Alex Shams

Iran

Persianate Futurism: First Time on the Overnight Train from Tehran to Samarqand

June 21, 2023 by Alex Shams

Originally published on Ajam Media Collective on May 28, 2023. This post is part of the Persianate Futurism series, a collection of works which asks: What will the Persianate world

Iran Reporting

‘We Have Broken the Wall of Fear’: Iranian protesters on what brings them back to the streets four weeks in

October 13, 2022 by Alex Shams

Originally published in New York Magazine on Oct. 13, 2022. Written by Alex Shams. Since mid-September, Iranians have taken to the streets to protest the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini

Iran Opinion

Iran has a long history of protests. This time it’s different

October 8, 2022 by Alex Shams

Originally published in the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 8, 2022. Three weeks in, Iran’s protests show no signs of stopping. Sparked by the death of a young Kurdish Iranian

Iran Opinion

What Role Does Religion Play in Iran’s Protests?

September 28, 2022 by Alex Shams

Alex Shams was interviewed by AJ+ about the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran that began in September 2022. He discussed how protestors were navigating the complex relationship between religion

Featured Iran Reporting

Hormuz: A Psychedelic Ride through a Geological Wonder

September 8, 2022 by Alex Shams

The Strait of Hormuz gets a bad rap. Sandwiched between Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, this narrow channel sees a third of global oil

Featured Iran Mexico Reporting

Inside Mexico’s deep and unexpected legacy of Iranians

July 29, 2022 by Alex Shams

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

Featured Iran Reporting

Feats of Strength and Street Politics in Tehran – مواقع القوة وسياسات الشارع في طهران

July 26, 2022 by Alex Shams

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

Pakistan

+921HeritageTalks: Learning from Archives, Walking and Documenting

July 3, 2022 by Alex Shams

Alex Shams participated in +921HeritageTalks, on the theme of “Learning from Archives, Walking and Documenting,” in January 2023, sponsored by Pakistan Chowk Community Centre. “The idea of history as neatly

Iran

Sofreh aqd: An inside look at Iranian weddings

April 7, 2022 by Alex Shams

Originally published on Middle East Eye on April 7, 2022. Although Iranian weddings vary from family to family, there are some key traditions which feature in almost all weddings (Illustration/MEE)

Featured Iran Reporting

From City to Slope in Iran

September 13, 2021 by Alex Shams

Originally published in Kinfolk Travel in September 2021, pgs. 146-153.

Persianate Futurism: First Time on the Overnight Train from Tehran to Samarqand

‘We Have Broken the Wall of Fear’: Iranian protesters on what brings them back to the streets four weeks in

Iran has a long history of protests. This time it’s different

What Role Does Religion Play in Iran’s Protests?

Hormuz: A Psychedelic Ride through a Geological Wonder

Inside Mexico’s deep and unexpected legacy of Iranians

Feats of Strength and Street Politics in Tehran – مواقع القوة وسياسات الشارع في طهران

+921HeritageTalks: Learning from Archives, Walking and Documenting

Sofreh aqd: An inside look at Iranian weddings

From City to Slope in Iran

About

follow