A.J. Caschetta Headshot

A.J. Caschetta

Principal Lecturer

Department of English
College of Liberal Arts

585-475-5405
Office Location

A.J. Caschetta

Principal Lecturer

Department of English
College of Liberal Arts

Education

BA, Nazareth College of Rochester; MA, University of Missouri; Ph.D., New York University

Bio

At New York University I studied the effects of the French Revolution and Reign of Terror on British society. After 9/11, I began focusing on the rhetoric of radical Islamists and on Western academic narratives explaining Islamist terrorism. In 2014 I was named a fellow of the Middle East Forum, and in 2015 I was named a Shillman/Ginsburg Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum. I teach literature classes in the English Department and a class cross-listed with the Political Science Department titled 'The Rhetoric of Terrorism'.

585-475-5405

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
Caschetta, A.J. "State Department Failed to Fulfill a Key Duty in 2022." National Review. January 3 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "2022, Academia\'s Worst Year Yet?" The American Spectator. January 4 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Another Reminder that White Supremacists Aren't the Only Threat to the Homeland." National Review. January 8 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Who Will Celebrate World Hijab Day This Year?" The Investigative Project on Terrorism. January 24 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Roger Waters, The Leni Riefenstahl of Rock and Roll." Jewish News Syndicate. February 7 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "How to Write a Jihadist's Biography, Or Not." Middle East Quarterly. Spring (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Evasive, Late and Confused State Department Report Finally Released." The Investigative Project on Terrorism. March 6 (2023): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "From Minneapolis to Vienna, Projecting Weakness Invites Aggression." Jewish News Syndicate. January 3 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Birzeit University Sure Loves Its Jihadis." Arutz Sheva. January 18 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "UAE's New Academic Enemies." Arutz Sheva. January 25 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Media Attack Investigative Reporter for Investigating and Reporting on CAIR." National Review. January 29 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "CAIR Doubles Down on 'Illegal Surveillance' Charges." National Review. February 9 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "CAIR's Media Enablers." National Review. February 11 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Amid a Crime Wave, New York State Attorney General Gets Tough on ... Reporters." National Review. April 4 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Nobel Prize Winner Tries to Make the Case for BDS -- and Fails Spectacularly." The American Spectator. April 5 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "CAIR Should Fear the Muslim #MeToo Movement." National Review. April 10 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Wasting Time on 'Palestine' Studies." Middle East Quarterly. Summer (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Ben & Jerry's of Palestine." Arutz Sheva. July 18 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "It's Too Late to Prevent an Iranian Nuke." National Review. September 16 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Arizona State University Opens Center for Muslim Identity Politics." The American Spectator. November 30 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Navel-gazing Inanities of MESA." National Review. December 1 (2022): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Will the Boycott-Israel Clique Co-opt the Scientific Community?" National Review. February 6 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Uighurs and Palestinians, What's in a Name?" Newsweek. March 6 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Does Iran Even Need Spies in Academia?" The Hill. April 8 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Biden's Taylor Force Betrayal." Newsweek. April 12 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "What Would a 'Proportionate' Israeli Response to Hamas Attacks Really Look Like?" The American Spectator. May 23 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Palestine's 'Terrorist University' Picks Ivy League Prof as New President." The American Spectator. May 27 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Palestinian Battle Flag." Jewish News Syndicate. June 8 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Anti-Israel Propaganda Brainwashes Students." The American Spectator. June 25 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Solidarity With 'Paletine' Means Kalashnikovs for Kids." National Review. July 13 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Ilhan Omar and the Islamophobia Industry." National Review. July 26 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Anarchists and the Roots of Wokeism." The American Spectator. August 4 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Confusion, Blame-Shifting and Inaccuracy: Academia Reacts to the Fall of Afghanistan." National Review. August 20 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Solidarity Statement I'd Like to See." Arutz Sheva (The Israel National News). August 22 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Few Options Remain in Afghanistan." The American Spectator. August 29 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The State Department's Failed Diplomacy in the Middle East." The American Spectator. September 17 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "A Tale of Two Drone Strikes." National Review. September 22 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Biden's Failures Embolden Islamists." The American Spectator. October 12 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Fareed Zakaria's Bad Advice, 20 Years Later." National Review. October 14 