(Teheran, 1966) in 1983 fled Iran and the regime of Ayatolla Khomeiny. After six years in Kabul, where he studied medicine, he was invited to come to the Netherlands in 1989. He studied criminal law, international law and philosophy at the Catholic University in Tilburg. In June 2003 he obtained his doctorate with research and a thesis on the Truth- and Reconciliation committee in South Africa. He has published two collections of poems: Mensenherfst (Human autumn), in which he illustrates aspects of a culture in exile, and Verrijzenis van woorden (Resurrection of words). He is a columnist for the NRC Handelsblad en regularly writes articles for several newspapers. Since June 1st 2005 he has become professor of Social cohesion, citizenship and multi culture at the faculty of Jurisprudence at the University of Leiden. Alongside his scientific work he is often found at the forefront of the debate about the multi cultural society. This year he published Hoe nog verder? 42 visies over de toekomst, (Where do we go from here? 42 visions of the future), Dialoog met Mohammed (Dialogue with Mohammed) and Brieven van een Pers (Letters from a Persian).