Peter Henne
Professor of Middle East politics, terrorism, religion and politics. Guitar/mandolin. D&D and Star Trek. Wouldn't trust any group that would have me as a member.
- as I mentioned before I've redone my Terrorism&CT course to look more at right-wing terrorism. I'm currently making the new lectures on contemporary issues. Not that anything in this course is "fun" but this is especially dark stuff to work on right now
- very sad to see the Washington Post cuts. When I moved to DC after college in 2005 I excitedly got a print subscription, I'd read it on the bus to work. It made me feel like this strange new city was home. It deserved better, esp. from someone w/ more money than he could ever spend.
- I have a paper that's been under review w/ a journal for 2 years. Gone through 2 rounds of R&R. Sits for months before the status even updates to "out for review." Contacted the editors and heard nothing. I'm considering pulling it and just posting it as a working paper on Researcgate #academicsky
- I came up with what I thought was a novel term to study a topic I'm writing on, then while perusing the literature found it already existed. I guess that actually works out for me, as now I don't need to justify and defend my terminology. #academicsky
- two students were waiting outside my office for office hours. One introduced himself to the other, said he liked his contributions to class discussions, and they chatted a bit. Made me happy. #academicsky
- vehicular attack on important Jewish site in NYC. Don't have a lot of details but hard not to see this as an antisemitic attack seen via @powerofacademe.bsky.social
- my Uni is on top of a hill overlooking Burlington, so on snowy days like today it can be a little scary getting there. But at the end of the day all I have to do is put my car into D and coast all the way home #academicsky
- A prayer from the Church of England for Holocaust Memorial Day www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-w...
- I hate that this post is relevant again. The Trump Admin is trying to cast another protester they've murdered as a terrorist; it isn't working. www.duckofminerva.com/2026/01/rene...
- Reposted by Peter HenneMSP airport. Clergy risking risking arrest and a huge gathering of protesters. The song is, “Down to the River to Pray.”
- Proud to be part of a church that is participating in this, and I'd ask everyone to pray for everyone, including some clergy I know, who are acting out their faith to oppose ICE's tyranny. www.audacy.com/wccoradio/ne...
- I was banned from the sub for a game franchise I love, but you can still see the posts. So I keep going to comment, but then get the reminder that I've been banned from participating. It's painful.
- I think disrupting a church service to protest ICE is wrong, morally and strategically. But take outrage over this with a grain of salt: ICE has been roughing up pastors who are part of the protests in MN to little outrage. www.ncronline.org/news/minneap...
- The Trump Administration placed restrictions on FEMA aid to a Kentucky church, requiring cooperation with enforcement efforts. This is a blatant violation of religious freedom, and one I hope religious freedom advocates will speak out on.
- I was complaining about unproductive meetings at my church, and my wife contrasted them w/ work meetings where people actually make necessary decisions (she works in the private sector). Thinking of academic meetings, I laughed. #academicsky
- I'm trying to finish Stranger Things S.4 and I just can't do it. I think it's the finale. I can't remember what's happening anymore, because the season has been so long, and everyone is giving long boring speeches. I don't think I'll make it to season 5.
- When I play Civ IV (I never moved on past that one), occasionally another player has a city near mine, and I just want to take it so my border looks better. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that logic is now driving our foreign policy.
- I wrote a piece for Arc Magazine on Pope Leo's approach to international relations, and how he is following a more consensus-based approach to peacebuilding than Francis. arcmag.org/a-new-direct...
- I know there's a lot going on now, but it's worth paying attention to this. Some have been cautiously optimistic about Syria's new government. I've been pessimistic. And these hostilities make me even more so. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/10/w...
- just got the notice that an article I'd reviewed was rejected. Three tough but do-able R&Rs from reviewers. I guess all together the editors thought it was too much to do, but I worry editors are too wary to allow an R&R w/o overly positive reviews #academicsky
- my new @duckofminerva.bsky.social post, noting the false terrorism charges against Renee Goode have failed, which may make a just outcome to her murder easier to achieve duckofminerva.substack.com/p/renee-good...
- for the fifth anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol, here is my @duckofminerva.bsky.social piece arguing why we should consider it a terrorist attack www.duckofminerva.com/2022/01/why-...
- this op-ed reveals why Democratic foreign policy will always be a mess. Nothing in the content is objectionable, but one of the authors--Jake Sullivan--was an architect of the US intervention in Libya, exactly the sort of action the op-ed warns against. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/o...
- my @duckofminerva.bsky.social piece expanding on why Trump's Christmas day strikes were so dangerous and offensive duckofminerva.substack.com/p/do-you-wan...
- I'm writing something on Trump's Nigeria strikes, and will update this post with it when it's out, but a few thoughts: 1. Explicitly declaring violence as connected to Christmas is so obviously offensive it's sad more Christians won't be offended (1/3)
- For my kids, Christmas eve is about the expectation of presents given with nothing expected in return. And that does capture its deeper meaning in a way. Advent is about waiting for promised deliverance thanks to God's grace. Christmas is the realization of that promise.
- Longfellow's "I heard the bells on Christmas Day" captures the true Christmas spirit in the Trump era (technically the Advent spirit) perfectly. And here's Frank Sinatra's nice version. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPjw...
- I play music before class, focusing on "my" music-stuff I listened to in college and high school. No classic rock. I've gotten several requests to make a playlist, so I finally did in between grading. I thought I'd share it #academicsky open.spotify.com/playlist/03k...
- I don't want to concern anyone, but the VT Air National Guard, which includes F-35s, is being deployed to Puerto Rico. www.sevendaysvt.com/news/vermont...
- I'm a social scientist. I should focus on the 97% of my students who were courteous as representative. I should think of the multiple students who sent nice emails or came up to me as class ended to thank me. Instead, I can't help but dwell on the few causing problems. #academicsky
- Happy to announce I have a new article out, comparing levels of repression among Christians and other religious groups. Christians are not the most repressed group around the world (w/ a few regional exceptions) but do face significant threats. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
