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NYU Prague Student Lachlan Hyatt Interviews a Former Political Prisoner

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

NYU Prague student Lachlan Hyatt recently interviewed former political prisoner Mirek Kopt. With the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of communism in the Czech Republic approaching, his piece reminds us of the importance of remembering these histories.

The Czech Republic’s Forgotten Prisoners

By Lachlan Hyatt

PRAGUE – On a cold spring day in 1945, Mirek Kopt took a walk with his father to a shooting range near their house on the outskirts of Prague. They had heard that the range was being used for executing German sympathizers, but the field was empty when they arrived. The day was sunny and there was no fighting in the city; occupying Nazi forces had finally been pushed out by the invading Soviet army. Mirek and his father walked through the weeds of the shooting range before coming across two bodies laying side by side. A man and a woman, seemingly husband and wife, had been executed with a bullet to the back of the head earlier that morning.

“This is when a chain reaction started which proved that one totallity was replaced by another,” said Kopt via an interpreter nearly 75 years later, reflecting on the moment when his contempt of of communism first formed. These beliefs would eventually land him six years of hard labor in a political prison camp.

Since the Fall of Communism in the Czech Republic in 1989, stories of those first targeted by the totalitarian regime, like Mirek Kopt, are being lost. The last of the Czech Republic’s political prisoners, which once numbered over 200,000are dying out, and with them so are the memories of the most brutal era under Communist rule.

“There is a real risk that knowledge about the former political prisoners will die with them,” said Dr. Barbara Vann, a professor of sociology at Loyola University Maryland who has studied this issue, via email. “This subject has not been talked about much even within families of former political prisoners, and it has not received much media attention.”

Sitting in his quaint apartment outside Prague in his leather sandals and sweatpants, Kopt doesn’t at first seem like a rebel. His white hair and liver spots make it hard to imagine him printing dissident pamphlets, beating up Communist party members, and stockpiling weapons used to hijack trains in his youth. As he recounts his time battling the Communist state, though, glimpses of the old resistor show through.

Kopt remembers vividly one day in late autumn in a labor camp when a guard who particularly disliked him poured a bucket of cold water on him as he slept in the concrete solitary confinement cell.“This was not only a matter of health, it was a matter of life and death and to be honest, if I met this man in my life, I would probably take justice into my own hands,” said Kopt, grinning.

The Communist regime in the Czech Republic began shortly after the Soviet Red Army liberated the country from Nazi occupation at the end of WWII. In 1948, the Communist Party pulled off a coup, becoming the only political party. This new regime forged a strong alliance with the Stalinist USSR and other countries of the Communist Bloc. Dissenting political views were punished harshly.

By the early 1950’s, there were over 30 prisons and labor camps across the country. Thousands of Czechs were arrested for any perceived anti-state activity during the most oppressive years of the regime.

“We realized the only way to fight violence is another violence,” said Kopt.

Kopt began printing anti-commuinist leaflets with his friends while still a teenager but was encouraged to partake in more extreme actions by his uncle, who had deep ties into the resistance. Kopt soon became a member of the Ostriz resistance organization, a group made up primarily by outlawed dissident Boy Scouts. By 1953, Kopt had established his own conspiratorial group. In 1954, Kopt was falsely connected to the murder of a policeman by members of his old Boy Scout troop and was sentenced to ten years of hard labor.

“When I was being investigated, the congress told me they were going to hang me, but I didn’t think much of it because it was a war,” said Kopt. “I didn’t stress out about that, it’s just how things were.”

Kopt was sent to mining camps in the mountains northwest of Prague, less than 10 miles of the East German border. This region, known as the “Jachymov Hell” contained over 12 seperate labor camps and held over a third of the Czech Republic’s political prisoners at this time. The prisoners here would work in shifts, mining uranium to be used by the Soviet Union 24 hours a day everyday of the week. Prisoners toiled in the mines with little training and safety regulations, working to meet quotas so they could receive rations. On the surface, prisoners were abused by armed guards and forced to endure the cold weather of the mountains.

