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Eric Alterman
Distinguished Professor
English
Location: 2416 Boylan Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x3560
Fax: 718.951.4612
Email:
Eric Alterman is a CUNY Distinguished Professor of English and Journalism. He is also "The Liberal Media" columnist for The Nation, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. and a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute in New York. Alterman is the author of ten books, including The Cause: The Fight for American Liberalism from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama (2012) and the national best-sellers What Liberal Media? The Truth About Bias and the News (2003, 2004) and Sound & Fury: The Making of the Punditocracy (1992). He has been a columnist and/or contributing editor for The Guardian, The Jewish Daily Forward and Rolling Stone, among other publications. He was a 2013 media fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University and in 2016 was selected as a fellow of the Schusterman Foundation and elected to be a fellow of the Society of American Historians. He has previously taught at NYU and Columbia.
Education:
Ph.D., Stanford University - 2003 (History)
M.A., Yale University - 1986 (International Relations)
B.A., Cornell University - 1982 (History and Government)
Areas of Expertise:
Media business, journalism, U.S. foreign relations, U.S. history, politics, American Jewish politics.
Books and Publications
Book, under contract to Basic Books: "Trouble with the Truth: Why Presidents Lie and Why Trump is Different" (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2019
"Challenging Media,? Index on Censorship, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2017
?How Rabbi Ticktin Changed My Life with ?Yes, But? Torah Scholarship? The Forward,
(Books and Publications: Other Article) 2016
?How False Equivalence Is Distorting the 2016 Election Coverage,? The Nation, June (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2016
?The Hole in Obama?s Legacy,? The New Yorker, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2016
?The Hole in Obama?s Legacy,? The New Yorker, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2016
The B.D.S. Movement and Anti-Semitism on Campus, The New York Times, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2016
?How PR is Killing Journalism and Why That?s a Problem Even If You?re Not a Journalist,? Take Part, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2015
"Bill de Blasio is Just Getting Started," The Nation, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2015
?Bill de Blasio on the Crisis of Inequality and the Blind Spots of the Democratic Party,? The Nation, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2015
?The New Republic Was In Trouble Long Before Chris Hughes Bought It,? The American Prospect, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2015
Book Review: ?Rock Star: The Making of Musical Icons from Elvis to Springsteen. By David R. Shumwa,? Journal of American History (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2015
Inequality and One City (Books and Publications: Book) 2015
?A Foreign Policy for the Left? Defending the ?Default Position?? Dissent (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2014
?Une timide brise de gauche souffle sur New York,? Le Monde Diplomatique, (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2014
Why Liberals need Radicals,? Democracy (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2014
"Aspiring Line." Columbia Journalism Review, March/April. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2013
"The Cuomo Conundrum." The Nation, March 21. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2013
"The Journalist and the Politician." Columbia Journalism Review online, Feb. 14. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2013
"A Newsmaker in Every Sense of the Word" (on Joseph Alsop). New York Times Arts and Leisure, April 22. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"Cultural Liberalism Is Not Enough."New York Times Sunday Review, April 8. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"Et Maintenant, Les Etoilles?" Maniere de Voir 122. (Reprinted from Le Monde Diplomatique, May 1986.) (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"Le President du Compromis" Le Monde Diplomatique, October/November. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"President Romney?" The Nation, Aug. 27. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"Springsteen's Political Voice." The Nation, April 30. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"The 'Girl' Who Loved Journalists." Columbia Journalism Review, January. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"The Mainstream Media's Trivial Pursuit of Campaign 2012." The Nation, Nov. 12. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
"The Washington Post's Problem." The Nation, July 16-23. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2012
The Cause: American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama. (Books and Publications: Book) 2012
The Cause: American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama. Viking. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2012
"Our Kabuki Democracy and How to Fix It." The Nation, Jan. 24. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2011
"The Media and Barack Obama." Dissent online, Jan. 13. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2011
"The Professors, the Press, the Policy Tanks -- and Their Problems." Academe, May/June. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2011
"The Professors, the Press, the Policy Tanks and Their Problems." Academe, May/June. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2011
Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barack Obama. (Books and Publications: Book) 2011
"Das Internet macht uns zu Demagogen." Digitale Mediapolis. Eds. Leif Kramp and Stephan Weichert. Berlin: Broschur. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2010
"Do You Want to Know a (Top) Secret" (on Wikileaks. International Herald Tribune/NYT.com, Dec. 2. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2010
"Kabuki Democracy: Why a Progressive Presidency Is Impossible, for Now." The Nation Online, July 8. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2010
"Something Aabout Christopher" (on Christopher Hitchens). Dissent, Fall. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2010
"Des Juifs Americannes contre la Droite Israelienne." Le Monde Diplomatique September. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2009
"Accounting for Kristol." The American Prospect April. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Altercation." Regular weblog for Media Matters. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Israel at 60: The State of the State." The Nation September 3. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Loving John McCain." The Nation July 7. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Out of Print: The Death and Life of the American Newspaper." The New Yorker March 31. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"The Liberal Media." Regular column for The Nation. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Think Again." Regular column for Center for American Progress. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
"Who Are They Calling Elitist?" The Nation April 14. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2008
The Cause: American Liberalism from World War II through the War on Terror. Viking Books. Under contract. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2008
Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Post-Bush America. Viking Press. (Books and Publications: Book) 2008
"Lives of the Democrats." The New York Times Book Review April 22. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2007
"My Marty Peretz Problem - and Ours." (On the History of The New Republic) The American Prospect July/August. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2007
"Political Pundits." The Encyclopedia of Media and Politics. Eds. Todd M. Schaefer and Thomas A. Birkland. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2007
"Big Ideas Need Sharp Elbows." Living a Life of Value. Ed. Jason A. Merchey. Values of the Wise Press. Reprinted from The Nation. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2006
"Bush's War on the Press." The Best American Political Writing, 2005 (Thunder's Mouth Press) and Annual Editions: American Government (McGraw Hill). Reprinted from The Nation. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2006
"First Casualty of War." The Los Angeles Times November 3; Newsday November 6; etc. (Books and Publications: Other Article) 2005
"The Myth of the Liberal Media." News Incorporated: Corporate Media Ownership and Its Threat to Democracy. Ed. Elliot D. Cohen. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2005
"Where Roosevelt Went Wrong." The American Prospect Online May 16. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2005
When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences. Paperback edition, Penguin. (Books and Publications: Book) 2005
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Elected Society of American Historians, 2016, selected, Shusterman Foundation Fellow, 2016 (Awards and Honors) 2016
Finalist, Mirror Award for Best Commentary, Traditional (Awards and Honors) 2014
Finalist, Mirror Award for Best Commentary, Digital and Best Commentary, Traditional. (Awards and Honors) 2013
Media Fellow, Hoover Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., June. (Awards and Honors) 2013
Finalist, Mirror Award for Best Commentary, Traditional. (Awards and Honors) 2012
Finalist, Mirror Award for Best Commentary, Traditional. (Awards and Honors) 2011
Mirror Award for Best Commentary, Digital. (Awards and Honors) 2011
Finalist, Mirror Award, for Best Commentary, Digital. (Awards and Honors) 2010
Finalist, Mirror Awards, for Best Single Article, Traditional and Best Commentary, Digital. (Awards and Honors) 2009
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Panel Appearance, ?Anti-Semitism and Progressive Politics,? Rabbis for Human Rights Convention, New York (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
Panel Appearance, ?Tackling Economic Inequality,? New York Law School, (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2016
Lecture, Inequality and One City, Cornell University School of Industrial Relations (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
Panel Appearance, ?The Media and Israel/Palestine,? CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
Panel Appearance, ?The Nation at 150,? Columbia University School of Journalism (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2015
Panel Appearance, ?The Nation at 150,? Columbia University School of Journalism (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
Remarks, ?A Tale of Two Mayors,? Central Brooklyn Martin Luther King Commission 2015 Social Justice Awards," (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2015
"Liberalism, Past, Present and Future" Spectrum Lecture. Wayne State University. Detroit, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"The Israeli/Palestinian Negotiations: From Automatic Support to Critical Assessment" panel. MOLAD/Center for American Progress. Jerusalem, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
Panel Appearance, ?Israel, Palestine and Academic Freedom,? CUNY Graduate.
