We had a conversation with Jess Ghannam about his work as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Global Health Sciences in the School of Medicine at UCSF. We also discussed his research on the consequences of war on displaced communities. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document a...
Jan 11, 2021•54 min•Ep. 55
We talked to Resat Kasba about his work as a professor and expert on the history and politics of the Middle East. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their e...
Jan 08, 2021•55 min•Ep. 54
We had a conversation with Rayyane about his work and most recent exhibition: Alien Property, hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Hosted by: Yazan Kopty & Sarah Graff Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their work. ...
Jan 06, 2021•57 min•Ep. 53
We talked to Professor Zainab Bahrani about her books and research. Professor Bahrani is the author and editor of multiple books and articles on Ancient Near Eastern and East Mediterranean art and archaeology, art theory, historiography, and philosophies of representation. Created by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna & Sarah Graff Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring...
Jan 04, 2021•58 min•Ep. 52
We talked to Eman Abdelhadi, professor and sociologist at the University of Chicago, about her research on Muslim communities in the US, gender, and inequality. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their work. Ou...
Dec 30, 2020•57 min•Ep. 51
In four afikra FWDs, the presenters share resources on a Yemeni skateboarder, the Abandon Fairgrounds in Tripoli, Lebanon, ancient Egyptians’ diet, and on Architecture in Lebanon. Note: The presenters are not experts on this subject but are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in the subject. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani Once a month we hold an afikra Mezze event featuring four afikra FWDs, short 5-10 presentations s...
Dec 28, 2020•42 min•Ep. 50
We talked to Celine Semaan, the founder and executive director of the Slow Factory about fashion activism, her perspective on improving sustainability literacy in fashion, fashion activism, and the slow factory and its projects! Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shap...
Dec 25, 2020•58 min•Ep. 49
We had a conversation with Suheyla Takesh about her work at the Barjeel Art Foundation, and about the recent exhibition she co-curated "Taking Shape: Abstraction from the Arab World, 1950s–1980s." Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the...
Dec 23, 2020•49 min•Ep. 48
Randa Jarrar is a performer and the author of the forthcoming memoir "Love Is An Ex-Country", the novel "A Map of Home", and the collection of stories "Him, Me, Muhammad Ali". Zaina Arafat is the author of the novel "You Exist Too Much", with stories and essays appearing in The New York Times, Granta, The Believer, and more. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, ho...
Dec 21, 2020•58 min•Ep. 47
Al-Hakawati is a teller of tales, legends, and fables; a storyteller, a performer, and someone who earns his living by fascinating and captivating an audience with his tales. Julia talks about this and explores the tradition of oral storytelling and how it's being preserved today. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on a topic related to th...
Dec 18, 2020•50 min•Ep. 46
Suad Amiry is an author and architect, and she is best known for her book Sharon and My Mother-in-Law: Ramallah Diaries. Amiry is also the Founder of RIWAQ, a center founded to work on the rehabilitation and protection of architectural heritage in Palestine. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who ar...
Dec 16, 2020•54 min•Ep. 45
We talked to Omar Al – Qattan about his work as a director and film producer, and about his experience making “Tale of the Three Jewels” in addition to his many other movies and films. We also asked him about Al – Qattan Foundation and the mosaic rooms they established in London in 2008. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and ...
Dec 14, 2020•53 min•Ep. 44
Omar explores how Orientalist depictions in music have contributed to the development and understanding of Western culture, and even Arab culture in general. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on a topic related to the Arab world’s history and culture during a one-hour online event. The presentation is the culmination of a month-long afik...
Dec 11, 2020•55 min•Ep. 43
George Junne is a scholar and an associate professor in the Africana studies department at the University of Northern Colorado and the author of "The Black Eunuchs of the Ottoman Empire: Networks of Power in the Courts of the Sultan", 2016. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document...
Dec 09, 2020•51 min•Ep. 42
Tasneem Alsultan is an acclaimed Saudi photographer whose work explores gender & social issues across the GCC and MidEast. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their work. Our hope is that by having the guest ...
Dec 07, 2020•51 min•Ep. 41
Antonio talks to us about what Clay Pot Yogurt is and about Kitchen Pottery in the Arab World. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on a topic related to the Arab world’s history and culture during a one-hour online event. The presentation is the culmination of a month-long afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research and...
