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
From City to Slope in Iran
Originally published in Kinfolk Travel in September 2021, pgs. 146-153.
Hormuz: A Psychedelic Ride through a Geological Wonder
Originally published in Kinfolk Islands in September 2022, pgs. 74-85. The Strait of Hormuz gets a bad rap. Sandwiched between Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, this
Iran Hits the Beach
Tourism is booming, and millions of Iranians are re-discovering the seductions of their northern Caspian Sea coast.
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
Looking A Tyrant In the Eye: Iran’s Long Struggle for Freedom and Justice
Originally published in TIME magazine on March 14, 2026. Translated to Spanish and published in Nexos Mexico. I knew he was watching. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s portrait is everywhere in Iran.
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
The Ghosts of Christmas Past
The city of Bethlehem wants the world to know it’s more than a Biblical theme park.
Feats of Strength and Street Politics in Tehran – مواقع القوة وسياسات الشارع في طهران
Originally published in Journal Safar in September 2021 as part of Issue VI: Power. On the nights leading up to Ashura, the streets of Tehran turn a thousand shades of
Alex Shams is a writer, journalist, and anthropologist with a PhD from the University of Chicago. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Shams frequently writes about Iran, the Middle East, and the Iranian-American community from which he hails.
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, and has carried out research in Iraq and Pakistan as well.
He is currently writing a documentary focused on the US/Israeli wars on Iran in 2025-6 and a political thriller TV series.
He has curated several artistic residencies focused on bringing together artists and scholars from across West and South Asia, including at the 2020 Lahore Biennale, the 2025 Pakistan National College of Arts Triennial, and the Indus Conclave.
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.