This conversation is a rerun of a 2021 episode with Professor Rashid Khalidi author of "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017". We are rerunning this episode since our team is on a break until after the second week of January and the episode is filled with lots of great information. Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies in the department of History at Columbia University. He received his B.A. from Yale in 1970, and h...
Dec 28, 2023•52 min•Ep. 384
This conversation offers a brief history of Palestine and its peoples, a look at the Palestinian experience both in exile and within modern-day Israel. Professor Maha Nassar – author of Brothers Apart: Palestinian Citizens of Israel and the Arab world – talks us through the daily indignities, state repression, and racism faced by Palestinians in Israel. She unpacks the origins and meanings of the phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" and how she goes about dismantling false ...
Dec 18, 2023•54 min•Ep. 383
Sudan’s ongoing crisis gets little attention in western media if in any media at all. Kholood Khair helps us go beyond the sparce headlines to get a better sense of how the daily atrocities are affecting the broader society right now. Kholood is a policy and political analyst and founding director of Khartoum-based “think-and-do” tank Confluence Advisory. We spoke to her about what it means to be Sudanese in this moment in time, tried to define "statehood" and "nationhood" in the Sudanese contex...
Dec 12, 2023•53 min•Ep. 382
As journalists on the ground in Gaza are targeted, the “truth” weaponized, and an information war for the ages unravels, we sat down with Professor Ibrahim Abusharif to discuss the construction of narratives, framing terminologies, and the ethics of journalism. Delving into questions of decolonizing journalism, the boundaries between storytelling and reportage, and pushing back against established journalistic practices, we explore the state of (war) reporting and how coverage of the Arab world ...
Dec 04, 2023•44 min•Ep. 381
Farha – the internationally acclaimed film that brought the Nakba to screens around the world – depicts the heartwrenching events of 1948 through the eyes of a 14-year old girl. In her debut film, director Darin Salam creates an intense, feminine story that captures the emotions and human experience of the Nakba in a raw yet approachable way. In this special podcast episode, Darin explains how the story of Farha found her, offers context for viewers who aren’t familiar with events around the Nak...
Nov 27, 2023•43 min•Ep. 380
Colonial violence, resistance movements and French-colonial Algeria. Professor Benjamin Brower explains the ways in which violence is conceptualized, treating it as a historic lens to understand colonial events in the past and what is happening right now in Palestine. This conversation is key for anyone who wants a detailed history of the French presence in Algeria and their mechanisms for colonial expansion and control, and to have a critical base of knowledge around colonialism and violence th...
Nov 20, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 379
Dima Khatib, managing director at AJ+, is leading crucial work to speak truth to power in the face of what we’re witnessing in Palestine: tackling misinformation, dismantling false narratives on multilingual platforms, and standing apart in the current media landscape. We start with a reflection on the targeting of journalists and the assassination of the truth from Iraq to what we’re witnessing right now in Gaza. We explore the idea of war of information and “embedded journalists”. Dima shares ...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 378
Peace processes, two-state vs one-state solutions and nonviolent protests. In conversation with Professor Wendy Pearlman from Northwestern University, we take two of her books as a foundation to examine grassroots activism historically and to consider a potential future “just” solution. Wendy shares her views on realistic outcomes for the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli condition, and takes us through the history of Palestinian grassroots activism both in Palestine and internationally, delving deepe...
Nov 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 377
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund’s president and founder, Steve Sosebee, joins us to talk about Gaza’s children, the nature of the work that the PCRF is doing and the immense pressure that the healthcare and sanitary systems are under right now in Gaza. Steve lays out the state of the healthcare system in Gaza pre- and post-October 7 and how the absolute destruction taking place is impacting their ability to support Gaza’s children and vulnerable patients. He conveys the reality of what “ope...
Nov 09, 2023•39 min•Ep. 376
This conversation is about the spatiality and architecture of occupation. Abusaada talks to us about our very understanding of the land of Palestine, how maps invent geography and not the other way around, and why colonialism should be studied while it’s happening and not when it’s over and done with. We examine the way that humans interact with space – specifically under occupation – as well as the history of the Palestinian landscape and how it has been artificially and purposefully manipulate...
Nov 06, 2023•56 min•Ep. 375
A raw and honest conversation about Palestine, Germany and Palestinians in Germany. Sarah El Bulbeisi discusses the history of the Palestinian diasporic experience in Germany, the erasure, tabooization and criminalization of this very experience and the structural hostility, racism and trivialization faced by the Palestinian community and anyone in support of it there. Finally, she grapples with the notion of post-War guilt and its impact (or lack thereof) on the German perception and treatment ...
Nov 02, 2023•24 min•Ep. 374
محادثة مهمة وغنية بالمعلومات حول مدينة غزة. من ثقافتها الخاصة وتاريخها الواسع الى الأثر الزلزالي للاستعمار البريطاني. عمر ذوابه يحاور البروفيسور أباهر السقا، مؤلف كتاب "غزة: التاريخ الاجتماعي لغزة تحت الاستعمار البريطاني (1917- 1948)" الذي يرسم صورة حية للحياة الاجتماعية والاقتصادية والثقافية في غزة منذ العصر المملوكي وحتى الاستعمار البريطاني. يسلط السقا الضوء على المدينة من عدسة التاريخ الاجتماعي وعلى الهوية المادية والثقافية المتعددة الأوجه لغزة وكيف تغيرت على مر العقود. سجلت هذه الحلقة في 26 ...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 373
In conversation with Professor Beshara Doumani, the inaugural Mahmoud Darwish Professor of Palestinian Studies at Brown University. Professor Doumani gives us critical historical context for what's happening now in Palestine. Explaining why and how pre-colonial Palestinian history is relevant today, he draws a stark contrast between pre-WW1 Gaza and the besieged Gaza of the present-day. This episode was recorded on October 24 at 20:44 Palestine time. Please note, we are dedicating all the afikra...
Oct 26, 2023•59 min•Ep. 372
In conversation with interdisciplinary scholar Brendan Ciarán Browne, author of “Transitional (in)Justice and Enforcing the Peace on Palestine”, who has degrees in Law and a PhD in Sociology. This episode was recorded on October 24 at 11:30 Palestine time. Please note, we are dedicating all the afikra podcast programming to special podcast episodes relevant to understanding historical context to what is happening in Palestine. Each episode will be recorded in real time and uploaded to YouTube an...
Oct 24, 2023•47 min•Ep. 371
Mara Kronenfeld, the Executive Director of UNRWA-USA, gives context about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza right now and the devastating impact the 17-year-long blockade has had on Palestinian life. This episode was recorded on October 20 at 15:30 Palestine time. Please note, that we are dedicating all the afikra podcast programming to special podcast episodes relevant to understanding the historical context of what is happening in Palestine. Each episode will be recorded in real-time and up...
Oct 20, 2023•53 min•Ep. 370
This conversation is a deep dive into every corner of the Muslim world. We hear about the story of Slavs and Tatar’s origins, what their work is concerned with, and why much of their activity is about disarticulation and decentering. We reflect on linguistic gravitas, the meaning of language, paying attention to “small peoples'', and the racist origins of the very term “Tatars”. We move onto the role of art, why it’s infantilising, and how it should scramble things and harness its social capital...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 369
What does the post-AI era hold? And what do these kinds of conversations look like in the context of the Arab world? In this captivating conversation, Basma Hamdy sheds light on everything AI and the Arab world, from ethics to art. What are ownership, originality and intellectual ownership? How will AI impact the visual arts? How are ethics going to be re-defined? Why is Arabic-language processing lagging behind? And what does algorithmic bias have to do with it? Basma delineates between the pre...
Oct 04, 2023•58 min•Ep. 368
In conversation with Professor Hicham Safieddine, we get to grips with Lebanon’s banking system. He walks us through the history of central banks, who Lebanon’s Barons of Banking were, and how Lebanon’s banking sector got to where it is today. We reflect on Beirut’s economy and banking system from the 1800s to the present day, taking into account the Ottoman Imperial Bank, Banque de Syrie et du Liban, Banque du Liban and the Intra-affair. Finally, we discuss the current state of affairs and if c...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 367
With a vast discography featuring both emerging artists and some of the biggest names in Arabic music, Sleiman Damien is completely tapped into the region’s pop genre. We asked him what he thinks of the phrase “Arab pop fusion”, which metrics actually matter to him, and why he thinks legacy superstars have more sticking power in today’s fickle industry. We reflect on the role of ego in the region’s music industry, comparing the “old guard” to emerging musicians and their approach to collaboratio...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 366
Bill Bragin – executive artistic director of the NYUAD Arts Center – talks to us about the center’s upcoming season, how it's impacted the city of Abu Dhabi so far, and what he envisions for the future of both the center and its ripple effect on the country as a whole. Bill shares his approach to curatorial work and practice, as well as the importance of responding to a space/venue when programming. We also reflect on what it means to exchange culture and build long-lasting educational instituti...