By 1960, the harsh methods of the Czech Communist regime were relaxed and thousands of prisoners were granted amnesty, emptying many camps. Kopt believes the release of these prisoners was an important part of the fight against the Communist regime, which would continue for almost another 30 years.

“The fact remains that when the Communists released thousands of people from prisons and lagers, basically started the erosion of the system,” said Kopt. “Because the civil society didn’t have any clue how many people are being held in jails and lagers for political reasons. Their ideas of who we were was distorted.”

Now, most of the political prisoners have passed away.

“Most of my friends from the lagers are dead now – I think we are three still alive today,” said Kopt.

Many former political prisoners died from cancer after being exposed to extreme levels of radiation from the uranium mining. One camp that processed uranium ore led to so many deaths of prisoners it is now known as “The Red Tower of Death”. Political prisoners were released but never truly escaped the camps. Stigmatized by the state, many struggled to find reliable work and housing and only received small reparations in 2004.

The struggle to preserve the stories of political prisoners has become more challenging in recent years as many Czechs wish to distance themselves from the troubles of the past.

“They are not getting enough information on the recent past and they do not even know where to get this information,” said Kopt regarding Czechs’ views of the past.

Efforts to preserve the legacies of former political prisoners have faltered in recent years. The Confederation of Political Prisoners of the Czech Republic (KPV CR), an organization started to connect former political prisoners, has been facing conflict as more and more of their members pass away. Disagreements emerged when some leaders of the group wanted it dissolved and others want it continued by family members of former prisoners. Troubles in the leadership of the KPV CR reach a point this summer where a guardian of the organization had to be appointed by a Czech court. Because of the inner conflicts, much of the documentation concerning political prisoners have been lost.

With the stories of former political prisoners being forgotten, some in the Czech Republic worry that an oversimplified or inaccurate understanding of history will persist. One such person is Dan Zdarek, a member of the PoliticalPrisoners.EU NGO that runs educational tours of the Jachymov labor camps.

“If people just accept the simple picture of things, that it’s just a place of injustice, then they don’t have a clear idea of what that represents and what that means to communism,” said Zdarek

“Communism is something that’s alive in the minds of everyone living in the Czech Republic because they are the ones whose parents and grandparents lived in the communist system.”

As the 30th anniversary of the Fall of Communism in the Czech Republic approaches, the dissenters of the 70’s and 80’s, like the Czech Republic’s first president, Vaclav Havel, have been celebrated for their anti-Communist effots. For those who faced threats of execution and toiled in the uranium mines, this attention can seem misguided.

“The older prisoners think the dissidents got all the attention, when in reality, their experiences were nothing compared to what they themselves experienced as political prisoners,” said Dr. Vann.

The surviving political prisoners in the Czech Republic today still try to meet up and share their experiences. Events are held annually in Jachymov and around the country, but the number of attendees is getting smaller each year and the events receive little attention from the media. Radiation levels in the Jachymov camps remain high. After decades struggling against the old regime, Kopt can now only sit and observe the nation he fought to make.

“I think it’s a bit of Havel’s fault because we kind of abandoned our mission,” said Kopt. “Our president is basically an agent of Moscow,” referring to pro-Russian Czech president Milos Zeman. “Former Communists still have a lot of advantages in society than regular citizens. But justice needs to be seen in some way, ” he added.

Though the effects of his six years in prison still linger, Kopt is determined to share his stories and make the most of his freedom. He has published books about his time as a rebel and helps give tours of the Jachymov camps he was once imprisoned in, hoping to pass on the memories of his struggle to new generations of Czechs.

“I have my literature and my radio, that’s all I need,” said Kopt walking past a messy watercolor painting posted on his refrigerator. “And my grandson.”

NYU Berlin, NYU Florence, NYU Prague Collaborate on Conference – Never-ending History – How did we get to 2019 from 1989?

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

On October 16 and 17, 2019, NYU Berlin hosted a remarkable gathering of scholars that was both reflective and forward-thinking. The gathering being hosted in Berlin was meaningful as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Directors from NYU Berlin, NYU Florence, and NYU Prague collaborated in making the occasion, organising the conference, Never-ending History: How did we get to 2019 from 1989?. This conference provided prominent thinkers to an opportunity to gather and consider a range of issues that have occupied academic and public debates, as well as the people who had lived on either side of the “Iron Curtain” and who became active or passive participants in the establishment of a ‘new’ European and global “post-communist” East. While the conference considered the global dimensions and significance of 1989, Never-ending History also addressed legacies of continuity and change in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic in politics, economics, and culture.

Professor Larry Wolff, NYU Professor of History and NYU Florence C0-Director, gave the keynote address, entitled Everyday Ecstasy: Revisiting 1989 in Sober Perspective and Double Exposure. His inspiring and interesting talk set the stage for the engaging presentations and provocative dialogues that ensued over the two days of this gathering.

The impressive contributors and panels considered a wide range of topics that were organised into four lively panels: Internationalism, Nationalism, and Identity Formation in Post-1989 Europe; Aufarbeitung? Historicizing East Germany; Redrawing Europe; and Artists as Chroniclers and Storytellers of Political Change. These panel presentations and discussions considered issues as diverse as the successes and failures of liberal democracy and market economy in former Communist/Socialist countries and visions of citizenship and nationality, the impact of the transitions on women and minority groups and media, arts, and culture in post-Communist societies, the resurgence (or continuity) of authoritarianism and nationalism and changing concepts of grassroots democracy / social movements in an age of populism and social media.

NYU Professor of History Mary Nolan delivered an inspiring closing keynote address. Professor Nolan’s impressive scholarship is focused on Europe and America in the Twentieth Century, the Cold War, the history of Human Rights, the global economy in the twentieth century, modern German history, and European women’s history. Her closing keynote, Women and Gender Politics since 1989, was a stirring commentary on how women, gender, and politics have featured in political and social debates Europe over the last thirty years.

While it is hard to distill two days of dynamic conversation into themes, NYU Prague Director Jiri Pehe, noted the discussions suggested that “there seem to be similar developments in all post-communist countries, which seems to suggest that we need to look for most answers to what is now going on in the region in the era before 1989.” NYU Berlin Director Gabriella Etmektsoglou described the conclusions being drawn, by Mary Nolan and others, as “path-breaking work”.

NYU Abu Dhabi Researchers Release New Date Palm Genome Sequence

Posted on October 22, 2019, modified on October 25, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Center for Genomics and Systems Biology and the UAEU Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, working with other institutions, have developed an improved assembly of the genome for the date palm using long-read sequencing technology. This improvement over the current versions of the genome will help advance further research, and also inform the propagation practices of this essential MENA region food source.

In addition, the researchers have identified the genes and mutations that lead to color change and the levels of major sugars in date palm fruit, including the genes for the enzyme invertase that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose. The mapping of these fruit color and sugar genes was conducted using genome-wide association studies (GWAS). GWAS has been used for mapping important disease genes in humans, and this is the first time it has been applied to date palms.

While date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are one of the earliest domesticated tree crops in the world and remain a major fruit crop in North Africa and the Middle East, few genomic resources exist. This, combined with long generation times, has limited evolutionary genomic studies of this perennial species.

Researchers report they have produced an improved genome assembly for date palms that is 18 percent larger and more contiguous than existing genome assemblies. This long-read genome sequence assembly, coupled with access to two large, mature date palm orchards in the United Arab Emirates, allowed them to conduct genome-wide association mapping in this species.

As a result, they successfully mapped the previously-identified sex determination locus and genes for both fruit color and sugar level polymorphisms. Their findings are published in the journal Nature Communications.