Center,
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
Panel Appearance, ?Journalism in the Digital Age,? Consulate of France, (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
Panel Appearance, ?Tackling Economic Inequality,? New York Law School, (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
"In Search of a Liberal Foreign Policy." Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies Distinguished Lecture/Cornell Foreign Policy Initiative, Cornell University. Ithaca, N.Y., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
"American Jews and Israel: What's Not to Love?" Yale University. New Haven, Conn., March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama." Center for American Progress. Washington, D.C., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"Do the Media Have a Bias, Liberal or Conservative." Rutgers University. New Brunswick, N.J., February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"Election, 2012" debate. Pomona College. Pomona, Calif., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"The Googlization of Everything" panel. Roosevelt House, Hunter College (CUNY). New York, May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"What Is a Liberal Foreign Policy?" World Policy Institute. New York, May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"American Democracy and the New Class War." Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies. Sturbridge, Mass., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
"Do We Have a Kabuki Media?" Shorenstein Center, Harvard University. Cambridge, Mass., March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
"How Jewish Intellectuals Became 'American' by Becoming Liberals." Vassar College. April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
"Is America a Kabuki Democracy?" panel. CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. New York, February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
"Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barak Obama." Brooklyn College. March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
"Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barak Obama." Center for American Progress. Washington, D.C., February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2011
"American Jews and Israel: The Burdens of Irresponsibility." State University of New York, New Paltz. October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
"Journalism of Opinion in the Twentieth Century" panel. Columbia University. New York, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Journalism: Does the Future Have a Past?" Long Island University. Brooklyn, N.Y., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"The Future of Journalism in a Digital Age" panel. Wolfe Institute, Brooklyn College. April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Which Way for the Working Class? Right or Left Populism?" panel. Cooper Union. New York, September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
"Current Interest: Right & Left" panel. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Democracy, Political Communication, and the New Media." Roosevelt Institution. April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Ethical Leadership and the U.S. Presidency" panel. Yeshiva University. January. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"How New Media Can Spark Social Change" panel. Regional Equity 08. New Orleans, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Liberty and the News" presidential address. Queensborough Community College. Queens, N.Y., October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Reclaiming Liberalism." The Wolfe Institute, Brooklyn College. September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Election, Left and Right" public debate. Brooklyn College. October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Fall & Rise of American Liberalism: Media, Race, Religion" panel. University of Virginia - Charlottesville, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Future of Liberalism." Center for American Progress. Washington, D.C., June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Future of News" panel. Princeton University, May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Future of News." Canadian Research Consortium. Toronto, May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"The Media and the 2008 Election." Cornell University. Ithaca, N.Y., October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"What Do Jews Believe." Chai Society, Yale University. New Haven, Conn., November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Why We're Liberals." Ethical Culture Society of St. Louis, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Why We're Liberals." First Congregational Church of Berkeley, Calif., March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Why We're Liberals." World Policy Institute. April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Is American Democracy Even Possible Anymore?" National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. Los Angeles, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"Is Liberalism Still Great?" panel. The New School. New York, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"Terrorism as a Human Rights Issue" panel. New York University Law School, February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"The Fall and Rise of American Liberalism" panel. University of California - Davis, November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"The World and the Web, 2.0" panel. Council on Foreign Relations. New York, October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"Media and Democracy in a Changing World." World Political Forum. Mikhail Gorbachev, Chairman. Venice, Italy, June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"The Long, Slow Death of American Liberalism." Cornell University, November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"The New Media." Shorenstein Center on the Press and Public Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, December. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"Why Do Presidents Lie?" Rutgers University, October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
Professional Leadership
Member, editorial board, Boss: The Biannual Online-journal of Springsteen Studies. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2013
"Does the American Presidency Still Work?" Temple Israel. New York, February. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2011
"Is America a Kabuki Democracy?" New York Public Library. New York, May. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2011
"Obama at Year One." The Thomas Paine/Freedom of Thought Lecture. Center for Ethical Culture. January. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2010
Community Activities
"The Cause. American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama." Institute for Retirees in Pursuit of Education, Brooklyn College. October. 2013
"The Boys on the Bus Revisited" panel. Los Angeles Times Book Festival. University of Southern California. April. 2012
"The Election of 2012." Brooklyn Festival of Books. Brooklyn, N.Y., September. 2012
"Is America a Kabuki Democracy?" Town Hall. Seattle, April. 2011
"Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barak Obama." Authors@Google. New York. 2011
"Obama: Two Years In" panel appearance. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. University of Southern California, Los Angeles. April. 2011
"Do American Jews Need a New Lobby" panel. 92nd Street Y. New York, March. 2009
"The Media and Civil Liberties." Sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. Cleveland, November. 2008
"When Checks and Balances Fail: The Media and Civil Liberties in the 2008 Election" panel. Boston Public Library, September. 2008
"Why We're Liberals." Authors@Google. Mountain View, Calif., March. 2008
"Why We're Liberals." Scarsdale Public Library. April. 2008
"Why We're Liberals." Town Hall. Seattle, March. 2008
Other Professional Activities
"The Cause. American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama." All Souls Unitarian Church. New York, March 6. 2012
Judge, National Magazine Awards, Category: Reporting. 2011
