Author: Arash Zeini

  • Mohsen Zakeri (1954-2024)

    آخرین بار در بوخوم دیدمش. با اینکه ناخوش بود، لطف کرد و اومد برای سخنرانی‌ام. بعدش هم برای پروژه کتاب بعدیش پیشنهاد همکاری داد. حیف که دیگر فرصت گفت‌وگویی نخواهیم داشت. دانشمند قهاری بود و دانش زیادی داشت که خیلی زود با خودش برد. جایش خالی خواهد بود.

  • Dr Karen Bakker

    There’s so much in this short video that relates to my work and interests. Hopefully soon.

  • A Dream of White Horses

    Don’t know much about this one. Quoting for the poetic title, the gorgeous cover, and the steady hand of Bluemoose Books when it comes to publishing great books.

  • گیلاس و انجیر

    دو هفته پیش پسر همسایه اجازه گرفت و چند تا گیلاس از درخت ما چید. امروز برام گوجه آورد که از پارک کنده بود.‌ قرار شد وقتی انجیرهای درخت ما رسیدند دوباره با نردبونش برگرده.

  • Stray Dog

    I love dogs and often meditate on this photo. Something in those eyes, in the captured moment that seems so human. This one is the embodiment of the rōnin, but not because this is a Japanese stray. It’s in the eyes, in that gaze. It encapsulates survival, suffering, pain, courage and compassion all at the…

  • Sasanian inscriptions

    I thoroughly enjoyed working with Olivia this term. She is a brilliant scholar, and I very much look forward to her book. The opportunity to discuss Ab’s ideas was an unexpected and very welcome side effect. Good luck to you all.

  • Im Dickicht der Zeichen

    Mir scheint es, die Zeiten haben sich geändert. In ihrem Buch, ‘Im Dickicht der Zeichen’, beschreibt Aleida Assmann ihr Studium in den 60er Jahren: 1966 war das Jahr, in dem ich Abitur gemacht habe und mein Studium begann. Die Studienjahre in Heidelberg und Tübingen fielen in die bewegte Zeit der K-Gruppen und Vollversammlungen, der Marx-Lektüre…

  • The Sūdgar Nask

    Last month, we celebrated the publication of Yuhan’s books at a launch event at Wolfson College (@WolfsonCollege), wonderfully organised and convened by Christian Sahner (@ccsahner). I really enjoyed doing this with Elizabeth Tucker and Christian. It seemed to us that Yuhan enjoyed it, which is perhaps the main point.

  • »Zur Kritik der Gewalt«

    Die Aufgabe einer Kritik der Gewalt läßt sich als die Darstellung ihres Verhältnisses zu Recht und Gerechtigkeit umschreiben. Walter Benjamin

  • »Die Welt von Gestern«

    Yesterday, I chanced upon the English translation of Stefan Zweig’s memoirs, The World of Yesterday. Looking through the book, I found Shakespeare’s brilliant words in the epigraph: »Let’s withdraw, and meet the time as it seeks us.« Anyone familiar with Stefan Zweig’s decision to end his life together with his wife will read »let’s withdraw«…

  • A history of decline?

    On 12 December 2023, The Guardian reported a set of questions directed at Keir Starmer as part of its coverage of the Rwanda Bill: ‘MPs back Rwanda bill’. As I read through these questions, I couldn’t help but imagine them as part of a Socratic dialogue. Imagine the conversation was not between a modern-day politician…

  • Rise of the Sasanian Empire

    I don’t know The Collector, having only recently been alerted to it by Google, but their article entitled Rise of the Sasanian Empire: The Persians (205-310 CE) looks interesting. I have not had a chance to read the article in detail, but it looks generally good and offers photos to illustrate the art and archaeology…

  • A Lost Parsi Fire Temple

    A short report with some photos in India Times on The Lost Parsi Fire Temple Of Kolkata’s Ezra Street. The Parsi community’s connection with Kolkata dates back to more than 240 years. Relying on the written records, in 1767, Dadabhai Behramji became the first Parsi who settled in Kolkata. He was friends with John Cartier,…

  • Interreligious Dialogue in Medieval Bamiyan

    This blog first appeared on the website of the Invisible East Programme. Historical documents, as opposed to narrative and religious primary source material, are an invaluable resource for the historical study of daily life and ordinary people. Micro-historical research, thus moves away from panoptic imperial historiography and often focuses on the history of smaller states,…

  • Bahari Research Fellow

    As of today, I continue my work at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford, as a senior ‘Bahari Research Fellow’. I resume work on my usual research topics: Zoroastrianism in late antiquity and epistolary traditions within the Iranian world. I’m grateful to Yuhan Vevaina for the friendship, opportunity & the…