Best A Better Beirut Podcasts (2024)

1
Hijacked City: Urban Planning for a Better Beirut | Mona Fawaz 1:01:15

4d ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Mona Fawaz is a Professor in Urban Studies and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB). She is also the co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab at AUB, and serves as the director of the Social Justice and the City research program at the Issam Fares Institute of Public Policy (also at AUB). Mona was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Adv…

1
Eyeliner: A Cultural History | Zahra Hankir 55:19

1h ago55:19

55:19

This episode was recorded on March 27th, 2024. Zahra Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist, editor and author. She was awarded a Jack R. Howard Fellowship to attend the Columbia Journalism School and holds degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies. Her first book "Our Women on the Ground" was a bestseller and won the Susan Koppelman award fo…

1
History of Slavery in North Africa | M'hamed Oualdi 1:00:25

1h ago1:00:25

1:00:25

M’hamed Oualdi is full professor of history at Sciences Po-Paris. He is a historian of Early Modern and Modern North Africa trained in Arabic at Inalco-Paris and in history at the Sorbonne University (Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne) from which he obtained his PhD in 2008. Prior to joining the faculty at Sciences Po, he was associate professor at Princet…

1
Architectural Future of the Gulf: Out With the New In With the Old | Civil Architecture 1:10:16

11d ago1:10:16

1:10:16

This afikra podcast episode with Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi of Civil Architecture delves into the architectural, geographic, cultural, and historic fabric of "the Gulf". We ask what and where is the Gulf? Is it a concrete geography or an abstract entity? Ali and Hamed reflect on what it means to be of and from this region and how this h…

1
Sole DXB: Bringing Street Culture to Dubai | Rajat Malhotra 1:01:30

18d ago1:01:30

1:01:30

Rajat Malhotra — partner at Sole DXB: Dubai's annual footwear, music, art and lifestyle festival — comes on the afikra podcast to talk about bringing street culture to his home city. He shares what it was like starting the festival alongside his co-founders, reflects on his favorite acts from over the years, and what it's really like to curate an e…

1
Sharia Law, the State & Modernity’s Moral Predicament | Wael Hallaq 1:13:11

25d ago1:13:11

1:13:11

Renowned professor of ethics, law and political thought and leading scholar of Islamic Legal Studies, Dr Wael Hallaq, joins us on this episode of the afikra podcast to discuss Sharia law, the modern state, Legal Orientalism, and the idea of a "stateless" yet still orderly world. Dr Hallaq deals with reductionist understandings of Sharia law, critiq…

1
Unapologetically Palestinian: Arab Comedians in America | Maysoon Zayid 50:31

1M ago50:31

50:31

Maysoon Zayid, Palestinian comedian, actress, graphic novel author and co-creator of the NY Arab-American Comedy Festival, joins us on the afikra podcast to talk all things comedy, Palestine, Arab-America, and advocating for the disabled community. Maysoon talks about how she grew up to be the confident, unapologetic, publicly Palestinian comedian …

1
Platforming Regional Design Excellence Design Doha | Fahad Al Obaidly 23:54

1M ago23:54

23:54

The first of three live Design Doha podcast recordings features an interview with the Biennial's deputy director Fahad Al Obaidly. He takes us behind the scenes of Design Doha, breaks down what "Celebrating Regional Design Excellence" means in practice, and how the Biennial roots itself in locality. Fahad tells us about the strength of the design i…

1
Where Media in the Arab World Stands Today | Marwan Kraidy 54:05

1M ago54:05

54:05

Marwan Kraidy, CEO and Dean of Northwestern Qatar and leading scholar of global communication and media, joins us on the afikra podcast to discuss media, truth, and journalism in the Arab world. This episode dives into the impact of mobile phones, reflects on whether social media is a force for good or not, and explores the notion of “socio-politic…

1
The History & Impact of Paper in the Islamic World | Jonathon Bloom 52:55

2M ago52:55

52:55

Art historian, educator and author Jonathon Bloom joins us on the afikra podcast to talk about paper, print and the Islamic world. He talks us through changing understandings of "Islamic" art and architecture through the decades, explains the premise of his book "Paper Before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic World" and whether …

1
Building with a Future Vernacular | Wael Al Awar 1:00:47

2M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

The chief curator of the UAE's National Pavillion for the 17th Architecture Bienalle di Venezia (2020 and 2021) – and recipient of the Golden Lion Award – architect Wael Al Awar joins us on the afikra podcast for fascinating conversation about the problem with modern and globalized architecture, and building with the future in mind. Waiwai's foundi…

