History of Asia

In terms of scientific output, Muslim majority countries are currently behind the curve. Many people blame Islam itself. One of the best counterarguments to this, is

Hope you enjoy the episode.

Main (additional) sources for the episode:

Lyons, Jonathan. Het huis der wijsheid : hoe Arabieren de westerse beschaving hebben beïnvloed.

We talk about the Ottoman empire. They survived for over 6 centuries. What is their secret?

This episode is about the later stages of the Ottoman period, with the focus on Syria and especially Iraq.

Most important sources for the episode (for more specific info you can e-mail me):

Yitzhak Nakash - The Shi'is of Iraq

TRIPP C. Irak: een geschiedenis

We discuss the history of Iraq and Syria in the first half of the 20th century.

A long overdue explanation why this podcast narrates history backwards.

We discuss the 50s and 60s. What explains the turbulence of this period, as opposed to the longevity of the Assad- and Saddam-regimes?

Sorry if the audio is leaky sometimes: there is something wrong with my microphone. I'll have it fixed.

If we say the Iraq war was a mistake, we must consider the alternatives. What would Iraq be like with Saddam or his son still in power? We now discuss the rule of Hafez al-Assad and Saddam Hussayn. We compare their strategies and ask whether Machiavelli would have approved of them.

We talk about the Iraq war, its immediate consequences, and its effect on Syria.

This is the story of the Arab Spring in Syria and Iraq, and how it turned to another Long Winter.

In our third series, we set out to discover Syria and Iraq. We tavel by podcast so it's perfectly safe. And free. Enjoy.

Sources for the series (others may be added to later episodes):

The Oxford history of Islam

HEIRMAN MARK, Oosterse dagen, Arabische nachten.

LEWIS B. Het Midden-Oosten: 2000 jaar culturele en politieke geschiedenis.

HOLLAND T. Het vierde beest: God, de strijd om de wereldmacht en het einde van de oudheid.

PAUWELS L. Geschiedenis van de Koerden: de strijd van een volk voor een eigen staat

CORNILIE B. In de schaduw van Saddam: het Koerdische experiment in Irak.

SCHUTTEN H. De val van Saddam

GALBRAITH P. Het einde van Irak: hoe Amerikaanse incompetentie een oorlog zonder einde teweeggebracht

LESCH D. The new lion of Damascus: Bashar a-Asad and modern Syria

NAKASH Y. The Shi'is of Iraq

DUMAS V. Syrië en de hyena's van Damascus