ASOR MISSION STATEMENT

The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR), founded in 1900, 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 day, 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;
• Promoting educational opportunities for undergraduates and graduates in institutions of higher education around the world;
• 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.

ASOR VALUES

Adopted (unanimously) by the ASOR Board on May 2, 2026

ASOR is a broad community of individuals interested who are committed to upholding the following values with integrity as we pursue ASOR’s mission. 

Curiosity: to sustain ASOR’s intellectual vitality by advancing excellence, exploring new ideas, skills and methods of research, and disseminating evidence-based knowledge. 

Collaboration: to create a welcoming, open environment that respects disparate viewpoints while fostering a sharing of opportunities and resources. 

Stewardship: to work with all stakeholders with dignity, courtesy, and fairness; to maintain financial discipline; and to support the responsible management, preservation, and protection of cultural heritage and the communities we work with and within. 

Transparency: to communicate openly and honestly; to share conscientiously and often with stakeholders across the scholarly and public landscape.