Youssef Rakha talked about his writing on post-Muslim perspectives in Arabic and Egyptian literature. Youssef Rakha is a novelist, poet, essayist and journalist who writes in both Arabic and English. His interests include Arab porn and the possibility of a post-Muslim perspective. His first two novels The Book of the Sultan’s Seal and The Crocodiles appeared in English in early 2015. Frequently anthologized and translated into many languages, he has written widely on Arabic literature and Egypti...
Apr 01, 2022•28 min•Ep. 205
Zeyn Joukhadar talked about his book ‘The Thirty Names of Night: A Novel’ . Zeyn Joukhadar is the author of the novels The Map of Salt and Stars, 2018, and The Thirty Names of Night, 2020 and a member of the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). His work has appeared in KINK: Stories(eds. RO Kwon & Garth Greenwell), Salon, The Paris Review,Shondaland, [PANK], Mizna, and elsewhere. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net . He is also the guest editor of the 2020...
Mar 30, 2022•27 min•Ep. 204
John Karam talked about his work on Arab cultural studies in Brazil at Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies at University of Urbana-Champaign. John Tofik Karam was born and raised in upstate New York, hearing stories that his maternal grandmother recounted of her birthplace, a town she called “trinta e três,” literally thirty-three. He heard fewer stories about his paternal grandparents who departed Kartaba in Ottoman Lebanon for Veracruz in Mexico and after a decade or so permanently moved to up...
Mar 25, 2022•29 min•Ep. 203
Sheikha Reem Al Thani and Abdullatif Al-Jasmi talked about repurposing heritage buildings in Doha, Qatar. Reem Al Thani is now the Director of Exhibitions at Qatar Museums and is responsible for design and production of all temporary and permanent exhibitions for all affiliated museums and exhibition venues locally and internationally. Andullatif Al-Jasmi is the Director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department at Qatar Museums, the manager of the Qatar Cultural Heritage Law Project and of...
Mar 25, 2022•27 min•Ep. 202
Basma Hamdy, Diane C. Derr, Maysaa Al-Mumin & Denielle Emans talked about the directing processes of Radical Futures. Tasmeem Doha 2022 is an international, biennial art and design conference hosted and organized by VCUarts Qatar since 2004. Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures is an inclusive and multi-faceted view of the future, one that not only speculates on technological advancements—but on future threats and changes whether environmental, geographical, cultural, or social. Now more than ...
Mar 21, 2022•33 min•Ep. 201
Mohamed Elshahed talked about Cairo Modern. The exhibition showcases works by Egyptian modernists from the 1920s to the 1970s, half a century of rich architectural production that complicate our present understanding of global modernism. The exhibition introduces audiences to key architects from the period such as Sayed Karim (pictured) as well as examples of their works commissioned by the state and the city’s burgeoning bourgeoisie. Modernism in Cairo reflected the aspirations of the new class...
Mar 18, 2022•32 min•Ep. 200
Toot Ard performed three musical pieces: Moonlight, Trouble Watan & Wanderlust. TootArd, Arabic for "Strawberry", was formed in 2010 by brothers Hasan and Rami Nakhleh. All band members grew up in Majdal Shams. The band started by performing in the Golan Heights, later travelling to Jerusalem, Palestine and Europe. The band's style is mixed. Their first album, Nuri Andaburi , is heavily inspired by reggae music. Their second album, Laissez Passer , combines Tuareg style with psychedelic rock...
Mar 17, 2022•28 min•Ep. 199
Eve Troutt Powell talked her research on modern Middle East and the history of slavery in the Nile Valley and the Ottoman Empire. Eve M. Troutt Powell emphasizes the exploration of literature and film in her courses. She is the author of A Different Shade of Colonialism: Egypt, Great Britain and the Mastery of the Sudan (University of California, 2003) and the co-editor, with John Hunwick, of The African Diaspora in the Mediterranean Lands of Islam (Princeton Series on the Middle East, Markus Wi...
Mar 16, 2022•28 min•Ep. 198
Lina Mounzer talked about her career as a writer and translator. Lina’s work has appeared in the New York Times , the Paris Review , 1843 , Literary Hub , and Bidoun , as well as in the anthologies Hikayat: An Anthology of Lebanese Women’s Writing (Telegram Books: 2007) and Tales of Two Planets (Penguin Books: 2020) an anthology of writing on climate change and inequality. Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/...
