looted Middle Eastern Antiquities." December 12, 2016.



"How Aid to Palestinians Hurts-Not Helps-The Peace Process." January 22, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Is Judaism a Good Model for Islamic Reform?" February 22, 2017.

"The Right of Palestinian Return Would Mean the End of Jewish Israel." October 27, 2016.


"Walter Laqueur: Toward and Intellectual Appreciation." March 9, 2019.

"The Anthropology of Billy Joel." March 8, 2017.

"Archaeology's Other Publication Problem." May 9, 2016.

"Irving Berlin's Piano and the Problem of American Jewish Museums." April 29, 2016.

"AIPAC, Trump, and the Land of Shadows." March 23, 2016.


"Healthy Institutions Don't Boycott Israel." February 11, 2016.



"Radicalization and the Grain of Sand." June 28, 2016.



"How Hamas took UNRWA Hostage." May 7, 2021. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"What the U.S. Can Do to Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peace." September 21, 2020. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Why UNESCO Shouldn't Treat Jerusalem as a Weapon." November 7, 2016. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"ISIS and Antiquities: The Missing Pieces." January 24, 2016.

"ISIS' Shocking Assault on History." March 11, 2015.

"America's Palestine Refugee Policy is Insane." December 19, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"From the Ashes of Iraq: Mesopotamia Rises Again." August 20, 2014.

"Understanding UNRWA." With Asaf Romirowsky. July 17, 2014.

"Failed Religious Diplomacy at the Birth of Israel." March 31, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Learning the Wrong Lesson from Ike." February 1, 2013.

"UNRWA Keeps Quiet on Syria.: November 9, 2012." With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Preserving the Syrian Paper Trail." October 17, 2012.

"The New Palestinian Realism." March 9, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.



"American Jews and the Democratic Party: Coda." November 28, 2016.

"Why the Origins of the BDS Movement Matter." August 31, 2016.

"Why Millennials Dislike Israel." June 8, 2016.

"What is Zochrot Really Remembering?" With Asaf Romirowsky. April 16, 2016.

"Sadism and Masochism in International Culture." October 14, 2015.

"Europe, Migrants, and the Jewish Question." September 9, 2015.

"Why Empower Iran?" August 3, 2015.

"The Deal With Iran: How to Make Lemonade Out of Lemons." July 14, 2015.

"Why Don't the British Like Israel?" February 5, 2015.

"The New Context of US-Israel Relations." October 29, 2014.

"Why Negotiations Collapsed - American Perceptions and Future Indications." May 3, 2014.

"Reading the Obama Interview."March 3, 2014.

"The American Jewish Fairness Trap." February 27, 2014.

"The Arab League and peace, after 68 years." January 9, 2014.

"American Jewish Demography and the challenge of supporting Israel." November 25, 2013.

"Why on Earth is Obama going to Israel?" March 12, 2013.




"Hands off the Antiquities." July 15, 2017.

"Return or Die?" May 17, 2015. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"With Friends Like These." January 7, 2015. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"From Welfare to Warfare." August 2, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky. 


"Give Palestine-Not the U.N.-the Money, Responsibility, and Glory." August 29, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Stop Giving Money to the U.N.'s Relief Agency for Palestinians." August 18, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky.





"New Studies, Old Hatreds."
May 7, 2014.

 
"Time to Rethink Our Attitudes Toward Middle Eastern Refugees. July 18, 2018. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"How The Quakers Became Champions of BDS." November 10, 2017. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The Search for My Uncle Harry." November 26, 2013.

"We Gave Iran an Antique as a Token of Goodwill. Only Problem? It’s Fake." October 10, 2013 

"Middle East Antiques Roadshow." May 29, 2012.




"When Did The Quakers Stop Being Friends?" December 2013. With Asaf Romirowsky.