“As we face challenges in food security for the future, we will need to continue to study the genome of food crops like date palm to help us in our struggle to provide food security in the world,” said Silver Professor of Biology at New York University and lead scientist on the paper Michael Purugganan. “Our progress in expanding the genome of the date palm is finally unlocking some of the secrets that explain how this tree species has continued to thrive in varied, challenging ecosystems.”

Global Collaboration

The sequencing of the date palm genome and the first GWAS mapping in this fruit tree was an international effort led by NYUAD and KCGEB, and also included researchers in the US, Switzerland, France, UK, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.

This story comes to us from NYU Abu Dhabi. For more details and a video about this research, see here.

NYU Washington, DC and the Irish Network DC Partner on Dynamic Program – Northern Ireland Peace on the Eve of Brexit: Resilience & Reconciliation Through Art & Storytelling

Posted on October 18, 2019, modified on October 25, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

NYU Washington, DC and the Irish Network DC recently launched a three-part collaboration entitled Northern Ireland Peace on the Eve of Brexit: Resilience & Reconciliation Through Art & Storytelling. This programming is an exploration featuring music, film, and discussions, supported by a two-week art installation examining conflict and cooperation during the Troubles and since.

The 30-year social, religious, tribal, and economic conflict known as the Troubles came to a formal end with the Good Friday Agreement of April 1998, but now Brexit threatens that fragile peace. Through film, music, art, storytelling and special guests, NYU Washington, DC and the Irish Network DC will explore the complex progress of healing a divided society. A visual art exhibit will showcase art about the conflict and its legacy and will run from October 16-30, 2019. All events will be at New York University’s Constance Milstein and Family Global Academic Center located in downtown D.C.

The program was launched with “Good Vibrations” Film Screening and Discussion on 17 October.

Set in the 1970s, the film “Good Vibrations” looks at the life of Terri Hooley, who is considered Northern Ireland’s “godfather of punk.” Due to the sectarian violence in Belfast at the time, the city basically shut down in the evenings. This was not much fun for the teens looking for something to do. Hooley began arranging punk music shows, set up a record label and shop called Good Vibrations, and ‘discovered’ the band The Undertones. The punk community became a way to rebel against the sectarianism and violence that was prevalent.

On 24 October, NYU Washington, DC will host “Alternative Ulster” Acoustic Performance and Discussion” featuring a performance by guitarist. Henry Cluney. Henry Cluney grew up in Belfast and was a founding member of the Belfast punk band Stiff Little Fingers. The band, comprised of Catholics and Protestants, wrote about the situation in their country. Some of their songs include “Tin Soldiers”, “Suspect Device”, “Wasted Life” and “Alternative Ulster”. Henry will tell stories about his songs, living through the Troubles and, with his guitar, perform some of those songs. Joing Henry for a discussion after his performance is Niall Stanage, Associate Editor and White House Columnist for, The Hill. Henry will be available to sign autographs and chat after the show.

The third and final program co-hosted by NYU Washington, DC and the Irish Network DC will take place on 30 October and features an evening discussion and stories about life in Northern Ireland, the peace process and Brexit. Entitled Looking Ahead: Beyond the Toubles and Brexit, to Protecting the Peace, the event is a fitting conclusion to this dynamic program.

Guest speakers for the evening include Margery Myers, Widow of Robert P.Myers, Jr. (US Consul General Aug. 1986 – April 1989) and Aideen Gilmore, formerly with Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) in Belfast. The keynote speaker is the Irish Ambassador to the United States, Daniel Mulhall, who will talk about the role of the arts in Ireland, Peace Process and what Brexit may bring.

NYU London Professor’s Research on Using the Immune System as a Defence Against Cancer

Posted on October 15, 2019, modified on October 14, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

NYU London Professor Valerie Wells is a senior co-author of an internationally important scientific paper published in the British Journal of Cancer where she and her co-authors report that betaGBP, a naturally occurring molecule and a component of the immune system, can not only successfully target and kill cancer cells but can also encourage immunity against cancer resurgence.

