Gal Beckerman is an esteemed American writer and senior editor at The Atlantic. His journalistic expertise has seen him tackle a range of topics including the Ukraine-Russia conflict, social justice in America, and the 2022 attack on Salman Rushdie. Beckerman's career boasts significant experience, having previously held the position of editor for the New York Times Book Review.
Beckerman's academic achievements are equally impressive, having earned a PhD in Media Studies from Columbia University. His 2021 thesis, titled On the Incubation of Radical Ideas: A Communications History, was under the guidance of esteemed advisors Todd Gitlin and Michael Schudson.
Prior to joining The Atlantic, Gal Beckerman served as an opinion editor at the Forward newspaper, a staff editor and writer at the Columbia Journalism Review, and his writing has been featured in The Washington Post, The New Republic, and Bookforum. His first book, When They Come for Us, We'll Be Gone, has garnered critical acclaim, winning two major book awards and recognition as a book of the year by both The New Yorker and The Washington Post.
Beckerman has led a life rich with diverse experiences, from being a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon to a German Chancellor Fellow with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Berlin. He has even traversed France by bike, an adventure that unfortunately resulted in a severe arm injury.
Gal Beckerman grew up in Los Angeles and is an alumnus of Reed College. He currently resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters.