As part of my broader dissertation work on economic development and labor politics in post-revolutionary Iran, I’m currently involved in the following projects:
- Labor protests and economic sanctions. I’ve handcoded a large database of labor protest events, as reported by various domestic news agencies. I am using this database to look in more closely at how US-led economic sanctions have affected contentious politics inside the country.
- Class formation and market reforms. Using official household surveys, I’ve started looking into the development of Iran’s famous middle class. In particular, I ask: how did sanctions and market reforms over the past three decades affect the composition and stratification of the middle class in Iran? I’m currently a Visiting Fellow at the Bourse and Bazaar Foundation and findings from this project will partially be published in conjunction with them.
- Labor relations and employment. Finally, I am involved in the Iran Social Survey. This unique and large survey ask respondents a range of biographical, social, and political questions that we can use to better understand the country and its people. Within the survey project, I administer questions on labor relations and employment. I will use these findings in my dissertation. Stay tuned for publication updates.
I have broader area interests that I plan to pursue after the PhD. Aside from Persian, which I’m fluent in, I can read and understand Turkish quite well. I’m also learning Urdu with the aim of doing more comparative research involving Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.