Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Bible & Ancient Near East at North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU), part of the School of Humanities. He holds a PhD from Brown University and has expertise in ancient Anatolia, Egypt, the Levant, and Mesopotamia, employing textual, archaeological, and socio-anthropological methods. He co-directs the NCWU Digital Humanities Lab (NEH Spotlight Grant recipient) and serves as Kershaw Lecturer of Near Eastern Archaeology (AIA).

Education: PhD (Brown University), MA (Brandeis), MTS (Emory), BA (Wake Forest).

Research focuses on ancient power dynamics, cultural hegemony, and religious practices. Recent publications include Displays of Cultural Hegemony (Routledge, 2023) and co-edited volumes on power and identity in the ancient Near East. His work explores peripheral cultures, borders, and material culture.

Teaches courses on religion, archaeology, biblical languages, and ancient history. Serves as Co-Chair of ASOR sessions on power and mobility, and co-edits Avar: An Interdisciplinary Journal.