Shamim Homayun is a PhD candidate in anthropology at the Australian National University. His doctoral research investigates cultural landscapes in Afghanistan—examining relationships between place and personhood, affect in landscapes afflicted by violence, cultural senses of sanctity and ruination, and place-based myths and narratives.
His research with Invisible East utilizes New Persian documents to investigate the historical geography of the river valleys around Bamiyan. He is interested in what these documents tell us about the towns, villages, and fortresses that existed in these valleys on the eve of the Mongol conquests of 1220-21.
His publications include “Unearthing Rabiʿa’s Grave: Placemaking, Shrines, and Contested Traditions in Balkh, Afghanistan”, The International Journal of Middle East Studies (Forthcoming).