The work on beta-GBP began at King’s College London where, together with Professor Livio Mallucci, Professor Wells discovered the anti-oncogenic properties of beta-GBP. This discovery provides for a novel immunotherapeutic approach based on one natural molecule that combines the properties of a tumour suppressor and an activator of procedures necessary for the long term protection against cancer recurrences. It is an integral part of a natural cancer surveillance process transposed to therapeutic use, a strategy that could secure long term protection by instating a state of cancer specific immunosurveillance.

As a natural component of the anti-cancer immune network, unlike pharmacological inducers which carry associated toxicity and uncertainty, beta-GBP has no harmful properties; it is a physiological molecule and as such already suitable, ideally, for clinical trials.

Translation of beta-GBP to the clinic could open a new therapeutic opportunity to safely combine direct killing of cancer cells and the activation of the immune system to prevent recurrences, and would represent a major step forward in the management of cancer.

In addition to her cutting-edge research, Professor Wells has “an interest in student education and the opportunity for science students to study abroad as part of their undergraduate learning, and an interest in American academic life”. She has been teaching Principles of Biology I and II at NYU London since 2002. Professor Wells finds teaching at NYU London rewarding. “The combination of research and teaching is most both enjoyable and valuable; the commitment of NYU students to their studies, their ideas and their discussion together with their interest in relating their studies to the wider context gives the teaching an interesting and stimulating atmosphere. Also the integration of some aspects of the research into the teaching can give students some awareness of current developments in some fields and an insight into a career in research. It is also enjoyable to hear how students have progressed when they make contact with news of their successes later their careers.”

We applaud her discovery and this publication and look forward to learning about what will come next for Professor Wells and the rich contribution she makes to the NYU London academic community. You can read the paper here.

A Half Century in Paris: A Look into the Past and a Glimpse of the Future

Posted on October 11, 2019, modified on October 16, 2019 by Chelsea Robles

70871131_3169722436402970_3346352523760893952_o-1 — NYU Paris 50th Anniversary announcement.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary last month, NYU Paris held a day of commemorative events designed both to provide a view into the past, and to ponder the site’s future, including the potential for new academic opportunities and collaborations. The event brought together key figures involved with different phases of the site’s growth, current and past faculty, students, and staff as well as colleagues from American universities with programs in France, including the American University in Paris, the University of Chicago, Brown University, and Columbia University.

Linda Mills, Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice Provost for Global Programs and University Life, kicked off the day by acknowledging the site’s history, and linking the past to the present. “As the second oldest site in NYU’s global network, NYU Paris has been a defining feature of our global identity and has become a key element of what makes NYU the leading global institution it is today,” said Mills. “NYU Paris is a beautiful expression of what the world needs – one that is inextricably tied to its environment, steeped in its host city’s culture and context, offering unparalleled academic and scholarly experiences to a wide range of faculty and students.”

In attendance were several individuals who have played critical roles in the establishment and operation of NYU Paris over the past 50 years: Tom Bishop, professor of French Literature, Thought and Culture, and a driving force in the creation of NYU Paris; Judith Miller, professor of French Literature, who served as Director of the NYU Center in Paris from 1998 to 2003; Benoît Bolduc, also a professor of French Literature, and the Director of NYU Paris from 2015 – 2018; and the current site director, Alfred Galichon, professor of Economics and Mathematics

NYU Paris is a beautiful expression of what the world needs - one that is inextricably tied to its environment, steeped in its host city’s culture and context, offering unparalleled academic and scholarly experiences to a wide range of faculty and students Linda Mills

Recalling the early history of the site, talks during the opening panel focused on memories and reflections on the founding of NYU Paris in 1969, at a time when it was less common to cross an international border while pursuing a degree – and talk of establishing NYU’s global network was still some 40 years away. Miller, Bolduc, and Galichon, traced the academic roots of the site in the study of French language and culture.