1
Demystifying Sufism | Waleed Ziad 1:06:32

2M ago1:06:32

1:06:32

Waleed Ziad — author of "Hidden Caliphate: Sufi Saints beyond the Oxus and Indus" — joins us on the afikra podcast to demystify Sufism. Ziad explains the mystical and scientific aspects of Sufism and its far reaching geographies that surpass today's "securitized" borders and colonial conceptions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East as "r…

1
Why is Islam So Misunderstood? | John Esposito 58:45

2M ago58:45

58:45

Professor John Esposito joins us on the afikra podcast to talk about studying Islam, Islamophobia in the US, and what Arabs inside and outside of the Arab region misunderstand about Islam. Esposito shares his roundabout journey into the field of Islamic studies, starting with wanting to become a priest. Finally, he reflects on the Iranian revolutio…

1
What Exactly Is Islamic Art? | Wendy Shaw 45:50

2M ago45:50

45:50

Art historian and author of “What is 'Islamic' Art?: Between Religion and Perception”, Wendy Shaw talks to us about whether art can truly be "Islamic" or "theological", and if so, what that means. We talk about the complex ways in which museums interact with the broader economies and what this means for decolonizing the field of art history, and he…

1
Decolonizing & Decentering Theater in the Arab World | Laila Soliman 59:39

3M ago59:39

59:39

A captivating conversation with theater director and playwright Laila Soliman about theater, cultural discourse and decolonization across the Arab world. Using three of her major works – Zigzag, La Grande Maison and her first opera Woman at Point Zero – as reference, we discuss western-centric art education, dismantle the concept of “alternative na…

1
ERIC CALDERWOOD | Rethinking Al-Andalus | The afikra عفكرة podcast 1:14:55

3M ago1:14:55

1:14:55

Al-Andalus exists in history, geography and the Western cultural imaginary. Professor Eric Calderwood talks to us about Al-Andalus, examining it as both a place and an idea which is productive in memory, culture and politics. He explains how this cultural imaginary has transcended its geographic bounds and has created fruitful debates around the id…

1
MEHDI BENCHAABANE | AI in Education: The Challenges & Opportunities for Schools | The afikra عفكرة podcast 55:38

3M ago55:38

55:38

AI is upending education and learning as we know it. In collaboration with Qatar Foundation, we wanted to explore the possible impacts, challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents for education internationally and more specifically in the Arab world. We sat down with Mehdi Benchaabane, director of Qatar Academy Doha, to discu…

1
Nesrine & Bab L' Bluz at Habibi Festival 2023 | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub 32:07

3M ago32:07

32:07

We partnered with Habibi Festival for a six-night celebration of ancient + contemporary sounds from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria and more! It all took place from October 1-7 at Joe's Pub in NYC. Each night we taped live conversations with the artists on stage. This special Quartertones episode is the fourth of six, featuring…

1
ALIA AL-SENUSSI | Why We Should Pay Attention to Cultural Patronage & the Creative Economy in the Arab Region | afikra عفكرة Podcast #390 57:37

3M ago57:37

57:37

Contemporary Arab art doesn’t always get the attention it deserves or needs. Alia Al-Senussi — cultural strategist and arts affairs advisor — talks to us about the power that museums hold in informing and shaping cultures, forgiving and healing from the pasts, and building resilient economies. Focussing on Saudi Arabia’s cultural revolution in moti…

1
Bab L' Bluz, Tarek Yamani & Yacine Boulares at Habibi Fest 2023 | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub 32:54

3M ago32:54

32:54

We partnered with Habibi Festival for a six-night celebration of ancient + contemporary sounds from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria and more! It all took place from October 1-7 at Joe's Pub in NYC. Each night we taped live conversations with the artists on stage. This special Quartertones episode is the third of six, featuring …

1
Goodbye Julia: A Beautifully Nuanced Film About Sudanese Society | Mohamed Kordofani 57:03

3M ago57:03

57:03

Goodbye Julia — which played in Cannes’ section Un Certain Regard and won the Freedom Prize — is a poignant reflection on Sudanese society. The film is Kordofani's first feature. He sat down with us to discuss his journey from aviation engineer to film director and screenwriter, achieving the critical balance between "good" and "bad" while portrayi…

1
Amal Murkus & Firas Zreik at Habibi Fest 2023 | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub 16:02

3M ago16:02

16:02

We partnered with Habibi Festival for a six-night celebration of ancient + contemporary sounds from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria and more! It all took place from October 1-7 at Joe's Pub in NYC. Each night we taped live conversations with the artists on stage. This special Quartertones episode is the second of six, featuring…

