Afshin Molavi
Encyclopedia
Afshin Molavi is an Iranian-American author and expert on global geo-political risk and geo-economics, particularly the Middle East and Asia. He is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation
, where he is co-director of the World Economy Roundtable, an ambitious exercise to re-map the global economy in the wake of The Great Recession. In the year 2005, he was selected by the World Economic Forum
in Davos as a Young Global Leader, by a committee of 28 international media leaders chaired by Queen Rania of Jordan.
Mr. Molavi holds a master's degree in Middle East history and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
, where he also studied Arabic. He has traveled widely across the Middle East and Asia as a journalist and geo-political risk analyst.
A former Dubai-based correspondent for the Reuters
news agency, Tehran-based correspondent for The Washington Post
, Riyadh-based business and economics writer for the Arab News
, and Washington-based contributor to the Financial Times
, Mr. Molavi has written widely on the Middle East, US regional policy, geo-economic trends in the Middle East and Asia, and globalization for a wide range of international publications.
His articles and op-eds have appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, National Geographic, BusinessWeek
, The New Republic
, Foreign Policy
, Institutional Investor
, the Journal of Commerce
, and The Wilson Quarterly, among other publications. He wrote the National Geographic cover story on Dubai, entitled “Sudden City.”
Molavi writes regularly for the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, The National
."
He comments regularly on Iran and U.S. policy toward the Middle East on CNN
, the BBC
, National Public Radio, and other international broadcast outlets. He is also senior Middle East Advisor at Oxford Analytica
, a global macro analysis and advisory firm.
Previously, Molavi worked at International Finance Corporation
, the private-sector development arm of the World Bank, where he engaged in civil society outreach for the Middle East/North Africa and Southern Europe and Central Asia.
As a fellow at the New America Foundation, Mr. Molavi studies the geo-politics and geo-economics of the Middle East and Asia, as well as the links between economic development and democratization. He is currently studying the economic implications of the "the Arab Spring." He is also examining the "New Silk Road" — the growing trade, cultural, diplomatic, and business ties between the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Molavi is also interested in issues related to global economic development, globalization and culture, and the economics of immigration.
He has described the “The New Silk Road” at a conference at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on China and the Persian Gulf region, at a World Bank Seminar entitled the East-East Corridor, in an article in the Washington Post entitled “The New Silk Road”, and in the pages of The National
, where he wrote about “the meeting of West Asia and East Asia.”
Molavi's analyses of the Iranian presidential election, 2009
in which he believes massive fraud took place, were frequently quoted in the media. He praises the Iranian Constitution of 1906 as progressive and calls for American civil society support for Iranians struggling for freedom.
For example, he has written:
Molavi frequently supports Iranian-American civic outreach and youth programs. He has publicly supported the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA). He was recently a keynote speaker at a PAAIA event for the “next generation of leaders.”
Books
Molavi is the critically acclaimed author of Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys Across Iran (Norton 2002), which was published in paperback under the title, The Soul of Iran (Norton, 2005). The book was dubbed by Foreign Affairs "a brilliant tableau of today's Iran” and made the list of Fareed Zakaria’s CNN GPS recommended books to read on foreign policy. It was also described by former New York Times journalist and Columbia University Professor Bill Berkeley as “a skillfully told and marvelously reported political travelogue.”
Berkeley wrote in his review:
Molavi can be followed on Twitter @AfshinMolavi.
New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is a non-profit public policy institute and think tank with offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, CA. It was founded in 1999 by Ted Halstead, Sherle Schwenninger, Michael Lind and Walter Russell Mead....
, where he is co-director of the World Economy Roundtable, an ambitious exercise to re-map the global economy in the wake of The Great Recession. In the year 2005, he was selected by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Davos as a Young Global Leader, by a committee of 28 international media leaders chaired by Queen Rania of Jordan.
Mr. Molavi holds a master's degree in Middle East history and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
, where he also studied Arabic. He has traveled widely across the Middle East and Asia as a journalist and geo-political risk analyst.
A former Dubai-based correspondent for the Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news agency, Tehran-based correspondent for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Riyadh-based business and economics writer for the Arab News
Arab News
Arab News is an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia, in the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The Editor-in-Chief is Khaled Al-Maeena. The publisher of Arab News is Saudi Research & Publishing Company , a subsidiary of Saudi Research & Marketing Group .Arab News was...
