Behind the headlines of the Russian invasion and the heroic attempts to defend Ukraine, there are other far less supportive images, notably the sexualization of those who have sought sanctuary in other countries.

Sociologist Sanam Vaghefi notices a lot of tension between expatriates from the Caspian area and people who choose to stay in the "old country." Why do diaspora communities romanticize their homeland, while locals idealize life abroad?

Zoroastrianism pioneered monotheism, inspired Iran’s great empires and - over two millennia later - remains a living religion, notably amongst the #Parsi communities of India and beyond. However, it has also left a remarkable cultural imprint on the whole of the Caspian region. And today, its ecologically aligned principles look ever more relevant in answering the needs of contemporary society.

For Sanam Vaghefi, a PhD canidate at the University of Victoria in Canada, it was a shock to realize that she was considered a person of colour, and that the term “Caucasian” no longer applied to her. This sent her on a journey of self-discovery, where she found that “naming oneself, and telling one’s own story is... an act of power.”