The American Schools of Oriental Research, founded in 1900 as the American School of Oriental Study and Research in Palestine, is an international organization whose mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the history and cultures of the Near East and wider Mediterranean, from the earliest times to the present, by:
Fostering original research, exploration, and archaeological fieldwork;
Encouraging scholarship in the region’s languages, texts, traditions, and histories;
Disseminating research results and conclusions in a timely manner, through a robust publication program, annual meeting, and other venues;
Adhering to the highest ethical standards of scholarship and public discourse;
Upholding the highest academic standards in interdisciplinary research and teaching;
Developing engaging programs of outreach for the general public;
Supporting and participating in efforts to protect, preserve, and present to the public the historic and cultural heritage of the Near East and the wider Mediterranean and to raise awareness of its degradation.
As of 2019, the ASOR headquarters is now located in Alexandria, VA. It is apolitical and has no religious affiliation. Sharon Herbert began her term as President starting in January 2020. Susan Ackerman served as President from 2014-2019. ASOR collaborates with three independent overseas institutes:
ASOR convenes a scholarly conference once a year in North America, always beginning 8 days before Thanksgiving and running through Saturday evening. 2008 – Boston, MA and drew over 730 scholars and interested lay members from around the world. 2009 – New Orleans, LA. 2018 – Denver, CO. 2019 – San Diego, CA.
Publications
ASOR also publishes three scholarly publications. Two of the journals are academic flagships in their respective areas: the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research presents archaeological, historical, and epigraphic articles on topics from the ancient Near East, and the Journal of Cuneiform Studies presents articles in English, German, and French on Mesopotamian topics. The organization also publishes Near Eastern Archaeology, a quarterly that reports recent research for both popular and professional audiences. University of Chicago Press began publishing all three ASOR journals in 2019.
