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Alex Shams

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Reporting

Palestine Reporting

Yacoub Shaheen, the Assyrian singer from Palestine taking Arab Idol by storm

Posted on February 17, 2017 by alexrezashams

Originally published by Ajam Media Collective on February 17, 2017. In just a few short months, Yacoub Shaheen has gone from a local singer in the West Bank town of

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Iraq Reporting

Iraq’s Turkmen mobilise for a post-ISIL future

Posted on February 13, 2017 by alexrezashams

Originally published by Aljazeera on February 13, 2017. The minority group has long been divided along sectarian lines – but recent events could bring greater unity.   When fighters from

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Reporting

Welcome to the Beef Capital of India

Posted on November 20, 2016 by alexrezashams

Originally published on Roads and Kingdoms and Slate on November 20, 2016. In Hyderabad, a cosmopolitan culinary culture fights back against the Hindu nationalist current sweeping the nation. A dish of

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Mexico Reporting

The Arab heart of Mexico City

Posted on November 15, 2016 by alexrezashams

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

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Reporting USA

“Obama Built the Structures for Trump”: A Terrifying Legacy of Mass Deportation

Posted on October 16, 2016 by alexrezashams

Originally published by Truthout on October 16, 2016.   Jose Juan Moreno sits in the room at the University Church on Chicago’s Southside where he has sought sanctuary from Immigration

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Iran Reporting

Iran Hits the Beach

Posted on September 13, 2016 by alexrezashams

Tourism is booming, and millions of Iranians are re-discovering the seductions of their northern Caspian Sea coast.

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Iran Reporting USA

The Tourist’s Guide to Tehrangeles: Exploring the Capital of the Iranian Diaspora

Posted on August 10, 2016 by alexrezashams

Originally published by Ajam Media Collective on August 10, 2016. Los Angeles is the undisputed capital of the global Iranian diaspora. Home to a community of at least 700,000 Iranians

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Palestine Reporting

Bethlehem centre revives iconic Palestinian Christian craft

Posted on July 30, 2016 by alexrezashams

Icon school creates opening for local artists to tap into ancient skills and challenge cheap tourist-targeting imports

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Iraq Reporting USA

Chicago’s Assyrians embrace new technology to save ancient language

Posted on June 8, 2016 by alexrezashams

Assyrians based in Chicago are united in keeping Syriac alive in the US while hoping to spark a revolution in language learning

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Reporting

Transgender Muslims in America Fight Bigotry on Two Fronts

Posted on April 15, 2016 by alexrezashams

Originally published on Muftah on April 15, 2016. The wave of Islamophobia erupting across the United States has taken a toll on every aspect of Muslim American life. A climate of

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About me

Alex Shams is an Iranian-American writer and a PhD student of Anthropology at the University of Chicago.

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Recent posts

  • Corona Ya Corona: Arabic Pop Music Takes on the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Poetry fills Tehran streets as Iranians adapt Nowruz rituals to Corona restrictions
  • Happy Nowruz from Ajam: 1398 in Review
  • Quarantine Kitchen: Iranians share recipes, flavors, and joy despite the threat of coronavirus
  • Muscat: Where the Arab World Meets the Indian Ocean
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About

Alex Shams is an Iranian-American writer and a PhD student of Anthropology at the University of Chicago. He was based in Bethlehem, Palestine from 2013-2015, where he worked for Ma'an News Agency, the largest independent Palestinian news agency. He previously received his master's from Harvard University in Middle Eastern studies. His work focuses on the intersections of gender, religion, politics, and urban space in the modern Middle East. He is an editor-in-chief of Ajam Media Collective (AjamMC.com), a platform focused on culture and society throughout Iran as well as Central and South Asia.

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  • The Weaponization of Nostalgia: How Afghan Miniskirts Became the Latest Salvo in the War on Terror
    The Weaponization of Nostalgia: How Afghan Miniskirts Became the Latest Salvo in the War on Terror
  • Quarantine Kitchen: Iranians share recipes, flavors, and joy despite the threat of coronavirus
    Quarantine Kitchen: Iranians share recipes, flavors, and joy despite the threat of coronavirus

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