"The Politics of the Palestinian Right of Return." February 24, 2014. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Is The Arab-Israeli Conflict Really About Economics?" June 26, 2013. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The True Obstacle to Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians." March 26, 2013. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Why Hasn't There Been Another Palestinian Intifada?" September 9, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.





"An SPME Report: A Review of Israel Apartheid Week." March 24, 2013.



"The Bible: From One-Reeler to Docu-Drama." April 23, 2013. 


"Israel's Gatekeepers." April 11, 2013.


"AIPAC and the Secret Worlds of Peoplehood." March 12, 2013.

"World War II and the Impossibility of Polish History." February 27, 2013.


"Signs of the Times." February 7, 2013.


"Antisemitism: Obsession or Logic?" January 24, 2013.


"When Prayers for Rain are Answered." January 11, 2013.


"The ISI and the Jews." January 3, 2013.


"America and the Muslim Brotherhood: A Romance." December 30, 2012.

"Chemical Warfare in the Middle East: A Brief History." December 13, 2012.


"Israel's Friends in Gaza." November 29, 2012. 


"The Real Jewish Geography." November 16, 2012.


"Can Jews Write History?" November 8, 2012.


"Art and Idolatry in Austria." October 30, 2012.


"Hans Bethe and the Problem of 'Jewish Genius.'" October 15, 2012.


"Adorno, Butler, and the Death of Irony." September 28, 2012.


"The Shofar." September 14, 2012.


"The Aleppo Codex and the Ownership of Tradition." September 12, 2012.


"Neologism and Nationalism." August 30, 2012.


"Jews and Guns." August 17, 2012.


"The Postmodern Golem." August 7, 2012.

"Alfred Nobel's Other Mistake." July 20, 2012.

"UNESCO and the World Heritage Game." July 16, 2012.

"Hollywood Goes to Auschwitz." June 29, 2012.

"The Jewish Left, Between History and Revelation." June 11, 2012.

"Sending Mein Kampf Back to School." May 22, 2012.

"The Case of American Religious Zionism." May 10, 2012.

"Find, Fix, Finish." May 1, 2012.

"Independence Day." April 26, 2012.

"Reading between the Lists." April 4, 2012.

"Art against History." March 29, 2012.

"Marching to Jerusalem." March 22, 2012.

"AIPAC and the Politics of Reaffirmation." March 13, 2012.

"What Would Ariel Sharon Do?" March 5, 2012.

"Evil Genius." February 23, 2012.

"The Signal-to-Noise War." February 15, 2012.

"Toward an Archaeology of Hell." February 7, 2012.

"Listening to Saddam." January 26, 2012.

"Jerusalem's Ego and Id." January 19, 2012.

"The Mughrabi Bridge to Nowhere." January 3, 2012.

"Roll, Jordan, Roll." December 23, 2011.

"Newt and the Palestinians." December 13, 2011.

"Shtik and Sensibility." December 9, 2011.

"Look for the Union Label." December 1, 2011.

"Into the Jewish Dark Continent." November 22, 2011.

"People of the Byte." November 15, 2011.

"The Dead Sea Scrolls, Alive in Times Square." November 8, 2011.

"British Philo-Semitism, Once and Future." November 3, 2011.

"Creating the Master Race." October 28, 2011.

"Diversity at Dura-Europos."  October 12, 2011.


"Israel Studies 101."   October 3, 2011.

"Mel and the Maccabee."  September 22, 2011.

"Spying for Zion."  September 13, 2011.

"Mossad and Morality on Film." September 7, 2011.


"Libya and the Jews." August 31, 2011.


"Demonizing Glenn Beck." August 26, 2011.


"Crown Heights in the Mirror." August 18, 2011.


"Israel and the Antipodes." August 15, 2011.


"The New Sinai." August 10, 2011.


"Hizballah in America." August 4, 2011.


"No Room in Zion?" July 28, 2011.


"The New Biblical Archeology." July 25, 2011.


"Fueling Israel's Future." July 21, 2011.


"David Mamet's Homecoming." July 18, 2011.