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Brown University's Anti-Zionist Fantasy World." National Review. November 28 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Biden's Counterterrorism Ignores Jihadi Threats." The American Spectator. December 3 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Brown University Professor Can't Control Birzeit's Terrorists." The American Spectator. December 26 (2021): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Mourning Soleimini, From Hollywood to the Campus." National Review. January 8 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump Has Ended Proportionate Warfare Against Iran -- Will It Last?" The Hill. January 8 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Funding Lebanon Is Funding Hezbollah." The Jerusalem Post. January 13 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Saudi Critics Should Revisit Sue Myrick's Wake Up America Agenda." The Hill. January 16 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Irony and Hypocrisy of World Hijab Day." National Review. January 30 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Lessons from London: You Can't Fix Jihad." The Hill. February 26 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Wrong Candidates for Aide, Wrong Time." National Review. April 4 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Is Iran on the Brink of a Coronavirus Coup?" The Hill. April 14 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Why Do Democrats Want to Save Iran's Theocracy?" The Hill. April 24 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Happy Birthday Hamid Algar: Khomeini's Favorite American Turns 80." National Review. June 6 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "An American Intifada?" Jewish News Syndicate. June 7 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Brown University Goes All In for Palestine." The American Spectator. July 22 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Islamist Takeover of George Floyd." Jewish News Syndicate. July 26 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Is Everything About Iran Fake?" The Hill. August 7 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Iran Plays the Race Card." Newsweek. August 25 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Anti-Israel NYU: The Gaza of Greenwich Village." The American Spectator. September 10 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Palestinians Have Painted Themselves into a Corner." The American Spectator. September 16 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "History Proves John Kerry Wrong ... Again." Jewish News Syndicate. September 22 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Cancelled Palestine Conference Promised Violent, Anti-Israel Propaganda." The American Spectator. September 25 (2020): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "“Why Are Academics Ignoring Iran’s Colonialism?”." National Review December 27. (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "“Iranian Protests Are Not About the Price of Gas”." The Hill. December 2 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "“The Iranian Hostage-Takers in 1979 Were Not ‘Students’"." National Review. November 4 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "“Twitter Falls for the Terrorist Wing Scam”." The Daily Wire. October 24 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "“Islamic Reform: Craig Considine’s Bridge to Nowhere”." New English Review October. (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "War Isn’t Over Just Because You Want It To Be Over." The Daily Wire. September 11 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Middle East Scholars Blame Trump for an Iran Policy 40 Years in the Making." The Hill. August 20 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Encouraging Palestinians to Swim Uphill." Jewish News Syndicate. August 5 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "U.S.-Saudi Policy Needs a Dose of Realpolitik." The Hill. July 20 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "In Death, Morsi Becomes Mossadeq." New English Review. July 3 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "MESA Demands U.S. Welcome Palestinian Terrorist Apologist Hanan Ashrawi." Jewish News Syndicate. June 16 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Two More Jihadists Get Out of Jail Early." Washington Examiner. May 25 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Why the Middle East Studies Association Should Not Defend Omar Barghouti,”." History News Network. May 5 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Middle East Comes to Sri Lanka." The Hill. April 26 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "ISIS Bride Hoda Muthana Was an ISIS Propagandist, Not Some Brainwashed Child." Washington Examiner. February 25 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Al-Shabaab Jumps on the Anti-Israel, Anti-Trump Bandwagon." The Hill. February 13 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "In Criticizing Israel, MESA Ignores Terror Threats on Palestinian Campuses." The Tower. February 6 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "While 2018 Was a Good Year for Islamists, 2019 is Looking Even Better." Jewish News Syndicate. January 11 (2019): N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "A New Era at the State Department?" Modern Diplomacy. February 25 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Saudi Arabia-Middle East Studies Love Affair Is Over." New English Review. March 19 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "What Will Middle East Studies Do Without Alwaleed bin Talal?" The Jerusalem Post. March 21 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Palestinians' Kite Jihad." The Algemeiner. April 24 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Any North Korean Nuclear Deal Must Involve Iran’s Nuclear Program." The Hill. May 2 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump Hasn’t Earned a Nobel, But the Peshmerga Have." The Hill. May 10 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Democrats’ Misplaced Outrage Over Gina Haspel." New English Review. May 16 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The True Commander in Tweet." The Hill. May 19 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "New Developments in Suicide Terrorism." Jihad Watch. May 24 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Folly of Proportionate Warfare." American Spectator. May 25 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Palestinians Hoisted By Their Own Petard." Jewish News Syndicate. May 30 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "No Surprise that MESA Opposes the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act." Jewish News Syndicate. June 11 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Kuwait Seizes the Palestinian Cause." The Jerusalem Post,. June 16 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "What Pnina Peri Tells Us About Israel Studies." American Spectator. June 29 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Jewish Voice for Palestine." The Tower. July 5 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Exploring Sharia Law and Radical Islam." The Algemeiner. August 15 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Has the State Department Finally Given Up its Palestinian Fantasies?" Washington Examiner. September 20 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Erdogan’s Revolution Looks Like Khomeini’s – In Slow Motion." The Gatestone Institute. October 10 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Why Are U.S. Academics Attending a Conference Led by a Terror Supporter in Erdogan’s Turkey?" The Tower. October 22 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Whitewashing of Jamal Khashoggi, Friend of Osama bin Laden." Jewish News Syndicate. October 23 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Iran as a Crazy State." New English Review. November (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Columbia University's Center for Palestine Studies: Ramallah on the Hudson." The Tower. November 19 (2018): NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Real Obama Legacy." The Daily Caller. January 5 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Is Judith Butler the New Edward Said?" The American Thinker. January 14 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Curious Cases of Anti-Muslim Backlash That Turned Out to Be False." Independent Journala Review. March 9 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Lessons of Omar Abdel Rahman." The Hill. March 9 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "An End to the Grievance-Based Approach." The Jerusalem Post. March 14 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Israel's New Rules." The Daily Caller. March 17 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump Can Break the Israel-Palestinian Impasse." The Gatestone Institute. May 22 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "CUNY's Curious Defense of Linda Sarsour." The New English Review. June 1 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Honoring Terrorism in New York City." The American Thinker. June 6 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump Knows Why People Become Jihadists." The Jerusalem Post. June 11 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Terrorism in Iran: As Ye Reap..." Jihad Watch. June 16 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Islamic State of Al-Qaeda." The New English Review. July (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Wanted: An Afghanistan Policy." The American Thinker. July 21 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Anti-Semitic Academics: Where is the Outrage Against Turkey?" The Gatestone Institute. August 4 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "State Department\'s Palestinian Fantasies." The New English Review. September 12 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump Dumps UNESCO, aka the UN Erasure, Slander, and Cover-up Organization." The Washington Examiner. October 12 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Kathy Griffin Needs to Check Her Infidel Privilege." The Daily Caller. October 19 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Freelance Vehicular Jihad." The Daily Caller. November 3 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Important Symbolism, but Probably Futility, of the Taylor Force Act." The New English Review. November 16 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Laundering Iran's Nukes, Again." The Gatestone Institute. November 29 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "There's Nothing New About the Palestinian Days of Rage." The Algeimener. December 24 (2017) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Will 2016 Be the Year of Abbas Diplomacy?"." Jihad Watch January 6. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Politics of Radicalization"." Sun-Sentinel January 21. (2016): 1-1. Print.
Caschetta, A.J. "Syrian Diplomatic Push Doomed to Fail"." The Hill January 22. (2016): 1-2. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Shocking Truth About How Obama's 'Rigorous Vetting Process' For Syrian Refugees Actually Works"." Independent Journal Review February 3. (2016): 1-2. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Fighting the BDS Movement"." American Thinker February 25. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Trump's Saddam Nostalgia"." The Daily Caller February 29. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Facebook Came Up With a Ridiculous 'Strategy' to Fight ISIS But Obama Might Actually Start Using It"." Independent Journal Review March 3. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Cuba And Obama's 'Axis of Evil'"." The Gatestone Institute March 21. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The UN Is A Plastic Owl"." The New English Review. April (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Stop Asking 'Why Do They Hate Us?'"." The Daily Caller April 11. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Ben Rhodes' Fiction Behind the 'Iran Deal'"." The Gatestone Institute May 10. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Humor Can Be Effective Political Weapon"." The Sun-Sentinel May 20. (2016): 1-3. Print.