NYU Paris opened its doors during a “glorious time for French studies, “ said Miller, “many post-war thinkers had not yet been translated to English,” so it was important to understand French. “Knowledge has since shifted from the philosophical terrain to a way of thinking that acknowledges global and digital interactions.” Reflecting this expansion, during her tenure as site director, NYU Paris opened its Anglophone program, “welcoming students who were not French majors but became French minors.” On the experience of learning a new language and culture in situ, Miller explained, “you learn from a “different” world around you, and have to figure out how to live with it.”

The panelists emphasized the importance of shaping the minds of global citizens engaging in the local terrain. “We’re sending students to Paris, not the moon,” said Bolduc “and we need to ensure our academic programming reflects the unique nature of that experience.” Shedding light on current academic and cultural initiatives, Galichon detailed “the expanding academic opportunities at the site, including course offerings that have resulted in new populations of students being drawn to the study of the French language. A good example is computer science students who have traditionally been less likely to even take a course in France. As a result of earning credits for their major in Paris, some computer science students have found that their immersive experiences in France have sparked new interests, with some choosing to complete minors in French. And the number of these types of students is increasing.”

In a panel later in the day,The Next 50 Years of NYU Paris: What’s Next?, Sana Odeh, Clinical Professor of Computer Science, explained that “Paris’ position as a hub for mathematical and scientific inquiry, combined with the flourishing entrepreneurial culture draws global talent and has created a range of opportunities. Studying in a world capital with an inspiring environment, and taking [Computer Science] special topics and high-level courses makes NYU Paris a wonderful location for computer science students.”

Chandrika-Tandon — NYU Trustee and President’s Global Council Chair Chandrika Tandon performs at the celebration.

Galichon also highlighted upcoming initiatives in store for NYU Paris. “In collaboration with colleagues in the French department, and following the masterclass format developed for doctoral students, a new set of masterclasses are on the horizon,” he said, accompanied by panelists who included Phillip Usher, Associate Professor and Department Chair, French Literature, Thought and Culture, François Noudelmann, Professor of French Literature and Director of the Center for French Language and Cultures, and Linda Mills. “French faculty from New York will come once per year,” said Usher, “to deliver short-term intensive courses related to their research. The topics will rotate each semester and the first course will cover cinema, myth, and politics. Increasing engagement with the broader community, enrollment will be opened up to local PhD students from French universities.”

In conjunction with the celebration, photos that are only rarely viewed outside of the archives were on full display, including those documenting the student experience, staff over the years, and trips taken by the NYU Paris community. The exhibit also included shots of NYU Paris literary events and avant garde activities featuring Eugène Ionesco, and other well known French writers and politicians.The exhibition also included student works, including student-shot videos captured on iPhones in an experimental film class.

The day ended with a cocktail reception at Hotel des Arts et Métiers, which included guests such as NYU President Andrew Hamilton, Gene Jarrett, Dean of the College of Arts and Science, Jeffrey Lehman, Vice Chancellor, NYU Shanghai, Antonio Merlo, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, and NYU Trustee and President’s Global Council Chair Chandrika Tandon.

NYU Sydney Conversations Podcast Chats with Instructor Adam Gall

Posted on October 7, 2019, modified on October 15, 2019 by Martha J Bekink

In a special edition of NYU Sydney’s Conversations Podcast from last term, the then semester host and current Gallatin junior Duncan Lemieux sat down with Dr. Adam Gall, NYU Sydney’s instructor of Environmental History. Dr. Gall’s background is in cultural studies, having been awarded a PhD from the University of Sydney department of gender studies. Gall says that almost 10 years of teaching introductory feminist class with the department afforded him the opportunity to speak daily with students in the frontline in these spaces.

Gall speaks to the evolution of Sydney’s own local Mardi Gras festival, starting with the much loved Fair Day, which now has a real focus on Rainbow Families. Gall walks us through the catalysts for the movement in Sydney and the reaction to changes in the United States, the need for a movement in solidarity and the mirroring police brutality.

