Best KPFA Voices Of The Middle East Podcasts (2025)

1
A conversation with Cihan Tugal about the mass protests in Turkey 29:33

21d ago29:33

29:33

The detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul's mayor and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's most formidable rival, on March 19th sparked the largest demonstrations in Turkey in years. Last Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets, expressing their discontent with the government and demanding the release of the city's imprisoned …

1
Toxic Supply Chains of War in Iraq 38:35

3M ago38:35

38:35

Toxic Supply Chains of War in Iraq by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
What Is Israel's Endgame in Lebanon? 58:03

7M ago58:03

58:03

Bassam Haddad is an associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He is the author of Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford University Press, 2011) and coeditor of A Critical Political Economy of the Middle East (Stanford University Press, 2021). Haddad…

1
Yanis Varoufakis on unbridled capitalism's descent into fascism and genocide 1:02:12

8M ago1:02:12

1:02:12

Yanis Varoufakis on unbridled capitalism's descent into fascism and genocide by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Journalists risking their lives to report on Gaza & companies and countries supplying oil to Israel 58:10

8M ago58:10

58:10

Journalists risking their lives to report on Gaza & companies and countries supplying oil to Israel by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
How Joe Biden Became a Steadfast Israel Defender 31:52

9M ago31:52

31:52

https://jacobin.com/author/branko-marceticBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Artists demanding an end to Gaza genocide 39:29

9M ago39:29

39:29

Artists demanding an end to Gaza genocide by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Standing in the Dust – Photography of Yalda Moaiery 24:51

9M ago24:51

24:51

Standing in the Dust – Photography of Yalda Moaiery by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
The Role of International Actors In The War in Sudan 57:47

9M ago57:47

57:47

The Role of International Actors In The War in Sudan by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
How Islamophobia Is Driving a Mental Health Crisis Among Michigan’s Muslim Youth 41:36

9M ago41:36

41:36

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we speak with Dr. Eli Cahan about why Arab and Muslim Americans face significantly higher rates of mental illness.By VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
The Corporate Power Brokers Behind AIPAC’s War on the Squad 39:03

9M ago39:03

39:03

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we have a conversation with Jacobin staff writer BRANKO MARCETIC about his In These Times investigation, which reveals the individuals behind AIPAC’s election war chest: nearly 60% are CEOs and other top executives at the country’s largest corporations.…

1
Refugee Labor in Turkey and Europe’s Plastic Waste 34:22

9M ago34:22

34:22

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we have a conversation with independent journalist Adnan Khan about his recent article in MERIP titled "A Deadly Trade—Refugee Labor in Turkey and Europe’s Plastic Waste."He writes that China’s ban came at an ideal time for Turkey’s plastic recyclers. Less than two years before it was i…

1
Asylum seekers in Greece, remembering Palestinian revolutionary Ghassan Kanafani 58:25

9M ago58:25

58:25

The Mediterranean Sea has become a huge cemetery for many thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who have been risking their lives trying to cross it in search of a better future.This week, we speak with Athens based independent journalist Moira Lavelle about the state of refugees and asylum seekers trying to reach Greece-Later in the program, we…

1
Are Israel and Hezbollah on the brink of an all-out war? 58:03

10M ago58:03

58:03

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are at all-time high. Israel and Lebenese Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since October 8 the, when Israel launched its devastating war on Gaza, but the conflict between the two archenemies escalated after one of Hezbollah's most senior commanders was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, on June…

1
Hossam el-Hamalawy on Egypt’s role in Israel's war on Gaza 46:38

1y ago46:38

46:38

Hossam el-Hamalawy on Egypt’s role in Israel's war on Gaza by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Students face backlash for supporting Palestinian rights, Stage reading of Woman Life Freedom 57:58

1+ y ago57:58

57:58

Students face backlash for supporting Palestinian rights, Stage reading of Woman Life Freedom by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
What does it take to end the war on the Palestinians in Gaza? 58:01

1+ y ago58:01

58:01

What does it take to end the war on the Palestinians in Gaza? by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Gaza: Besieged since 2007, now under Israel’s “total blockade” 57:58

1+ y ago57:58

57:58

Gaza: Besieged since 2007, now under Israel’s “total blockade” by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
American Anthropologist Association voted in favour of boycotting Israeli academic institutions 57:58

1+ y ago57:58

57:58

American Anthropologist Association voted in favour of boycotting Israeli academic institutions by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Making sense of the devastating floods in Libya 38:47

