Archaeologist Jim Davila gives a compelling scholarly criticism of Nadia Abu El-Haj’s Facts on the Ground. Among other such claims, Davila states that El-Haj, whose tenure bid at Barnard College has stirred controversy, justifies “the looting of archaeological sites” on political grounds.

The credibility of Barnard and Columbia, which jointly approve tenure decisions, will go down the tubes if El-Haj’s appointment is ratified.