Hamid Dabashi

Hamid Dabashi is the Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, where he has taught since receiving his dual Ph.D. in Sociology of Culture and Islamic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania (1984), followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. His research spans Iranian Studies, comparative literature, medieval/modern Islam, and world cinema, with a focus on trans-aesthetics and postcolonial theory. He has authored 25 books, including Iran: A People Interrupted (2007), Post-Orientalism (2009), and The Arab Spring (2012), and over 100 essays. Dabashi is a prominent media commentator, contributing regularly to Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye, addressing geopolitical issues like the Syrian conflict, Gaza genocide, and U.S.-Iran relations. His work bridges academia and activism, advocating for global justice and decolonial thought.

Education: Dual Ph.D. in Sociology of Culture and Islamic Studies (University of Pennsylvania, 1984); postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.

Research Interests: Iranian Studies, comparative literature, Islam’s medieval and modern contexts, global cinema, and postcolonial critique. His essays critique Western hegemony and explore cultural resistance, particularly in the Middle East.

Awards: Works translated into 20+ languages, cited globally, and celebrated by peers like Edward Said and Gayatri Spivak for their intellectual rigor and accessibility. His Close Up: Iranian Cinema (2001) remains a seminal text on Iranian film.