Alternative Frequencies | غيّر الموجة

Bassel Akar discusses with LCPS Researcher Christelle Barakat Lebanon's public education system in times of war and crisis, focusing on the need for reforms and ways of increasing inclusion and sustainability in the schools. 

Bassel Akar is a Research Associate at the Center for African Studies, University of Porto, Portugal. From 2014 to 2021, he served as the Director of the Center for Applied Research in Education at NDU. Over the past 16 years, his research and development work in education has focused on lower middle-income conflict-affected countries, namely Lebanon and those in the wider Arab region. Currently, he leads a number of research studies on education in crises-affected areas for international agencies and governments.

In this podcast, Carlos Naffah speaks with LCPS researcher Rasha Akel about the dynamics between Syrian refugees and Lebanese returnees in Ghobeiry, a municipality in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Naffah discusses a study he conducted after the 2023 conflict which explores how these two communities—both impacted by displacement and economic hardship—navigate coexistence in a strained environment. Through interviews with local residents, authorities, and civil society actors, the study reveals a complex reality marked by both tension and interdependence.

*The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung or its Lebanon Office.

Walid Marrouch discusses with LCPS Senior Economic Researcher Lina Maddah the pressing issues of poverty and income inequality in Lebanon. Drawing from recent research and data, the conversation explores the impact of Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis, the role of governance and public policy, and the urgent reforms needed to protect vulnerable populations—especially young people.

Walid Marouch is a professor of economics at the Lebanese American University (LAU) and a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum. His extensive research covers environmental economics, applied microeconomics, and development economics. He has published widely on poverty and economic sustainability in Lebanon and the broader MENA region.

Jasmin Lilian Diab speaks with LCPS researcher Christelle Barakat about the intersecting impacts of conflict, economic collapse, and political paralysis on emigration from Lebanon. The conversation examines the structural and immediate drivers of departure, the growth of irregular migration routes, and the policy challenges these trends present.

Jasmin Lilian Diab is the Director of the Institute for Migration Studies at the Lebanese American University and an Assistant Professor specializing in migration and identity. She has held prestigious fellowships and visiting positions at institutions like Sciences Po Lyon, Brown University, York University, and the United Nations University, among others. Her research and work have received notable recognition, including the Lisa Gilad Prize in 2025 and multiple research grants. Diab has contributed extensively to the field through over 100 consultancies for UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, focusing on conflict, displacement, gender, and humanitarian planning. She also serves on editorial boards of several academic journals in the fields of migration, sociology, and humanitarian studies.

Marc Ayoub and Ahmad Diab discuss with LCPS researcher Rasha Akel the role of Lebanon’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country’s clean energy transition. Drawing on a year-long LCPS mixed-methods study conducted between October 2023 and July 2024, the conversation explores how MSMEs have adapted to overlapping crises—from economic collapse to energy shortages—by embracing renewable energy solutions. The episode highlights key findings, challenges, and policy recommendations aimed at supporting MSMEs as drivers of sustainable change in Lebanon.

Muez Ali discusses with Rasha Akel the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to renewable energy in Lebanon and Sudan amid economic and political turmoil.

Muez Ali is a Research and Policy Lead at Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future at Qatar Foundation, an Honorary Research Fellow at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at UCL, London and an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar.

يناقش معز علي مع رشا عاقل تحديات وفرص التحوّل إلى الطاقة المتجددة في لبنان والسودان وسط الاضطرابات الاقتصادية والسياسية.

معز علي هو مسؤول الأبحاث والسياسات في مركز "إرثنا" التابع لمؤسسة قطر الذي يُعنى بتعزيز مستقبل مستدام، وهو زميل باحث فخري في كلية بارتليت للبيئة والطاقة والموارد في كلية لندن الجامعية، وأستاذ مساعد في جامعة جورج تاون في قطر.

يتحدث زياد عبد الصمد بالتفصيل عن الفضاء المدني في لبنان، مراقبته، والخطوات القادمة مع مقدّمة "غيّر الموجة" كريستيل بركات.   

يشغل السيد عبد الصمد منصب المدير التنفيذي لشبكة المنظمات العربية غير الحكومية للتنمية (ANND) التي تضم 30 منظمة غير حكومية و 9 شبكات وطنية من 10 دول عربية. يرتكز عملها على الحقوق الاجتماعية والاقتصادية. شارك السيد عبد الصمد بشكل كبير ولعدة سنوات في الجهود المحلية والوطنية والإقليمية والعالمية المتعلقة بالسياسات العامة ومؤسسات البحث والإصلاحات الانتخابية والمراقبة. وهو أيضًا مهندس مدني، وعضو نقابة المهندسين والمعماريين في لبنان، ومحاضر جامعي.  

Ziad Abdel Samad elaborates on civic space in Lebanon, its monitoring, and the way forward in a conversation with Alternative Frequencies host Christelle Barakat.

Mr. Abdel Samad serves as the Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), which brings together 30 NGOs and 9 national networks from 10 Arab countries whose work focuses on socioeconomic rights. Mr. Abdel Samad has been highly engaged for several years in local, national, regional, and global efforts related to public policies, research institutions, and electoral reforms and monitoring. He is also a Civil Engineer, a member of the Order of Engineers and Architects in Lebanon, and a university lecturer. 

Hala Abdallah discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Christelle Barakat the realities of the Lebanese agricultural sector in light of the overlapping crises and offers recommendations for improvement.

Hala Abdallah currently serves as the Director of Studies and Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon. She holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management from the University of Montpellier SupAgro.

Industrial Entrepreneur and CEO of Polytextile Paul Abi Nasr discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Christelle Barakat the realities of the Lebanese manufacturing sector in light of the current overlapping crises and offers recommendations for the improvement of the sector as well as advice for youth wanting to become industrialists and entrepreneurs.

Paul Abi Nasr is an industrial entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Polytextile. He is also a member of the board of directors at the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) where he additionally chairs the Industrialists Assembly of Keserwan.

This podcast was produced with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

Three years into Lebanon's economic and financial meltdown, Founder and President of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies Patrick Mardini says that the economy has not hit bottom yet, and although the government has taken some preliminary steps to implement reforms, there are few signs of recovery on the horizon.

بعد ثلاث سنوات على الانهيار الاقتصادي والمالي في لبنان، يقول مؤسس ورئيس المعهد اللبناني لدراسات السوق، باتريك مارديني، أن الاقتصاد لم يصل إلى القاع بعد. وبالرغم من أن الحكومة قد اتخذت بعض الخطوات الأولية لتنفيذ الإصلاحات، إلا أن هناك القليل من علامات التعافي في الأفق.