Caschetta, A.J. "Backdoor BDS"." The Jerusalem Post May 25. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Is Obama's Iran Deal a 'Dhimmi' Contract?"." PJ Media May 31. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "In Search of Iranian Moderates"." The Gatestone Institute June 8. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Negotiating With the Taliban, Again." The Washington Examiner June 14. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Why Jihadists Kill 'Gays'"." Jihad Watch June 18. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Did James Comey Blink?"." The Daily Caller July 6. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "French Lessons"." The Daily Caller July 15. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The 28 Pages that Damn Saudi Arabia"." The Gatestone Institute July 19. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Munich Shooting Exposes Media Double Standard"." Jihad Watch July 23. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Department of Homeland Security Targeting Wrong 'Enemy'"." The Gatestone Institute July 26. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Flaws in the Lone Wolf Analysis." The New English Review August. (2016): 1-12. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Peril In Paroling Jihadists"." The Hill August 3. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Freelance Jihad"." The Washington Examiner August 11. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Turkey Blames American Scholar For Coup"." The Daily Caller August 30. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Rebranding the Iran Ransom Payment as 'Leverage'"." Independent Journal Review September 2. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Massoud Day, September 9"." The Gatestone Institute September 6. (2016): 1-5. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Terrorist Wing Scam"." The Middle East Quarterly. Fall (2016): 1-13. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Hillary Clinton's 'Unethical Amnesia'"." American Thinker September 24. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "It Is Time To Break Up The Quartet"." The Jerusalem Post October 5. (2016): 1-2. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Erdogan's Academics: Middle East Studies Scholars Shill For A Tyrant"." The Daily Caller October 28. (2016): 11-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The UN's Palestine Language"." The Gatestone Institute November 30. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Israeli Fires and Irish Skirmishers"." The New English Review December 14. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The MLA vs. Israel"." The Daily Caller December 29. (2016): 1-3. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "\"Jimmy Carter\'s Lifelong Pursuit of a Palestinian State\"." American Thinker December 30. (2016): 1-4. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "US Should "Unfriend" ISIS." Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. February 25 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Are Muslims the New Jews?" Jihad Watch. May 8 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Does Islam Have a Role in Suicide Bombing?" Middle East Quarterly 22. 3 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Hollow Cry of "McCarthyism"." Inside Higher Ed. July 2 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Laundering Iran's Nukes." The Gatestone Institute. September 9 (2015) Web.
A.J.Caschetta, . "Caliphate Accompli." Jihad Watch. November 29 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Backlash Industry." The Daily Caller. December 17 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Democrats Don't Know the Islamic State." The WashingtonExaminer Monday. December 28 (2015) Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Taliban's Enablers." Middle East Quarterly Volume 20, Number 4. Fall (2013): 79-87. Print.
Caschetta, A.J. "Writing the Bin Laden Story." Middle East Quarterly Volume 20, Number 3. Summer (2013): 77-85. Print.
Published Review
Caschetta, A.J. "A Is for Apologist." Rev. of Islam in America: Exploring the Issues, by Craig Considine. Middle East Quarterly Jan. 2021: Spring Issue. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "The Biopolitical Book of Silliness." Rev. of Biopolitics of the More-Than-Human: Forensic Ecologies of Violence, by John Pugliese. The Middle East Quarterly Jun. 2021: N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. Rev. of Mapping Israel, Mapping Palestine: How Occupied Landscapes Shape SCientific Knowledge, by Jess Beir. Middle East Quarterly Jan. 2020: N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. Rev. of The Tragedy of Islam: Admissions of a Muslim Imam, by Imam Mohammad Tawhidi. Middle East Quarterly Jan. 2020: N/A. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Review." Rev. of Engineers of Jihad: The Curious Connection Between Violent Extremism and Education, by Diego Gambetta and Steffen Hertog. Middle East Quarterly Jan. 2018: NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Review." Rev. of Hacking ISIS: How to Destroy the Cyber Jihad, by Malcolm Nance and Chris Sampson. Middle East Quarterly Apr. 2018: NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. Rev. of Words Are Weapons: Inside ISIS's Rhetoric of Terror, by Philippe-Jose Salazar. Middle East Quarterly Oct. 2018: NA. Web.
Caschetta, A.J. Rev. of "The Engineers of Jihad: the Curious Connection Between Violent Extremism and Education", by Diego Gambetta and Steffen Hertog. The Middle East Quarterly Winter Dec. 2017: Web.
Caschetta, A.J. "Review of Talking through the Door: An Anthology of Contemporary Middle Eastern American Writing." Rev. of Talking through the Door: An Anthology of Contemporary Middle Eastern American Writing, ed. Susan Atefat-Peckham. Middle East Quarterly Winter 2015: Web.
Published Article
Caschetta, A.J.“Defending Edward Said?” Middle East Quarterly, 17.1 (Winter 2010): 78-80. Print. *

