
About
My research focuses on the history of American foreign relations, with an emphasis on the Middle East. My first book, Jimmy Carter and the Middle East: The Politics of Presidential Diplomacy, was published by Palgrave Macmillan. I have also begun work on new projects: a political history of the American media and the 1979-81 Iran Hostage Crisis, a biography of former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and an analysis of journalists in the first Arab-Israeli War.
Previously a Teaching Fellow and a Visiting Research Fellow, and a Guest Teacher in the International History Department. I have also been a Visiting Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, worked as an LSE100 Teaching Fellow, and served as a Managing Editor for Cold War History. Prior to academia, I spent a decade in journalism, latterly as senior producer and London editorial manager for NBCNews.com.
Expertise
History of U.S. Foreign Relations, Arab-Israeli Dispute, Modern Middle East, Journalism History, Transnational American History, Post-1945 U.S.
- "FLAG and the Diplomacy of the Iran Hostage Families," Meeting of Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) (June 28, 2016)
- "FLAG and the Diplomacy of the Iran Hostage Families, 1979-81," International History Research Seminar, LSE (September 30, 2015)
- "U.S. Domestic Politics and the Iran Hostage Crisis," Middle East Research Seminar, LSE (March 2, 2015)
- "Desperate Diplomacy: The Politics of Jimmy Carter’s ‘Wild Dash’ to Conclude the Egypt-Israel Treaty," Cold War Research Seminar, LSE (February 5, 2014)
- "Jimmy and the Jets: Capitol Hill Fight Over Carter’s 1978 Middle East ‘Package’ Airplane Sale," SHAFR (June 21, 2013)
- "The Press as a Source and Topic of Historical Inquiry," International History Research Seminar, LSE (February 20, 2013)
- "Pivot: Sadat’s Israel Trip, Public Opinion and U.S. Policy," SHAFR (June 28, 2012)
- "Sadat’s Jerusalem Trip and U.S. Policy Response," Middle East Research Seminar, LSE (February 6, 2012)
- "‘Getting Control’: U.S. Efforts to Manage the Message at the 1978 Camp David Summit," LSE-GWU-UCSB Conference on the Cold War, London (April 20, 2012)
- "Carter, Domestic Politics and the Effort to Convene a 1977 Mideast Conference," European Summer School on Cold War History, Padua, Italy (September 10, 2011)
Research
- PhD fully funded by LSE PhD Studentship (scholarship), which covered full tuition and an annual stipend (2009-12)
- Master’s dissertation won Medlicott Prize with highest mark in department (2006)
- Winner of Class Teacher Award for work on LSE100 course (2015)
- Martín Abél Gonzales Departmental Prize for teaching excellence (2012)
- Nominated for LSE-Student Union Teaching Excellence Award (2014, 2015, 2016)
- Recipient of LSE International History PhD partial scholarship (2012-13)
- Recipient of LSE International History Travel Bursary (2010-13)
- Member of an NBCNews.com unit that won First Place, Team Video, National Press Photographers Association for series about economic migration in Europe (2007)
- Peacock Award (internal NBCNews.com recognition of excellence) (2007)