William O. Beeman

William O. Beeman is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota and Past-President of the Middle East Section of the American Anthropological Association. He was formerly Professor of Anthropology and Director of Middle East Studies at Brown University. Best known as a Middle East Specialist for more than 30 years, he has also worked in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Japan, China and South Asia. Recognized for special expertise in Iranian culture, he is the author or editor of more than 100 scholarly articles, 500 opinion pieces and 14 books, including Language, Status and Power in Iran, and The "Great Satan" vs. the "Mad Mullahs": How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other. His forthcoming book from Mazda Press is Iranian Performance Forms: Keys to Iranian Culture. He has served as consultant to the United States State Department, the Department of Defense, the United Nations and the United States Congress. A frequent commentator on national and international radio and television, his written opinion pieces have also appeared in major newspapers throughout the world. He is also a professional opera singer (bass), and collaborated with stage director, Daniel Helfgot, on The Third Line: The Opera Performer as Interpreter.