He reveals the societal changes, highlighted by corporate sponsorship of the event and the regular inclusion of police floats. Duncan then walks with Dr. Gall through the YES vote, and the postal survey, which Gall says was really seen as an imposition whereby citizens were seen as campaigning for legitimacy. Dr. Gall continues to discuss the three main drivers that meant Australia was late to join the international conversation regarding same sex marriage.

The podcast draws to a close with a focus about where the discussion has headed. Gall says that the focus is now really about what’s going on in schools and with young people, particularly in regard to radical gender theory, and the institutional response to bullying.

Conservatives, he says, have latched on to this in a new ideological front. This is, he says, similar to other clashes that occur with everyday sexual education globally.

Have a listen to the podcast here.

Caesarea Maritama: Exploring Ancient Coastal Ruins

Posted on October 1, 2019, modified on October 16, 2019 by Chelsea Robles

Caesarea-coastal-scene-3 — Ruins of Caesarea

A new program at NYU Tel Aviv will allow students the rare opportunity to explore a focal point of regional and local archaeological attention. Founded by King Herod in the first century BCE on the site of a Phoenician and Greek trade post, the site, Caesarea Maritima, is positioned between Tel Aviv and Haifa (about 35 miles north of Tel Aviv). Situated in what was designated a national park in 2011, the site is comprised of ancient harbor ruins, and the complex has revealed a vast array of material culture manifestations, including architectural elements, ceramics, inscriptions, jewelry, and bones.

The program, which enrolled its inaugural cohort this fall, was developed through a collaboration between NYU, NYU Tel Aviv, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and Tel Aviv University, with funding provided by the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation, for the purpose of supporting the study of Caesarea from a broad international scholarly perspective. “The NYUTA Program in Archeology trains students in various theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of the archaeological discipline, using Caesarea as a case study,” said Benjamin Hary, site director of NYU Tel Aviv and professor at the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. “As part of their studies, students in the program take two courses in Archeology: Ancient Israel: History and Archeology and a Seminar in Archeological Methods.”

Caesarea allows students to study the “geographical, economic and socio-political facets in antiquity, far beyond the scope of the mere material culture manifestations..." Benjamin Hary

The program’s students come from all three of NYU’s degree-granting “portal” campuses, and represent a range of disciplines, said Hary. “One student, from New York, is an anthropology major, but then we have a psychology major from Abu Dhabi, who is especially interested in the Hebrew Bible and in early Christianity.”

Students are able to gain a deep understanding of urban life at Caesarea through examination of physical artifacts and the rich corpus of available research “illuminating numerous aspects of the site and its inhabitants” said Hary. Ultimately, Hary said, Caesarea allows students to study the “geographical, economic and socio-political facets in antiquity, far beyond the scope of the mere material culture manifestations – the site is a laboratory for exercising several archaeological methods.”

Multi-modal in nature, the program,“combines frontal lectures with tours of major sites of the Roman period, including Jerusalem and Beit Shean in Israel and Jarash in Jordan,” explained Dr. Yifat Thareani, the Academic Principal Investigator of the Foundation’s grant and Lecturer with NYU Tel Aviv. “In the framework of this seminar,” she said, “the students gain insight from local and international experts in aspects of the Roman Period, such as imperial control strategies, urban layout, trade, local elites and minorities, ethnic identity, cultural ecology from NYU, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and Tel Aviv University. Meetings with local specialists in ancient pottery, archaeozoology, inscriptions and more, enable an understanding of just how specific pieces of material culture and archaeological remains are processed, reconstructed, and analyzed.”

Students will present their findings from their semester exploring Caesarea at two international conferences. Thareani said “one will be held in Caesarea in 2020 and be open to the Israeli public and international academics from Europe and the United States, as well as locally renowned academics. The other will be held in New York in 2021, most likely in the form of workshops and public lectures.”

Global Dimensions