Author

Reza Varjavand

Reza Varjavand (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is associate professor of economics and finance at the Graham School of management, Saint Xavier University, of Chicago.

Arts and Literature, Books,

When The Ties That Bind Iranian Families Together Are Severed, Part1

by Reza VarjavandFebruary 24, 2016

No book has so cogently identified and better analyzed the issues related to and the costly consequences of split families than The Golden Cage by...

Arts and Literature, Books, Life,

The Building Of Iranian Americans’ Identity In Diaspora

by Reza VarjavandFebruary 16, 2016

It seems uncharacteristic for Iranians to reveal much about their personal life, let alone write a memoir, because of modesty and running the risk of...

Religion,

Religion As A Coping Mechanism

by Reza VarjavandJanuary 3, 2016

The last time I traveled to my beloved native country few years ago, regrettably, I found out that one of my older brother’s sons had...

Business, Politics,

Will China Surpass The U.S. As The World’s Superpower?

by Reza VarjavandSeptember 7, 2015

The United States is undoubtedly the leading superpower in world, economically and militarily. One should be aware, however, that America’s worldwide influence is not limited...

Arts and Literature, Books, Religion,

Heretic: Don’t Demonize Ayaan Hirsi Ali Because She Tells It Like It Is

by Reza VarjavandAugust 24, 2014

I know Ayaan Hirsi Ali has many detractors who vehemently oppose her just because she has the courage to stick her neck out and tell...

Religion,

How Does Religion Evolve And Why It Persists?

by Reza VarjavandJune 27, 2014

When I was in Iran a few years ago, I visited the holy city of Mashhad. It was hard not to notice the begging and...

Religion,

Do We Need Another So-Called Holy War? Religion vs. Science

by Reza VarjavandJune 18, 2014

According to the teachings of Islam, God has sent us 124,000 prophets so far and none of them claimed to be a scientist. Some of...

Arts and Literature, Books,

The Political Economy Of Iran Under The Qajars

by Reza VarjavandJune 12, 2014

Even though we still do not know for sure how we got to be on this planet, we have a long history of living on...

Religion,

Bringing Heaven Down To Earth

by Reza VarjavandMay 19, 2014

According to a Gallup poll, more than one-third of Americans considered themselves as being spiritual but not religious, and secularism, as measured by the number...

Business,

The Petition Of The Candle Makers: A Tale Of Crony Capitalism

by Reza VarjavandApril 17, 2014

Some days, as I read the economic news, I can’t help but reflect on the satirical tale of the “Candle Maker's Petition" written by renowned...

Business, Politics,

Does America Really Run On Dunkin?

by Reza VarjavandApril 7, 2014

The coffee pitch line “America runs on Dunkin” is what I used to think was the case, at least before the recent Supreme Court ruling...

Business,

Patients Or ATM Machines?

by Reza VarjavandMarch 6, 2014

People often complain about doctors, not because they sometimes give them bad news, but because they charge them too much. People are rightfully incensed if...

Business,

Lawyers, Problem Solvers Or Rent Seekers?

by Reza VarjavandFebruary 12, 2014

In a cemetery, a man was walking back to his car after visiting the grave of his father when he noticed a tombstone inscribed with...

Business,

Is Capitalism Heading In The Wrong Direction?

by Reza VarjavandJanuary 31, 2014

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]owadays, many people are losing their faith and have started questioning the fair operation of capitalism. One of the compelling reasons for such distrust is...

Life,

Does Wishing You a Happy New Year Make You Really Happier?

by Reza VarjavandJanuary 1, 2014

We are created to live a happy life. We do everything to boost our happiness and try to find ways to sustain it. People wish...

Religion,

Fun With Statistics, Relax, Probability Of Going To Heaven Is Almost Zero!

by Reza VarjavandJune 23, 2013

For thousands of years, people have been attracted to religion simply because of the worldly benefits it provides to its followers and more importantly because...

Arts and Literature, Books, Politics,

Is America Retreating From The World?

by Reza VarjavandApril 30, 2013

Since 1991, following the fall of the Berlin wall and the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, the United States has expanded its global power...