Learning the Language of Jesus Christ
Originally published by Roads and Kingdoms on November 2, 2015. Just a few hundred feet west of the church built atop the site where the Christian faithful believe Jesus was
Muscat: Where the Arab World Meets the Indian Ocean
Originally published by Ajam Media Collective on August 27, 2019. All photos by author Alex Shams. In Muscat’s souq, Arabic, Baluchi, Urdu, Hindi, and Malayalam mix freely, alongside a variety
Poetry fills Tehran streets as Iranians adapt Nowruz rituals to Corona restrictions
Originally published by Ajam Media Collective on March 24, 2020. This is the second article in a series about how Iranians are adjusting their lives as they enter the second
The Arab heart of Mexico City
Originally published on Middle East Eye on November 15, 2016. Arab immigrants have become a normal part of everyday life, but in many ways they remain a community apart A
Naskh va Taaliq: Connections Between Iran and Pakistan, Old and New
In February 2020, I was invited on behalf of Ajam Media Collective to organize a workshop at the Lahore Biennale. Entitled, “Naskh va Taaliq,” the workshop explored cultural connections between
Becoming Iranian-American
I took Yara Elmjouie on a tour of Tehrangeles’ less well-known spots for an AJ+ documentary about Iranian-Americans entitled “Becoming Iranian-American“. There’s the Garment District downtown, It’s All Good House
From City to Slope in Iran
Originally published in Kinfolk Travel in September 2021, pgs. 146-153.
Amba: The Iraqi Mango Pickle from India That Tops Palestinian Shawarma
Originally published by Ajam Media Collective on October 22, 2018. Step into any Palestinian shawarma shop and the choice of toppings traverse a mouth-watering array of options: thick tahini-and-parsley bakdoonsiyyeh, crushed shatta peppers
Iran Hits the Beach
Tourism is booming, and millions of Iranians are re-discovering the seductions of their northern Caspian Sea coast.
Inside Mexico’s deep and unexpected legacy of Iranians
The Iranian presence in Mexico dates back centuries, but became even more pronounced when the Shah of Iran sought refuge there after he was overthrown in 1979. Originally published on
Alex Shams
Alex Shams is a writer and anthropologist with a PhD from the University of Chicago.
He is editor-in-chief of Ajam Media Collective, a platform focused on culture, society, and politics in West and Central Asia. He previously worked as a journalist and researcher in the Middle East, based in Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine.
He has curated several artistic projects, including a workshop at the Lahore Biennale (2020) and the Mexican photographic series Sementerxs (2024). He is currently working on a non-fiction book, a historical novel, and a TV series.
He received his master's from Harvard University and his bachelor's from the University of Southern California. His articles are archived on this site.