Amy has been writing about terrorism & violent conflict, language and the role of both in global public affairs since the 1990s.
Experience:
Amy developed her expertise through a decade of publishing, consulting, public speaking and university teaching. She has presented Congressional testimony on "winning hearts and minds" through improved U.S. strategic communications, and on reforming cross-cultural education in the military. Her articles, reviews and interviews have appeared in a variety of publications. Amy has served on the faculties of New York University, Cornell University and the New School University, and as a fellow at the EastWest Institute, a global security 'think-and-do' tank.
Education:
Amy holds a Ph.D. from New York University's Department of Middle Eastern Studies, as well as degrees from Cornell and Columbia Universities.
From Amy Zalman, Ph.D.:
I'm the second-generation product of my grandparents' quest to get to the United States. Along the way, they were derailed repeatedly by political violence in Eastern and Western Europe and in the Middle East. Their stories have left me with a quest of my own to understand the causes of violent conflict in our own time in different cultural and political settings.
On this site, you'll find facts about groups and movements, resources for dealing with attacks, and expertly informed analyses of terrorism's causes and consequences. I hope they'll serve as the beginning of a dialogue between us, and look forward to receiving your questions and insights.
References:
- Congressional Testimony: Defense Language & Cultural Language Transformation
July 2008 testimony at the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation - Strategic Communications: Winning the Hearts and Minds in the War on Terror
July 2007 House Armed Services Committee,Subcommittee on Terrorism & Unconventional Threats - Waging the First Postmodern War: Inside the G.I. Cultural Awareness Program
Article on U.S. government strategies for communicating overseas in the war on terror. - Countering Violent Extremism: Beyond Words
This paper makes recommendations for policymakers and others seeking to use language effectively.