Martyrs pervade the public discourse and landscape of contemporary Iran. Whether it is ever-present references to the Karbala narrative, the massive cemeteries honoring the memory of the fallen from the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, or the provincial shrines that dot the countryside, martyrs have been woven into the fabric of Iranian national culture in a way that many non-Iranians find puzzling...

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation in Germany, a monumental event in Christian history that generated permanent divisions in the body of Christendom. As commemorations of Luther’s Reformation commence throughout the world, it’s likely that some of Islam’s most ardent critics will use the occasion to renew their calls for an “Islamic Reformation'...

While the martyrs of Gezi were enlivened through slogans, demonstrations, street art, and ephemera, they also found a virtual resting place within the movement’s eponymous park. During the first two weeks of June 2013, Gezi Park became a veritable tent city. Within this thriving commune, a range of political, cultural, and artistic activities unfolded...