Friday, May 17, 2024

Portraying Iranian-American Diversity: Novelist Abdi Nazemian

By Fred Parvaneh Abdi Nazemian is an Iranian-American novelist whose nuanced stories offer a realistic portrayal of the community he was born into – without stereotyping. He recently released his second novel, "The Authentics," a...

How Central Asia Has Had a “Raw Deal” for 200 Years

When people think of Central Asia, they usually associate the region much more with the former Soviet Union than with Asia or even the Middle East – and sometimes even less so with Islam....

German-Iranian Author Nava Ebrahimi Discusses Her First Novel

By Behjat Omid A wave of titles by second-generation German-Iranian authors is making its way into German bookstores. Critically acclaimed releases include Nava Ebrahimi’s "Sechzehn Worter" ("Sixteen Words"), Shida Bazyar’s "Nachts ist es Leise in Tehran"...

Fighting for Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights: A Talk with Author Diana Nammi

By Tara Biglari Diana Nammi has spent the past few decades fighting to protect Iranian and Kurdish women against so-called honor killings, forced marriage, child marriage and domestic abuse. In a recent talk in north...
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Honoring the Sofreh Tradition: An Interview with Maryam Khosrowshahi

For centuries, Iranians have celebrated important occasions such as weddings and the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, with a unique tradition known as sofreh (Persian for 'spread.') Exquisite textiles are covered with flowers, fruits,...

The Islamic Revolution Through the Eyes of an Iranian-Australian Emigre

By Julie Ershadi Decades have passed since the 1978-79 Islamic Revolution. Yet Iranians around the world are still busy telling their stories of upheaval, exile, and healing. Mehran Rafiei is one such Iranian. A computer...

How I Got Interested in Iran: Interview with Laura Secor, Iran Watcher, Author

Covering foreign affairs as a journalist is a tough business. And those who have done it well over the decades know the difference between their toilsome approach and the parachuted-in journalism practiced nowadays, in...

A Satire on the Iranian Diaspora: Interview with Author Bahiyyih Nakhjavani

By Peyman Pejman Few cultures have seen as much disruption, assimilation, and contradiction as the Iranian culture has – and not just in the past few decades. Understanding the dynamics and parameters of cultural change...

Want to Be a Video Journalist? Read Vivien Morgan’s New Book

By Peyman Pejman The advent of new technologies and the changing nature of journalism have given rise to a generation of amateurs and professionals who are using increasingly advanced videorecorders and digital cameras to document history as it happens.

“The Temporary Bride”: A Story of Love and Food in Modern Iran

By Julie Ershadi
Iranian heritage is rich in romantic tales involving legendary couples: Khosrow and Shirin, Leili and Majnun, Tahmineh and Rostam. A new memoir set in Iran and published by Twelve Books has almost as much drama and desire as its illustrious precedents.