Iraq experienced one of the most comprehensive sanctions regimes ever imposed on a country in the 20th century. Dr. Omar Dewachi explores the concept of medical anthropology and traces the history of the Iraqi healthcare system from the British mandate to the post-2003 era. This exploration highlights how political interventions and conflicts disrupted medical infrastructure and population health. Ultimately, the conversation examines the profound breakdown of the political, medical, and social systems that led to the death of the clinic and a collapse of trust.

Connect with Omar Dewachi 👉 https://instagram.com/omar_dewachi

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Algeria's pivotal role as a historic center for revolutionary and independence movements is frequently overlooked, leaving a gap in public understanding of its complex history. Architectural historian Samia Henni unpacks how the French army utilized architecture and urban planning as tools of counterinsurgency and control. The discussion exposes the shocking and lasting realities of colonial toxicity, detailing how France conducted underground and atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the Algerian Sahara. By challenging the harmful myth that deserts are empty, this episode confronts enduring colonial legacies and the protocols of history writing.

00:00 Introduction

01:51 Addressing the Historical Knowledge Gap Around Algeria

03:51 Growing Up with the Mythology of the Revolution

05:45 Unpacking the Complexities & Duality of Scholarly Narratives

08:30 Language as a Weapon: Architecture of Counterrevolution

14:19 The Reality Behind Centers of Regroupment and Mass Relocation

19:21 From Secret Camps to Satellite Towns

25:51 Direct Contact & the Deliberate Intent to Pacify

28:46 The Design Philosophy of Colonial Housing Projects

34:34 Unmasking the Haunting Realities of Colonial Toxicity

41:17 The Epistemic Violence of Restricted Archives

45:12 Deserts Are Not Empty

49:27 Agitation, Political Space & Transnational Solidarity

She is a historian and an exhibition maker of the built, destroyed, and imagined environments. Her work addresses questions of colonization, wars, resource extraction, deserts, forced displacement, and gender dynamics. She is the author of the multi-award-winning Architecture of Counterrevolution: The French Army in Northern Algeria (gta Verlag 2017, EN; Editions B42, 2019, FR), which received the 2020 Spiro Kostof Book Award from the Society of Architectural Historians, and Colonial Toxicity: Rehearsing French Radioactive Architecture and Landscape in the Sahara (2024). She is also the editor of Deserts Are Not Empty (Columbia Books on Architecture and the City, 2022) and War Zones (gta Verlag, 2018), and the maker of exhibitions including Performing Colonial Toxicity (2023–), Discreet Violence: Architecture and the French War in Algeria (2017–2022), Archives: Secret-Défense? (2021), and Housing Pharmacology (2020). She received her PhD (with distinction, ETH Medal) in the history and theory of architecture from ETH Zurich and has taught at Princeton University, Cornell University, ETH Zurich, and Geneva University of Art and Design. In August 2024, she joined the faculty of McGill University's Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture. She was born and raised in Algiers.

Connect with Samia Henni 👉 https://instagram.com/samia.henni

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Hidden dynamics of anti-colonialism come to light when exploring the Syrian revolt of 1925 through a transnational lens. Associate Professor & Author Reem Bailony shares insights from her book, examining how the diaspora politics of the Syrian migrant community in the US connected to homeland politics and redefined identity during the French mandate. By centering on the often-overlooked diasporic story and the role of the Arabic press, the conversation unpacks the intense debate around the rebellion's virtues, goals, and shifting meanings. Ultimately, this episode reveals how exiled and migrant figures significantly shaped the international discourse surrounding the modern Middle East.

00:00 Introduction

00:52 Formative Academic Encounters with a Milestone Year

04:36 From Imperial Collapse to the Partitioning of a Region

07:30 Fragmented Visions & the Contested Landscape of Identity

10:08 Archival Discoveries & Cross-Generational Reflections

12:34 The Global Power of a Dispersed Press

16:13 The Mechanics of Petitioning an International Order

20:12 Ideological Divides in the Early Arabic Press

22:26 Mapping the Global Hubs of the Transnational Story

24:28 Borderland Crises & the Politics of Transnational Aid

28:32 The Realities of Local Support

33:35 De Facto Diplomacy & the Pen of an Exile

36:34 Petitions, Surveillance, & the Struggle to Define a Diaspora

46:44 Recommended Readings for Closer Investigation

Reem Bailony is an Associate Professor of History at Agnes Scott College. She is a historian of the modern Middle East with a focus on Middle East migrations and transnationalism. Her book, Syria's Transnational Rebellion: Diaspora Politics and the Revolt of 1925-1927 (Edinburgh University Press, 2025) explores the diasporic and transnational dimensions of the Syrian Revolt of 1925-1927, a watershed moment in anti-colonialism during the French Mandate era. Professor Bailony is also interested in the history of Syrian-Lebanese transnational family dynamics after World War I, and how migrant families parented their children in the diaspora. She holds a BA from UC San Diego and MA and PhD from UCLA.

