Queries & Comments

BAS’s Bias

I was dismayed to see the discriminatory terms for the Biblical Archaeology Society’s scholarships to the Annual Meeting (Strata, BAR 23:03). These scholarships are available only to “Israeli Ph.D. candidates, Israeli women who have completed a Ph.D. within the past ten years and Arab archaeologists.” The announcement goes on to state, “Applicants must demonstrate that they could not otherwise afford to attend the meetings.”

Explain to me why any Israeli men who have completed a Ph.D., or indeed any Israeli scholars, should not qualify if they meet the means test? Explain to me why Arab archaeologists should receive preferential treatment compared to Israeli men or women?

Isn’t there enough discrimination in the Middle East, and enough politics being mixed in with archaeology, without your tossing in your own mix of it?