Said Shams is a distinguished scholar renowned for his expertise in sociology and his profound contributions to the academic realm. He earned his doctorate in sociology from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2006. In 2011, Prof. Shams established the Department of Sociology at Soran University, a pioneering initiative that laid the foundation for the study of sociology in Kurdistan. His research endeavors are deeply rooted in the complexities of nationalism, political Islam, and state-building within the Middle Eastern context, with a specific emphasis on delving into the genealogy of Kurdish nationalism.

Prof. Shams has significantly contributed to scholarly literature, evidenced by his notable publications including “Nationalism, Political Islam, and the Kurdish Question in the Late 20th Century Iran” published by Verlag Publisher in 2011, and “Contemporary Social Theory” released by Mang Publication in 2020. In addition to his books, Shams has enriched academic discourse through his scholarly articles, notably “Cultural Racism and Ethnic Cleansing: The Islamic Republic of Iran and Minority Rights,” published in the prestigious Journal of Review of Middle East Studies in 2023.