Nasrin Alavi is the author of We Are Iran: The Persian Blogs (Portobello Books, 2005). She spent her formative years in Iran, attended university in Britain and worked in London, and then returned to her birthplace to work for an NGO for a number of years. Today she lives in Britain.

Recent articles

The push for a reformist alternative to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad draws on musical inspiration as well as political anger, says Nasrin Alavi.

The poetic touch of the United States president's new-year message to Tehran is a reminder of the cultural resources that pervade Iranian life and discourse, says Nasrin Alavi.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary. The young people who have  grown up under it are searching for ways to shape their country's next stage, says Nasrin Alavi.

A consumerist economy and a hardline government have corroded interest in politics. The blogosphere and campuses reflect the shift. But Iranians retain their capacity to surprise, says Nasrin Alavi.

(This article was first published on 8 October 2008)