1+ y ago38:47

38:47

Making sense of the devastating floods in Libya by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Israeli' assault on Jenin refugee camp & 'Sinbad Voyage' mural in Berkeley 58:01

2y ago58:01

58:01

Israeli' assault on Jenin refugee camp & 'Sinbad Voyage' mural in Berkeley by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Prof Natalie Koch explores the relationship between Arizona and Saudi Arabia in "Arid Empire" 1:32:18

2y ago1:32:18

1:32:18

In recent months, Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia-based Almarai dairy Company has been getting renewed attention for growing alfalfa in drought-prone Arizona, and sending it to Saudi Arabia to feed the country’s cows.Despite a worsening drought, several factors including Political influence and lack of regulations have allowed the …

1
Professor Cihan Tugal on the outcome of the general election in Turkey 58:31

2y ago58:31

58:31

On May 28th, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was re-elected for a third term by winning 52% of the popular vote- His main rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu garnered 48%.Two weeks earlier, the right wing islamist-nationalist coalition consisting of Erdogan’s rullingJustice and development party AKP and its allies had won the majority in the parliamen…

1
Part 1- Professor Khahlid Medani discusses the root cause of the ongoing crisis in Sudan 58:18

2y ago58:18

58:18

Part 1- Professor Khahlid Medani discusses the root cause of the ongoing crisis in Sudan by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Why did the US invade Iraq, 20 years ago? A conversation with Sinan Antoon+Omar Sirri 58:03

2y ago58:03

58:03

The 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq resulted in massive death and destruction, and fueled sectarian tensions, which culminated in a violent civil war. More than 300,000 Iraqis have died from direct war violence and 9.2 million people have been internally displaced, according to Brown University's Costs of War Project.The Brutal invasion and oc…

1
Ilan Pappe on the latest developments in Israel 58:04

2y ago58:04

58:04

Even by Israel’s abysmal standards, provocations against the people of Palestine have seen a dramaticescalation since the arrival of Bibi Netanyahu’s new government three months ago: Hundreds of innocent civiliansmurdered, including many children, an outright anti-Palestinian pogrom in the west bank that was cheered onby the minister of interior, a…

1
Cihan Tuğal on the earthquakes in Turkey & why they were so destructive 49:17

2y ago49:17

49:17

Guest:Cihan tugal, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author The Fall of the Turkish Model: How the Arab Uprisings Brought Down Islamic Liberalism, and Passive Revolution: Absorbing the Islamic Challenge to CapitalismBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
The Islamization of the eduction system in Iran, following the 1979 revolution 58:02

2y ago58:02

58:02

Guest:shahrazad Mojab, professor of Adult Education and Community Development and Women and Gender Studies at the University of TorontoHer most recent books are Marxism & Migration; Women of Kurdistan: A Historical and Bibliographical Study; and Revolutionary Learning: Marxism, Feminism and Knowledge.…

1
From Mali to Dubai: The United Arab Emirates & African gold 58:00

2y ago58:00

58:00

Now approaching seventy tons annually, gold has replaced cotton as Mali’s leading export, turning that country into Africa’s third-largest gold producer. The primary destination of artisanal gold seems to be the United Arab Emirates. By all evidence, the gold that shines in the souks of Dubai is the product of a complex web of criminal networks, te…

1
The political and economic crisis in Lebanon 58:00

2y ago58:00

58:00

The country of Lebanon has been in social and economic upheaval over the past few years,sending many of its beleaguered citizens into international exile in search of basic economic survival.We speak with Lebanese activist and academic Rayan El-Amine who, after a decadein his native land, has returned to the Bay area with his family, about the trav…

1
Ilan Pappe on Israel’s new government, Laura Albast on the media coverage of Palestine 58:02

2y ago58:02

58:02

With the arrival of notorious fascists in prominent positions of power in Israel, Western newsmedia everywhere seem surprised at the extreme tenor of Israel’s government since BenjaminNetanyahu returned to power for the umptieth time, as if racism, colonialism and apartheidwere somehow alien to the very DNA and mission of the so-called Jewish state…

1
The plight of imprisoned environmentalists in Iran & refugees in Europe 58:00

2y ago58:00

58:00

The plight of imprisoned environmentalists in Iran & refugees in Europe by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
What explains the dangerous levels of air pollution In Iran's main cities? 28:26

