Academics On Settlement

One of the sessions at the upcoming ASOR Annual Meeting which will be held in Atlanta, GA, from November 18th to 21nd, 2015:- 

Landscapes of Settlement in the Ancient Near East
Chairs: Emily Hammer, University of Chicago; Jesse Casana, University of Arkansas
Description: This session brings together scholars investigating regional-scale problems of settlement history and archaeological landscapes across the ancient Near East.  Research presented in the session is linked methodologically through the use of regional survey, satellite remote sensing, geophysics, geoarchaeology, and paleoenvironmental studies to document ancient settlements, communication routes, field systems, irrigation networks, and other evidence of human activity that is inscribed in the landscape.  Session participants are especially encouraged to offer analyses of these regional archaeological data that explore political, economic, and cultural aspects of ancient settlement systems as well as their dynamic interaction with the natural environment.

So, "settlements" is, perhaps, not that pejorative a term?

Or is it only when Jews are involved that somehow, those "settlements" become illegal, noxious, 'terror', unhelpful, etc.?

In any case, who wants to wait around for another 2000 years to find out what future academics will think of Shiloh, etc.?

^