“Why Did So Many People Think This War Was a Good Idea?”
Published in the June 2026 issue of The Nation. The story of how millions of Iranians fell for the regime-change fantasy. “There is nothing to be worried about. Israel and
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 Ghosts of Christmas Past
The city of Bethlehem wants the world to know it’s more than a Biblical theme park.
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
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
Looking A Tyrant In the Eye: Iran’s Long Struggle for Freedom and Justice
Originally published in TIME magazine on March 14, 2026. I knew he was watching. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s portrait is everywhere in Iran. His head is usually turned slightly away, while
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
Iran After Khamenei
Originally published in the Boston Review on March 3, 2026. An interview with sociologist Asef Bayat on the U.S.-Israeli war, democratic opposition to the Islamic Republic, and the country’s uncertain
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
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.