"Jews, Communism, and Espionage." June 29, 2011.


"The Tourist's Dilemma." June 20, 2011.


"Anti-Semitism and Man at Yale." June 13, 2011.


"The Anthropology of AIPAC." May 31, 2011.


"From the Four Corners." May 24, 2011.


"Holocaust without End." May 18, 2011. 


"Agitprop in America." May 12, 2011.


"Anti-Semitism 101." May 6, 2011.

"On Faith and Forgeries." May 4, 2011.

"Eichmann Goes Digital." April 18, 2011.

“Clash of Civilizations.” April 8, 2011.

"The Archaeology War." March 31, 2011. 

"Jewish Studies in Decline?" March 28, 2011.

"Beyond Tanks." March 14, 2011

"Follow the Money." March 2, 2011. 

"Jewish Philanthropy 2.0." February 23, 2011.

"The Tribes Speak." February 16, 2011.

"The Pharaoh’s General, and Mubarak’s." February 7, 2011.

“The Iraqi Jewish Archive.” January 24, 2011.

“Science, Faith, and Biblical Archaeology.” January 17, 2011.

"Loving Jews, Hating Jews." January 10, 2011

"In the Portable Homeland." December 29, 2010.

"And Not a Drop to Drink." December 22, 2010

"The DNA Speaks." December 20, 2010

"Fire and Resilience." December 7, 2010.

"The Discreet Coyness of Salam Fayyad." December 3, 2010.

"Why Rachel’s Tomb Matters." November 19, 2010.



"Netanyahu the Palestinian." January 2, 2013.



"Review of Students and Resisance in Palestine: Books, Guns and Politics."  v. 22 (2015)

"UNRWA Resists Resettlement."  v. 19 (2012).

"The Rhetoric of Nonsense."  v. 19 (2012.

"Egypt's Antiquities Caught in the Revolution"  v. 18 (2011).


"Are We Willing To Die to Save the Past?" Spiked-Online, August 15, 2012.






"The United Nations' Palestinian Refugee Industry." November 23, 2016. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"The anti-Israel movement's 'anti-normalization' campaign." August 3, 2016. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"Salam Fayyad Holds the Key to Palestine's Future." March 2, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.




"Palestinians: Refugees Forever?" June 5, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.




"Palestinian Refugees Forever?" May 25, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.

"BDS and the AFSC." April 24, 2012. With Asaf Romirowsky.




"BDS and the Jewish Studies Trap." February 8, 2013.



"Ken, George, and the Jews." May 1, 2012.


"Arabs Rewriting History." July 27, 2011. With Asaf Romirowsky.


"Growing Threat in America." June 20, 2011.


"So No to Right of Return." May 23, 2011.


"Israel's Diplomatic Dilemma." May 19, 2011.


"Intrusive and Paternalistic." May 11.2011.


"Rating America's 'Allies.'" May 4, 2011.


“A Nation of Martyrs.” April 30, 2011.



 

Hudson New York


"Greek Debt Default: Further Impact." June 13, 2011.

 

"Who Oversees Foreign Aid to the Palestinians?" May 4, 2011.

"Rebranding Egypt's Intelligence and Security Agencies". March 29, 2011.
 
“Conspiracy Theories, Antisemitism, and the Parable of the Shark.” January 31, 2011.
 
"British-Israeli Relations Increasingly Fragile." January 3, 2011. With Nicholas Saidel.
 
"Israel on Campus. Where Are We?" December 16, 2010.




"Guns in America: A Question of Trust." February 4, 2013.

"What the Murder of Iraqi Jews in 1941 Tells us about the Middle East Today." June 25, 2011.


"Holocaust Denial From U.S. Professors: Academic Freedom?" December 1, 2010.



 

"UNRWA and the Code of Silence." November 7, 2010. With Asaf Romirowsky.




 

"As College Crisis Looms, Time To Rethink Goals." November 2, 2010.