“The Followers”—a short story by Youssef Manessa
A selfish loser walks away from wasta and the Za’im’ nefarious agenda he created and instrumentalized in this short story by Youssef Manessa.
The Day My Life Ended, It Began
What could have been the end of life was instead a milestone that led to the writer’s greatest epiphany.
On the Herculean Task of Translating Joyce’s Ulysses into Kurdish
Kawa Nemir felt he’d been preparing to undertake the translation of James Joyce’s masterpiece his whole life…
“My Father’s Last Meal”—a Kurdish Tale
In the aftermath of his father’s death by shrapnel from an Iraqi shell, Dilan Qadir contends with a life intricately shaped by his absence.
First Kurdish Sci-Fi Collection is Rooted in the Past
Matt Broomfield reviews the first anthology of Kurdish science fiction, one that envisions new possibilities for Kurdish self-determination.
Gaza vs. Mosul from a Medical and Humanitarian Standpoint
Ahmed Twaij, a physician and journalist with experience in Iraq and other war zones, argues Hamas and ISIS cannot be compared.
Palestinian Artists & Anti-War Supporters of Gaza Cancelled
Nada Ghosn on censored and cancelled voices, many of whom have called for an end to the assault on Gaza.
World Picks from the Editors: Nov 24 – Dec 10
The editors of The Markaz Review recommend several of the best cultural events happening now around the world.
Bahar: 22 years in the Life of a Compulsory Hijabi in Teheran
Joumana Haddad tells the true story of a young Iranian woman in Tehran, albeit vehicled by fiction.
Iranian Women Photographers: Life, Freedom, Music, Art & Hair
Malu Halasa reviews the latest book on Iranian women photographers by Anahita Ghabaian Etehadieh alongside two new books in a similar vein.
Clashing Cultures and Gender Politics in The Persian Version
Bavand Karim reviews “The Persian Version,” a 2023 American comedy drama film directed and written by Maryam Keshavarz.
What’s in a Ceasefire?
For Gaza, the terms “humanitarian pause” and “ceasefire” may not be enough and might even be used as a fig leaf for forced displacement.