2+ y ago28:26

28:26

What explains the dangerous levels of air pollution In Iran's main cities? by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Political prisoners in Iran & Amir Rashidi discusses internet restrictions in Iran 58:00

2+ y ago58:00

58:00

Political prisoners in Iran & Amir Rashidi discusses internet restrictions in Iran by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
The toxic legacies of the U.S. war in Iraq: A conversation with Kali Rubaii 57:56

2+ y ago57:56

57:56

The toxic legacies of the U.S. war in Iraq: A conversation with Kali Rubaii by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Reactions to Iran's Soccer team at the FIFA World Cup amid anti-government protests in Iran 57:47

2+ y ago57:47

57:47

Guest: Arang KeshavarzianBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
History of student movement in Iran- Part 2 57:37

2+ y ago57:37

57:37

History of student movement in Iran- Part 2 by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
History of student protest movement in Iran ( part 1) & climate justice and human righs 58:04

2+ y ago58:04

58:04

GuestsDr Kaveh Abbasian, former student activist, filmmaker, researcher, and lecturer in Film and Media Practice at the University of Kent in BritainHamza Hamouchene, London-based Algerian researcher-activist, commentator and a founding member of Algeria Solidarity Campaign (ASC), and Environmental Justice North Africa (EJNA). He previously worked …

1
protests and internet censorship in Iran 58:11

2+ y ago58:11

58:11

Guest: Amir Rashidi, the director of digital rights and security at Miaan GroupBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
COP27 shines spotlight on human rights abuses in Egypt 58:01

2+ y ago58:01

58:01

Guest:Hossam el-Hamalawy is an Egyptian journalist, photographer and socialist activistBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
examining the current protests in iran 58:00

2+ y ago58:00

58:00

Guest:Nima Tootkaboni is a former student activist, and a Ph.D. student in sociology at the Johns Hopkins UniversityBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
nationwide protests continue in Iran - What is next? 58:00

2+ y ago58:00

58:00

nationwide protests continue in Iran - What is next? by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Women, Life, Freedom. Women are leading Iran protests 40:34

2+ y ago40:34

40:34

Women, Life, Freedom. Women are leading Iran protests by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Year of the Locust: A Soldier's Diary and the Erasure of Palestine's Ottoman Past 58:11

3y ago58:11

58:11

Victors write history, as the old cliché goes. Over the past 5 centuries, European powers have fanned outacross the world, conquering entire continents and writing self-serving accounts of those conquestswhile diminishing the merits of the conquered civilizations in order to justify their own depredations. Palestine has been no exception to that ru…

1
Neda semnani tells the story of her parents in"They Said They Wanted Revolution" 57:38

3y ago57:38

57:38

Neda semnani tells the story of her parents in"They Said They Wanted Revolution" by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
France, a Settler Postcolony? A conversation with professor Olivia Harrison 47:33

3y ago47:33

47:33

France, a Settler Postcolony? A conversation with professor Olivia Harrison by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

1
Laura Albast on the US media coverage of Palestine 25:08

3y ago25:08

25:08

we speak with Palestinian-American journalist and media analyst Laura Albast about coverage of Palestine in the US media- In a recent Washington Post Op-Ed, she argues that By neglecting to contextualize Israeli state violence, the media has given the Israeli government a free pass, enabling it to continue ethnically cleansing the Palestinian peopl…

1
May 06 2022: The New Documentary "Boycott" and Media Coverage of Palestine 58:14

3y ago58:14

58:14

**Boycott, is screened on this year’s DocLands on Sunday, May 8 at 4 PM at SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER in San Rafael- For more information please visit, doclands.com**The freedom to refuse to buy a product at any time from anyone you want, which has historically been used by oppressed minorities throughout the world, witness the bus boycotts of the 50…

1
April 8, 2022: Samia Errazouki on Morocco's Summit with Israel 58:05

3y ago58:05

58:05

In a bold and historic step backwards for the cause of peace in the Middle East last Sunday, Morocco was one of four Arab countries meeting in a special summit with Israel and the US. Although distant Iran was central to the discussions held during this meeting, the central issue of Palestine never broached during this summit, which took place in t…

1
March 9, 2022- Amany Khalifa on forced evictions and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine 40:54

3y ago40:54

40:54

March 9, 2022- Amany Khalifa on forced evictions and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

Podcasts Worth a Listen

KPFA Voices Of The Middle East Podcasts

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