1
Apartheid, BDS & Palestinian-South African Transnational Solidarity | Andy Clarno 49:18

4M ago49:18

49:18

We're excited to announce that our special episodes on Palestine are turning into their own podcast. The atrocities that continue to take place in Palestine are a reminder that, more than ever, we need to dedicate our platforms to stand for justice and truth. "This is not a watermelon" is a podcast about Palestinian history and culture. In this epi…

1
Omar Offendum & Hadi Eldebek at Habibi Fest 2023 | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub 27:43

4M ago27:43

27:43

We partnered with Habibi Festival for a six-night celebration of ancient + contemporary sounds from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria and more! It all took place from October 1-7 at Joe's Pub in NYC. Each night we taped live conversations with the artists on stage. This special Quartertones episode is one in six, and features a c…

1
RERUN Rashid Khalidi | 100 Years War on Palestine 51:56

4M ago51:56

51:56

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 K…

1
Unpacking the Phrase “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” | Maha Nassar 54:06

4M ago54:06

54:06

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 Is…

1
KHOLOOD KHAIR | Sudan Beyond the Headlines | afikra عفكرة Podcast #384 52:34

5M ago52:34

52:34

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 Ad…

1
IBRAHIM ABUSHARIF | Unlearning Western Bias in Journalism | afikra عفكرة Podcast #383 43:50

5M ago43:50

43:50

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 a…

1
The Nakba on Netflix: Through the Eyes of a 14-year old Palestinian Girl | Darin Sallam 42:38

5M ago42:38

42:38

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 th…

1
BENJAMIN BROWER | France’s Colonial Violence in the Algerian Sahara | Conversations 1:04:58

5M ago1:04:58

1:04:58

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 pr…

1
Reporting the Truth About Palestine & the Failure of Western Journalism | Dima Khatib 1:16:09

6M ago1:16:09

1:16:09

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…

1
Violence, Nonviolence & the Palestinian National Movement | Wendy Pearlman 1:03:17

6M ago1:03:17

1:03:17

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 P…

1
A Collective Responsibility Towards the Children of Palestine | Steve Sosebee 38:36

6M ago38:36

38:36

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 th…

1
The Architecture of Occupation | Nadi Abusaada 56:22

6M ago56:22

56:22

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 sp…

1
German Guilt or Structural Racism Towards Palestinians | Sarah El Bulbeisi 24:22

6M ago24:22

24:22

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…

1
غزة: التاريخ الاجتماعي تحت الاستعمار البريطاني | أباهر السقا 1:12:16

6M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

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…

1
Centuries of Social History in Palestine | Professor Beshara Doumani 58:41

6M ago58:41

58:41

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 an…

1
Justice & Transnational Solidarity | Brendan Ciaran Browne 46:58

6M ago46:58

46:58

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…

1
Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza #Palestine | Mara Kronenfeld | UNRWA-USA 52:41

6M ago52:41

52:41

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 …

1
SLAVS & TATARS | Artful Antics: The Linguistic History of the Muslim World | Conversations 1:05:30

7M ago1:05:30

1:05:30

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 ori…

1
BASMA HAMDY | Ethics, AI & Art in the Arab World | Conversations 57:44

7M ago57:44

57:44

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 t…

1
HICHAM SAFIEDDINE | Banking on the State: Lebanon's Economic Rise & Fall 1:11:49

7M ago1:11:49

1:11:49

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 t…

1
Producing for Arab Pop Stars: Metrics & Mental Health | Sleiman Damien 1:01:27

7M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

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 indu…

1
Abu Dhabi's Performing Arts: Present & Future | Bill Bragin 49:44

8M ago49:44

49:44

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 importa…

1
FADI BARDAWIL | Arab Marxism, the New Left & Political Realities | Conversations 1:06:46

8M ago1:06:46

1:06:46

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 Leb…

1
Chromeo: From Beirut to Planet Funk | P-Thugg 1:03:48

8M ago1:03:48

1:03:48

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…

1
OMAR KHOLEIF | Downloading Arab Identity | Conversations 1:08:10

8M ago1:08:10

1:08:10

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 a…

1
BASSAM HADDAD | Syria's Business Model | Conversations 1:01:48

8M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

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 ex…

1
BERNARD HAYKEL | Saudi Arabia in Transition | Conversations 1:26:30

9M ago1:26:30

1:26:30

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 s…

1
DJing in the Middle of Nowhere | Nooriyah Qais 56:46

9M ago56:46

56:46

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 t…

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