Sep 14, 2023•50 min•Ep. 365
Learn about Arab Marxism, radical patriarchal politics, and Lebanon’s political economy over the last century in this conversation with professor Fadi Bardawil from Duke University. Starting with his book “Revolution and Disenchantment: Arab Marxism and the Binds of Emancipation”, Professor Bardawil maps out the history of the Political Left in Lebanon and more broadly in the region, pointing us to key moments over the past century. We also touch on the New Left, Lebanon’s new political realitie...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 364
P-Thugg, one half of music duo Chromeo, shares the secrets to a successful and long-term musical collaboration. On set with us in Beirut, he talks about the experiences that led to his discovering funk and hip hop, growing up between Lebanon and Canada and his changing relationship with the former, and what it’s like attending the VMAs. He tells us of Chromeo’s early days when he and David “Dave 1” Macklovitch met and started making music together. We also reflect on how the craft of making musi...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 363
Did “Arabness” die in 1973? How meaningful is the word Arab now anyway? And what role does the internet play in visual culture and civic imagination? In this multifaceted conversation with Dr Omar Kholeif, we explore many strands of thought, venturing from Arab culture as a “creole culture” to looking at the internet as a “pesky medium”. We share afikra’s core tenets and philosophy and reflect on key players in the production of Arab pop culture now in 2023. Dr Omar Kholeif is an Egyptian-born a...
Aug 28, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 362
What is Syria’s business model? How will the current political constriction, brain and human drain, and regional geo-politics affect the country moving forward? In this fascinating conversation with Bassam Haddad, we consider money as a mentality, Syria’s political economy, and reflect on the growing drug trade and rentierism. He also shares his experience founding (and naming) Jadaliyya and being the executive director of the Arab Studies institute. Bassam Haddad is the Founding Director of the...
Aug 21, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 361
Studying Yemen, al-Shawkani, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and football. In this fascinating conversation with Professor Bernard Haykel, he offers deep insight into contemporary Saudi Arabia, the realities of pivoting an entire economy away from oil, and what MBS’ vision 2030 actually looks like for the country. We talk about why Haykel started out studying Yemen before moving onto Saudi Arabia, contemporary geopolitics, and key axes of power between China, the US, and Saudi Arabia. Bernard Haykel...
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 360
DJ Nooriyah’s iconic Boiler room set with her Baba on the oud, growing up between Saudi, Japan and London, and her beloved CDJ 2000s Pioneer decks. We sat down with Nooriyah Qais to talk about everything DJing, her guide to safeguarding yourself in the club industry, and how she transforms a sample into an infectious dance track. We also touch on the community she’s built with her curated event and party series “Middle of Nowhere”, how she’s bringing SWANA music into the mainstream, and her favo...
Aug 09, 2023•57 min•Ep. 359
What was it like curating the biggest exhibition of Arab art happening right now? Why is “Kawkaba: Highlights from the Barjeel Art Foundation” such a landmark exhibition? We sat down with the exhibition’s curator and deputy chair of Christie’s MENA, Dr Ridha Moumni, and the founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation to go behind the scenes of the curation process. They share the logistical challenges of putting this exhibition together and share some of their favorite pieces on display including work...
Aug 07, 2023•50 min•Ep. 358
What impact did the 2011 Arab Uprisings have on our use of technology? How should we approach, regulate and manage technologies as they emerge? And is it really possible to make political predictions by analysing tweets? We talk about cross-cultural communication, her book ‘Arabic Glitch: Techno Culture, Data Bodies and Archives’ and using machine learning to predict the fall of Qaddafi. She explains what sentiment analysis actually means and how she grapples with existential anxiety. We also di...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 357
Writing Between Two Moons: An Arab-American coming of age story set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn during the “War on Terror”. Author Aisha Abdel Gawad sheds light on her experience writing the novel while balancing her work as a high-school teacher, capturing Bay Ridge’s unique community in her book, and her creative process. Together, Mikey and Aisha reflect on the post-9/11 War on Terror, age of surveillance, and how this impacted the Arab-American community. Aisha also shares her advice for aspiring...
Jul 31, 2023•53 min•Ep. 356
The early days of Palestinian hip-hop group DAM, growing up in Lydda, and working with artists across the region and from the diaspora: Suhel Nafar joins us on QuarterTones to discuss his colorful and accomplished musical career to date. We talk about his family’s ‘Bootleg Jackson 5’ group, Palestinian hip hop and his departure from DAM. Suhel Nafar is the co-founder of Palestinian hip-hop group DAM, which was featured in award-winning documentary Slingshot Hip Hop . Formerly, Nafar was the glob...
Jul 26, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 355
