He obtained his Ph.D. in the field of economics in 1998 from the University of Birmingham, UK. Dr. Afghah’s main area of research is economic development with a focus on developing countries, in particular Iran. Defining the term “development,” analyzing the condition of developing countries, and studying the effects of socio-cultural values (chiefly religious ones) on economic growth are topics that he has concentrated on. Dr. Afghah has written several books and articles on these subjects in English and Persian.