Mar 12, 2022•26 min•Ep. 197
Kareem James Abu-Zeid talked about his translations of ‘Exhausted on the Cross”by Najwan Darwish and “Confessions” by Rabee Jaber. Kareem James Abu-Zeid is a translator, editor, writer, teacher, and scholar who works across multiple languages. As an acclaimed translator of Arabic literature, he works with prominent English-language publishing houses to introduce the writings of Arab poets and novelists to a broad audience, seeking to promote Arabic literature in the US and around the world. Whil...
Mar 10, 2022•28 min•Ep. 196
James Barr talked about his book ‘A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that shaped the Middle East’ . A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East. James is a leading historian of the modern Middle East and author of the widely-acclaimed A Line In The Sand and Lords of the Desert . He is now working on a history of conflict in the Middle East, The Arena . James read modern history at Oxford. He has worked in...
Mar 09, 2022•28 min•Ep. 195
Basel Rajoub performed three musical pieces: Tashkent, duclar improvisation & Devil's Whistle. Basel Rajoub is a worldwide known saxophonist and composer. His music can be described as contemporary tradition-based music inspired by Middle Eastern rhythms, melodic modes and jazz. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to li...
Mar 04, 2022•27 min•Ep. 194
Rima Khcheich performed three musical pieces: Al Sama'a wel Rah, Harram El Noum & Washwishni. Rima Khcheich is well renowned for having given its rebirth to the Andalusian form Muwashah, as well as to the traditional Arabic repertoire of the 19th and 20th Century that she both teaches and explores. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is ...
Mar 03, 2022•29 min•Ep. 193
Daniel T. Potts talked about his career in field excavations in Iran, Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf, specifically Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Daniel T. Potts received his AB (1975) and PhD (1980) in Anthropology from Harvard, specializing in Near Eastern archaeology. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the journal Arabian Archaeology & Epigraphy , he is a Corresponding Member of the German Archaeological Institute and ISMEO (Associazione Internazionale di Studi sul Mediterran...
Mar 02, 2022•28 min•Ep. 192
Fawz Kabra talked about her latest project, Brief Histories . Brief Histories was founded in 2011 as a collaborative project with a wide community of artists focused on actions responsive to our unfolding social conditions and interactions. Created by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Hosted by Aya Nimer Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Outline: Outline is a process-focused conversation that looks at guests’ individual projects rather than t...
Mar 01, 2022•25 min•Ep. 191
Moustafa Elrefaey talked about his culinary philosophy and passion that reflect the growing trend towards a healthier and natural lifestyle. Chef Moustafa creates cuisine that pleases the senses and enhances the natural flavors of food. He had recently won at the London Falafel Festival. Chef Moustafa Elrefaey is the Executive Chef, Cofounder and Partner of Zooba Home Grown in Egypt. He is a proud Board Member and the Treasurer of the Egyptian Chefs Association. He is also a certified Executive ...
Feb 25, 2022•25 min•Ep. 190
Hannah Feldman talked about her research, teaching, and advising that center on late modern and contemporary art and visual culture. Hannah is a core faculty in Middle Eastern and North African Studies as well as Comparative Literary Studies. Hannah Feldman is author of From a Nation Torn: Decolonizing Art and Representation in France, 1945-1962, she was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellow for the years 2015-2017, and is currently working on a new manuscript about temporality an...
Feb 18, 2022•29 min•Ep. 189
Howayda Al-Harithy talked about her current research which conceptualizes urban recovery in relation to processes of historical editing, urban trauma, and protracted displacement. Howayda Al-Harithy is Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the Department of Architecture and Design (ArD) at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Her early research was centered on the architectural and urban practices of the Mamluk period in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. Her current research conceptualizes...
Feb 17, 2022•29 min•Ep. 188
Hussein Alazaat talked about archiving processes in light of his work in archiving and preserving books at The Beautiful Books Trove. Hussein Alazaat is a multi-disciplinary designer, instructor, Arabic calligraphy artist, and typography enthusiast from Jordan. He founded ALAZAAT Design Studio in Amman and offered his services to various clients in diverse industries around the world. Hussein focuses on the research as a tool to empower his belief in Arabic letters utilization in brands and prod...
