Proshot Kalami
Fellow 2024-2025
Proshot Kalami's research is on multimedia performances, digital activism and citizen journalism with a special focus on gender performativity in the global south, cultures and migration. Among other topics she investigates aesthetics of Iranian queer visual artists in the diaspora. She researches specific media and communication practices in the field of screen studies, digital storytelling as well as video art. At LIAS in Culture and Society, she explores these topics with regard to the #WomanLifeFreedom movement in Iran and its international resonance spaces.
Proshot Kalami is an expert on Iranian cinema before and after the Iranian Revolution, through which she explores the workings of Iran's recent and modern history, as well as its ancient artistic heritage and Islamic religious influences. She is also a multi-award-winning dramaturg and serves as Associate editor of several journals including “Theatre, Dance and Performance Training (TDPT)”, “International Journal of the Image” and “Women & Performance”. Also, in collaboration with Empower Peace W2W & Team Harmony she has trained younger women from all over the globe in the field of performance Activism and digital storytelling.
Abstract
Gender Performativity and Performance of Gender in Practices of Everyday Life: #WomanLifeFreedom movement
The exploration of the history of social movements that have led to forms of civic resistance naturally provides insight into how such communities are formed. In my practice-as-research project, I argue that cultural performativity is the driving force behind the formation of resistance movements. Specific to my research, the #WomanLifeFreedom movement,performative agents are inevitably gendered, considering the social fabric of Iranian society and ruling government. This leads to the final exploration of my argument: gender performativity and performance of gender in everyday life as a form of civic resistance within the social history of Iran and within social media.
The project is based on a comparative study of hashtag movements in social media related to digital activism, and/or citizen journalism on the one hand, and sociopolitical movements in everyday life on the other. I look at short content forms of moving image and types of visual storytelling within social media towards virtual activism. It is a comparative study of #WomanLifeFreedom movement in Iran on the one hand and its manifestations amongst the Iranian Diaspora across the globe, on the other.
Education
PhD 2007 Film Studies, University of California, Davis
MA 1994 English, Tehran Azad University
BA 1992 English, Tehran Azad University
Most Recent Academic Position
Associate Professor, Norfolk State University
Most Recent Publications
“From Persian Cats to Rap and Revolution: The Battleground for Love, Freedom, and Human Rights in Iran and its Diaspora”, Cinema Iranica, Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, 2025.
“The Seed of the Sacred Art: Mohammad Rasoulof’s Dreams for All”, Cinema Iranica, Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, 2025.
“Futurist Androgynes, Persian Ironies; an interview with Rah Eleh”, Queer Contemporary Art of Southwest Asia North Africa , pp 45-54, November 2024