Kamran Afary

Kamran wearing indigo color turtle neck, smiling, with a yellow flower in the foreground
College of Arts and Letters
Department of Communication Studies
Office MUS250

Kamran Afary (PhD in performance studies, Northwestern 2007) is full professor of communication studies, a registered drama therapist (RDT), Board Certified Trainer (BCT), and Narradrama Trainer (NT). He is author and/or editor of several books and articles including:

Books:

  • Afary, K. and Afary, J. (2022). "Molla Nasreddin: The Making of a Modern Trickster, 1906-1911" An illustrated book, Edinburgh University Press.

  • Afary, K., and Fritz, A. M., eds. (2020). Communication Research on Expressive Arts and Narrative as Forms of Healing: More than Words. Lexington Books.
  • Afary, K., and Shirazi, Z. (2020). Iranian Diaspora Identities: Stories and Songs. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing.
  • Afary, K. (2009). Performance and Activism: Grassroots Discourse after the Los Angeles Rebellion of 1992. Lexington Books.

Chapters:

  • Afary, K. (2023). "The Multiple Meanings of the Assault on Rodney King." In Routledge History of Police Brutality, edited by Thomas Aiello. Routledge Publishing.
  • Afary, K., Dunne, P., and Madrigal, R. (2023). "Narradrama as a Three-Act Play." Journal of Systemic Therapies.
  • Afary, K. and Brotherton, C. D. (2021). "Dwight Conquergood: An Appreciation of His Intellectual Life and Contribution to Critical Gang Studies." In Routledge Handbook of Critical Gang Studies, edited by Rafael Jose Gude and David Brotherton, 6767-677.
  • Afary, K., Dunne, P., and Paulson, P. (2021). "Narradrama: A Narrative Approach to Drama Therapy." In Current Approaches in Drama Therapy (3rd edition), edited by David Reed Johnson and Rence Emunah, 206-249. Charles C. Thomas Publishing.

Articles:

  • Afary, K. and Malone Alteet, E. (2022). "Narradrama, Intersectionality, and Devised Therapeutic Theatre in the Prison Communication Studies Classroom." Drama Therapy Review, 8(1), 23-44.

Journal Editor:

  • Afary, K., Ed. (2019-20). Communication Studies Prison BA Journal (Volumes 2 & 3). Available at https://www.prisonbajournal

In addition to teaching courses on campus and at Lancaster Prison and providing supervision on research and practice, Kamran offers continuing education trauma-informed workshops for mental health professionals on Narradrama.