Feb 14, 2022•25 min•Ep. 187
Heba Hage-Felder talked about her career in community development, writing, and visual storytelling. Arab Image Foundation aims to track down, collect, preserve and study photographs from the Middle East, North Africa and the Arab diaspora. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, and media experts who are hel...
Feb 11, 2022•27 min•Ep. 186
Larissa-Diana Fuhrmann talked about her latest book, Sudan Retold. The book is not primarily concerned with historical details, but with an understanding of historical contexts through artistic representation. Since her MA graduation in African and Islamic Studies at the University of Cologne (Germany) with a focus on art and gender, Larissa works as a cultural manager and curator. After her great experience as an undergraduate student at Khartoum University, she decided to work in Sudan‘s arts ...
Feb 10, 2022•29 min•Ep. 185
In this conversation, we talked to Tarek Atrissi about his career in contemporary graphic design landscape. Atrissi was listed in 2017 as one of the most influential 100 Lebanese professional figures around the globe. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, and media experts who are helping document and/or sh...
Feb 09, 2022•30 min•Ep. 184
In this Mujalasa interview, we talked to Eugene Rogan his research on modern middle eastern history. Rogan is the author of The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East, 1914-1920 (2015) and The Arabs: A History (2009, 2018) which has been translated to 18 languages. في هذه المقابلة، تحدثنا مع يوجين روغان عن أبحاثه حول تاريخ الشرق الأوسط الحديث. روغان مؤلف "سقوط العثمانيين: الحرب الكبرى في الشرق الأوسط" و"العرب: تاريخ" الذي قد ترجم الى 18 لغة. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna ...
Feb 09, 2022•31 min•Ep. 183
In this interview, we talked to Charles Al Hayek about our new podcast series, Mujalasa, in collaboration with Heritage and Roots. في هذه المقابلة، تحدثنا مع شارل الحايك عن إطلاق بودكاست مجالسة الجديد بالتعاون مع تراث وجذور. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna & Charles Al Hayek Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Mujalasa: Mujalasa is a platform for exchanging ideas, debating academia, and building intellectual curiosity for t...
Feb 05, 2022•38 min•Ep. 182
In this event, we talked to professor of linguistics Enam Al-Wer and professor and chair of Arabic language and literature Bilal Orfali about the future of the Arabic language. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures: Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures is an inclusive and multi-faceted view of the future, one that not only speculates on technological advanc...
Feb 05, 2022•32 min•Ep. 181
In this Matbakh event, we talked to Mennat-Allah El Dorry about her career in archaeobotanical analysis. Much of her research has revolved around food and trying to reconstruct how people in the past cooked and ate. Created by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Hosted by Salma Serry Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Matbakh: Matbakh is a conversation series that focuses on food and drink of the Arab world. The series will be held with food pra...
Feb 03, 2022•29 min•Ep. 180
In this conversation, we talked to Fida Adely about her research on education, labor, development, and gender in the Arab world. Her primary research site has been Jordan, although she teaches and writes about the Arab world more broadly. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, and media experts who are helpi...
Feb 02, 2022•33 min•Ep. 179
In this Movie Night event, we talked to Viola Shafik about her career in the filmmaking industry. Shafik talked about film theory in Arab cinema. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Movie Night: Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in movies and films to spend time watching along with the entire community. Movies will be announced ...
Jan 28, 2022•27 min•Ep. 178
In this conversation, we talked to Peter Adamson about his career in the field of ancient and medieval philosophy. His two monographs deal with the Arabic version of Plotinus, the so-called "Theology of Aristotle," and with al-Kindi (d. after 870 AD). Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, and media experts ...
Jan 27, 2022•32 min•Ep. 177
In this conversation, we talked to Issam Kourbaj about his career in fine arts and design . Issam’s work has related to the Syrian Crisis and reflects on the destruction of his cultural heritage. Created by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Hosted by Mysa Kafil-Hussain Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, and media experts who are helping document and/or shape th...
Jan 26, 2022•28 min•Ep. 176