Dec 04, 2020•43 min•Ep. 40
Maria reads to us into Edward Said’s essay “Living in Arabic". Camilia explores how invisible black Moroccans can be made visible through the ideas and works of M’Barek Bouhchichi. Nadia Muijrers reviews "On Identity" by Amin Maalouf. Yasmine looks into the story of Swatch . Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani Once a month we hold an afikra Mezze event featuring four afikra FWDs, short 5-10 presentations sharing an interesting article, video, b...
Dec 02, 2020•54 min•Ep. 39
Natasha is a Ph.D. candidate in modern Middle Eastern history at Columbia University. She studies the establishment and development of the oil industry in Iraq and the Levant after the First World War. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture o...
Nov 30, 2020•52 min•Ep. 38
We talked with Mohammed Zakaria about his work as a photographer, as well as his career building the budding skateboarding scene in the region. Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their work. Our hope is that by ...
Nov 27, 2020•43 min•Ep. 37
Laila explores the work of Karimeh Abbud: (كريمة عبّود) who was a Palestinian professional photographer and artist who lived and worked in Palestine in the first half of the twentieth century. Note: Laila is not an expert on this subject but is sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in the subject. Hosted by: Rami Abou-Khalil Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentati...
Nov 25, 2020•37 min•Ep. 36
Greg Burris is a film maker, cultural theorist, and professor at the American University of Beirut whose work focuses on race, media, and emancipatory politics. He is also the author of "The Palestinian Idea: Film, Media, and the Radical Imagination" (Temple University, 2019) Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and me...
Nov 23, 2020•52 min•Ep. 35
Ahmad Damen realized that World Music research is based on a comparative study with Western Music Theory. Thus, he asked, how would this field of study be like if the music of the world were studied based on a Middle Eastern Theory model instead? Connect with Ahmed: https://www.instagram.com/damenjarre/ Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on...
Nov 16, 2020•39 min•Ep. 34
Malika Bilal is the host of The Take podcast by Al Jazeera and former co-host of The Stream, a social-media driven talk show on Al Jazeera English. Connect with Malika: https://www.instagram.com/mmbilal/ Follow The Take: https://www.instagram.com/ajthetake/ Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna & Yazan Kopty Created by: Mikey Muhanna Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and ...
Nov 13, 2020•44 min•Ep. 33
Nihal looked for the ways Abu Abdullah Muhammad Al-Idrisi contributed to cartography while Ahmed researched “Things We Lost in the Fire: What was in the University of Mosul's Central Library when it Burned?”, Usman shared his reading and information on the “Animals Lawsuit Against Humanity” book, and Maha forwards us the legacy of Doria Shafik (درية شفيق). Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani Once a month we hold an afikra Mezze event featuring...
Nov 11, 2020•56 min•Ep. 32
We talked to the creative powerhouse & scholar, Maytha Alhassen about her academic scholarship, her work as a poet and activist, and her recent work as a writer on the Hulu show Ramy. Connect with Maytha: https://www.instagram.com/maythaalhassen/ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helpin...
Nov 09, 2020•51 min•Ep. 31
We talked to Rana Abdelhamid, a social entrepreneur and community organizer, about the organizations she founded like MALIKAH and Little Egypt. Connect with Rana: https://www.instagram.com/ranaabdelhamid/ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and cultur...
Nov 06, 2020•50 min•Ep. 30
We had a conversation with Antonia Carver,the director of Art Jameel, about the organization's work in the UAE and across the Middle East. Know more about Art Jameel: https://jameelartscentre.org/ Connect with Antonia: https://www.instagram.com/antoniamcarver/ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts and media experts who ...
Nov 04, 2020•48 min•Ep. 29
We spoke to the director of the Arab American Museum Diana Abouali to learn more about the history of the museum, its work and exhibitions, and her career as a museum director. Connect with Diana: https://www.instagram.com/tabbouli / Follow the Arab American Museum: https://www.instagram.com/arabamericanmuseum/ Created by: Mikey Muhanna Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna & Yazan Kopty Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview ser...
Oct 30, 2020•53 min•Ep. 26
Listen to what Alexandra has been researching on Khaleeji Swing. The presentation features an overview of the most important African-influenced Khaleeji rhythms, from the UAE, to Saudi Arabia to Yemen, including some examples of their contemporary interpretations. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on a topic related to the Arab world’s hi...
Oct 28, 2020•39 min•Ep. 25
We talked to Dalal about her work as a journalist and video producer. We also talked about her work with refugees, and more! Dalal Mawad is an award-winning Lebanese journalist currently working as a senior Middle East and North Africa video producer and correspondent with the Associated Press. Connect with Dalal: https://twitter.com/dalalmawad Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form ...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 24