, and Washington-based contributor to the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, Mr. Molavi has written widely on the Middle East, US regional policy, geo-economic trends in the Middle East and Asia, and globalization for a wide range of international publications.
His articles and op-eds have appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, National Geographic, BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
, The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
, Institutional Investor
Institutional investor
Institutional investors are organizations which pool large sums of money and invest those sums in securities, real property and other investment assets...
, the Journal of Commerce
The Journal of Commerce
The Journal of Commerce is a weekly magazine published in the United States that focuses on trade topics. First published in 1827, the Journal has a circulation of approximately 15,000...
, and The Wilson Quarterly, among other publications. He wrote the National Geographic cover story on Dubai, entitled “Sudden City.”
Molavi writes regularly for the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, The National
The National (Abu Dhabi)
The National is a government-owned English-language daily newspaper published in Abu Dhabi. The editor-in-chief since June 8, 2009 has been Hassan Fattah. Prior to this, and from the launch of the newspaper Martin Newland was editor-in-chief. Mubadala Development Company, an investment company...
."
He comments regularly on Iran and U.S. policy toward the Middle East on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, National Public Radio, and other international broadcast outlets. He is also senior Middle East Advisor at Oxford Analytica
Oxford Analytica
Oxford Analytica is an international consulting firm providing strategic analysis of world events. It was founded in 1975 by David Young, an American employee of the National Security Council during the Nixon administration and one of the four in the Watergate scandal.Clients of Oxford Analytica...
, a global macro analysis and advisory firm.
Previously, Molavi worked at International Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
, the private-sector development arm of the World Bank, where he engaged in civil society outreach for the Middle East/North Africa and Southern Europe and Central Asia.
As a fellow at the New America Foundation, Mr. Molavi studies the geo-politics and geo-economics of the Middle East and Asia, as well as the links between economic development and democratization. He is currently studying the economic implications of the "the Arab Spring." He is also examining the "New Silk Road" — the growing trade, cultural, diplomatic, and business ties between the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Molavi is also interested in issues related to global economic development, globalization and culture, and the economics of immigration.
He has described the “The New Silk Road” at a conference at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on China and the Persian Gulf region, at a World Bank Seminar entitled the East-East Corridor, in an article in the Washington Post entitled “The New Silk Road”, and in the pages of The National
The National (Abu Dhabi)
The National is a government-owned English-language daily newspaper published in Abu Dhabi. The editor-in-chief since June 8, 2009 has been Hassan Fattah. Prior to this, and from the launch of the newspaper Martin Newland was editor-in-chief. Mubadala Development Company, an investment company...
, where he wrote about “the meeting of West Asia and East Asia.”
Molavi's analyses of the Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
in which he believes massive fraud took place, were frequently quoted in the media. He praises the Iranian Constitution of 1906 as progressive and calls for American civil society support for Iranians struggling for freedom.
For example, he has written:
"We need more Americans -- African Americans, Asian Americans, conservative Americans, liberal Americans, red-state Americans, blue-state Americans. If there is one issue that politically polarized America ought to be able to rally around, it is the gallant struggle of Iranians. ... As the regime in Tehran tightens its grip, I hope to see more support from ordinary Americans, and from civil society around the globe, bearing witness, demonstrating solidarity and displaying the common humanity, decency and fairness that bind us all."
Molavi frequently supports Iranian-American civic outreach and youth programs. He has publicly supported the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA). He was recently a keynote speaker at a PAAIA event for the “next generation of leaders.”
Books
Molavi is the critically acclaimed author of Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys Across Iran (Norton 2002), which was published in paperback under the title, The Soul of Iran (Norton, 2005). The book was dubbed by Foreign Affairs "a brilliant tableau of today's Iran” and made the list of Fareed Zakaria’s CNN GPS recommended books to read on foreign policy. It was also described by former New York Times journalist and Columbia University Professor Bill Berkeley as “a skillfully told and marvelously reported political travelogue.”
Berkeley wrote in his review:
The best of this genre, to my mind, is Afshin Molavi's Persian Pilgrimages, a skillfully reported and marvelously told political travelogue first published in 2002 and reissued last year in paperback under a new title, The Soul of Iran. Molavi, who reported from Iran for the Washington Post, weaves his own travels into an engaging and highly informative tour of Iranian history, politics, and culture. The result is a multilayered portrait that leaves us no less wary of the ruling mullahs but vastly more sympathetic toward the Iranian people.
Molavi can be followed on Twitter @AfshinMolavi.