Currently Teaching

ENGL-210
3 Credits
In this course, students will study literature, movements, and writers within their cultural contexts and in relation to modes of literary production and circulation. Students will hone their skills as attentive readers and will engage with literary analysis and cultural criticism. The class will incorporate various literary, cultural, and interdisciplinary theories--such as psychoanalytic theory, feminist and queer theories, critical race studies, and postcolonial theory. Using these theoretical frameworks in order to study texts, students will gain a strong foundation for analyzing the ways literary language functions and exploring the interrelations among literature, culture, and history. In doing so, they will engage issues involving culture, identity, language, ethics, race, gender, class, and globalism, among many others.
ENGL-260
3 Credits
This course is a rigorous introduction to the formal study of rhetoric. Often defined as the “art of persuasion,” rhetoric helps us understand the complexities of marshaling others to see, believe and act in particular ways. Reading a range of rhetorical theory—from the ancient to the contemporary—students will investigate how language is used to create meaning, construct identity, organize social groups, and produce change. Because argument and persuasion inherently involve ethical questions of power, students will also consider who and what benefits or is marginalized by particular assumptions, claims and practices. The course emphasizes cultural rhetoric and rhetorical genre theory to ask what different types of texts do, what cultural role they play in shaping knowledge, and what ideologies they embody. Students will analyze the rhetoric observed in a range of media—academic research, public communication, digital material, data visualization—and compose arguments, identifying assumptions, misinformation/disinformation, and counter arguments. Students engage with rhetorical theory to pose complex questions about important social issues, consider the discursive requirements of the moment, and write intentionally for a target audience.
ENGL-275
3 Credits
In this course students will focus on reading and analyzing storytelling as a literary practice. It introduces the basic elements of narrative and story, acknowledging these as a primary way that we organize information and communicate our experiences, whether in fictional or real-world domains. The course explores defining characters of narrative expression and storytelling: story arcs, conflict, transformation, plot, and structural relationships among characters and also between author, text, and audience/reader. Exploring influential commentary on “story” and considering significant differences between oral, print, and digital storytelling methods, the course invites students to consider how the foundations of storytelling have evolved over time, and how new techniques continue to emerge in the present day.
ENGL-333
3 Credits
This class examines the history of terrorism (both the concept and the term), definitions of terrorism and attempts to explain the root causes of terrorism through rhetorical and ethical analysis of narratives written by historians, journalists, and terrorists themselves. Students will read and discuss charters, manifestoes and messages (terrorism texts) of domestic and foreign, regional and global, non-state entities motivated by politics or religion to commit violence, as well as the efforts of analysts to explain and contextualize their activities.