Publications
Gulf Studies - Social Change and Transformation in the Gulf Region
In March 2023, Amr Al-Azm co-authored the introductory chapter of Social Change in the Gulf Region, published by Springer Nature. The chapter examines the rapid social, cultural, and economic transformation of Gulf societies, highlighting the influence of technology, education, migration, and modernization while exploring how traditional identities adapt to contemporary change.
DAWN MENA - Opinion: Can the Taliban and Syria’s al-Qaida Offshoot Actually Protect Cultural Heritage?
In September 2023, Amr Al-Azm and Lakshmi Venugopal Menon published an analysis in Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) examining efforts by the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria to portray themselves as protectors of cultural heritage. The article explores how these groups exploit heritage preservation to seek international legitimacy and financial support, highlighting the ethical challenges of engaging with armed groups responsible for archaeological looting and traf
The Mercury News - Opinion: Biden had it right the first time. Facebook is killing People
In July 2021, an opinion article in The Mercury News argued that Facebook’s responsibility for harmful activity extends beyond COVID-19 misinformation to broader threats enabled by the platform. The article called for greater corporate accountability and stronger action against harmful content and illicit activity. I couldn't access the full article to verify its specific references to the ATHAR Project.
NETCHER - Facebook Fueling the Illicit Antiquities Trade Across the Middle East and North Africa
ATHAR Project and the Alliance to Counter Crime Online (ACCO) contributed posters about the ongoing initiatives to fight looting and trafficking of cultural goods.
Alliance to Counter Crime Online (ACCO) - Two Clicks Away: Wildlife Sales on Facebook
In March 2018, Facebook joined the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online, pledging alongside 30 major tech firms to remove 80% of wildlife trafficking content from their platforms by 2020. Two years on, the Alliance to Counter Crime Online (ACCO) conducted a study that found Facebook failed to keep its promise. In just two mouse clicks, our researchers could locate substantial illicit wildlife content.
Foreign Affairs - Opinion: Facebook’s Flawed Plan to End Antiquities Trafficking
In July 2020, Katie Paul and Amr Al-Azm published an article in Foreign Affairs criticizing Facebook’s new policy prohibiting antiquities trafficking. Drawing on ATHAR Project research, they highlighted how removing trafficking content without preserving evidence could undermine criminal investigations, calling for stronger enforcement, evidence preservation, and cooperation with law enforcement to combat illicit antiquities networks.
Medium - Facebook’s Community Standards Game: Antiquities Trafficking
In May 2020, Katie Paul published an article through the Alliance to Counter Crime Online criticizing Facebook’s failure to prohibit illicit antiquities trafficking under its Community Standards. Drawing on ATHAR Project research documenting extensive trafficking networks, she introduced the Countering Crime FaceBingo campaign, developed with ACCO to publicly expose ongoing illicit sales and pressure Facebook to strengthen its policies and enforcement.
Medium - Facebook Antiquities Looters Remain Active as Pandemic Rages On
In April 2020, Katie Paul published an investigation through the Alliance to Counter Crime Online examining continued archaeological looting and antiquities trafficking on Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on ATHAR Project research, she documented increased posts depicting illegal excavations and freshly looted artifacts across the Middle East and North Africa, highlighting how weakened site protection and inadequate Facebook enforcement created opportunities for traffickers.
Medium - Instagram Just Created Reporting for Endangered Species — Almost One Year After it Was Listed in Their Community Guidelines
In March 2020, Katie Paul, Co-Director of the ATHAR Project, published an investigation through the Alliance to Counter Crime Online examining Instagram’s failure to address endangered wildlife trafficking. Her research documented illegal sales of cheetahs and other protected species, highlighting delayed reporting mechanisms, inadequate enforcement, and the need for greater technology company accountability in combating online trafficking.
Medium - Facebook Is The Biggest Marketplace of Illegal Antiquities
In July 2019, Katie Paul published an article with the Alliance to Counter Crime Online examining Facebook’s role as a major marketplace for illicit antiquities. Drawing on ATHAR Project research, she highlighted how criminal networks exploit Facebook groups to facilitate artifact trafficking and loot-to-order transactions, calling for stronger platform accountability, evidence preservation, and cooperation with law enforcement.
Morning Consult - Opinion: Time to Clean Up Facebook’s Dark Side
In June 2019, Gretchen Peters and Amr Al-Azm published an opinion piece in Morning Consult examining Facebook’s role in facilitating organized crime, trafficking, and terrorist activity. Drawing on ATHAR Project research documenting nearly two million users across 95 Facebook groups trafficking antiquities, they highlighted the platform’s failure to address illicit markets and called for stronger government oversight and corporate accountability.
Middle East Institute - ISIS Eyes Tunisia’s Cultural Heritage as Militants Return
In November 2017, Katie Paul and Amr Al-Azm published an analysis in the Middle East Institute examining threats to Tunisia’s cultural heritage posed by returning ISIS fighters. The article highlights the connections between terrorism financing, antiquities trafficking, and cultural heritage destruction, warning that Tunisia’s established smuggling networks could facilitate further exploitation of archaeological sites and calling for stronger international cooperation.