Connect with Reem Bailony 👉 https://www.agnesscott.edu/directory/faculty/bailony-reem.html

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Arabic culture and literature hold a vastly rich classical history that continues to captivate scholars and readers worldwide. Renowned literary critic and Columbia University professor, Dr. Muhsin Al-Musawi, explores the depths of this heritage, from the global allure of the Arabian Nights to the historical dynamic of Baghdad's intellectual hubs. The discussion delves into how translation served as a window between cultures, the contested notion of an age of decay, and the brilliant prose of modern artists like Jabra Ibrahim Jabra. Reflecting on his own career of writing out of love and devotion rather than mere scholarship, Dr. Al-Musawi critiques how literary prizes can drive trendy imitation instead of a genuinely creative mind.

00:00 Introduction

01:57 The Roots of Passionate Scholarship

05:19 Baghdad's Layered Intellectual Landscapes

09:51 Cultural Solace & the Ambition of Translation

12:26 Confronting the Global Legacy of the Arabian Nights

14:55 Literary Taste & the Metamorphosis of Translation

19:40 The Romantic Search for Spaces Without Borders

26:27 The Vastness of Classical Traditions & the True Renaissance

28:53 Intellectual Intersections & the Republic of Letters

33:15 Challenging the Conventional Notion of an Age of Decay

39:45 Jabra Ibrahim Jabra & the Topography of an Artist

44:58 Curating a Diverse Core Arabic Fiction Curriculum

49:33 Trendy Prizes & the Necessity of the Creative Mind

Muhsin Jassim al-Musawi is Professor of Classical and Modern Arabic Literature, Comparative and Cultural Studies at Columbia University. A renowned scholar and literary critic, his teaching and research interests span several periods and genres. He is the author of 39 books (including 6 novels) and over 60 scholarly articles. He has been editor of the Journal of Arabic Literature since 2000. His publications cover theory, postcolonial discourse, the Arabic novel, poetry, Orientalism, the Arabian Nights, medieval Islamic knowledge and modern Arabic poetics. He taught for over two decades at universities in the Arab world before moving to Columbia University. He is the recipient of the Owais Award in Literary Criticism (2002), the Kuwait Prize in Arabic Language and Literature (2018), the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature in English (2022), and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (2022).

Connect with Muhsin al-Musawi 👉 https://mesaas.columbia.edu/faculty-directory/muhsin-al-musawi/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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A unique personal journey spanning from a third-generation textile merchant family in Japan to a thriving design studio in Beirut serves as the foundation for iconic designer Nada Debs’ universal message of collaboration. The intricate world of Levantine woodwork, the philosophy of repetitive geometry, and the complex balance between handmade craft and modern scaling highlight the depth of her artistic vision. This narrative of personal heritage and local production illustrates how design can become a powerful tool to restore civic pride and challenge traditional mindsets.

00:00 Introduction

01:35 A Message of Oneness & Overcoming Conflict

04:01 Roots Across the Silk Road

10:39 Post-War Devastation & the Surge of Homegrown Pride

18:25 Dismantling the Western Complex & Embracing Equality

20:05 Finding Acceptance in the Search for Personal Identity

24:33 Embracing the Warmth of Beirut & the Value of Antiques

29:21 The Path to Design

33:17 Shifting the Mindset on Local Production

38:24 The Genesis of "East and East" & Establishing a Studio

44:48 Reclaiming Pride in Lebanese Craft

46:46 Deciphering the Levantine Vernacular

53:13 Hand Craftsmanship vs. Modern Scaling

01:02:04 Expanding the Language of Harmony

Nada Debs is a Lebanese designer living and working in Beirut. Her work spans scale and discipline: from product and furniture design to one-off commissions across craft, art, fashion and interiors. What ties her work together is her ability to distil culture and craftsmanship to create pieces of emotional resonance. Nada grew up in Japan, studied design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States and has spent significant periods of time living and travelling the world, finding connections between different cultures. She calls her approach: handmade and heartmade. Her grandfather travelled the Silk Route to Japan; her own personal Silk Route led her back to Lebanon, where she founded her studio in 2002. Her 'East & East' philosophy fuses Islamic geometry with Far Eastern minimalism.

Connect with Nada Debs 👉 https://instagram.com/nadadebs

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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The modern experience of China is often viewed through a western lens, but its complex history and relationship with the Arab world reveal a much deeper story. Dr. Mohammed Alsudairi challenges the dominant narrative of a growing security footprint and intense US-China competition over the Middle East. Instead, the conversation explores the evolving diplomatic recognition, transactional dynamics, and economic connections that define Sino-Middle Eastern relations. This discussion unpacks why the Chinese experience is often neglected in the Arab intellectual tradition and how the modalities of empire are shifting in the 21st century.

00:00 Introduction

04:33 Escaping the Post 9/11 Paradigm Shift

07:23 Alternative Journeys & Transformative Intellectual Paths

14:22 Dismantling Dominant Narratives on Regional Footprints

17:13 Contextualizing China's Strategic Priorities

26:41 Historical Dimensions & Evolving Diplomatic Ties

34:34 Financial Synergy, Alternatives & Global concessions

37:48 Deconstructing Frameworks & the Myth of the Silk Road

44:40 Projecting Arab Anxieties onto a Cultural Other

52:52 Technological Realities & the Changing Modalities of Power

Mohammed Alsudairi is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations of the Arabic Speaking World at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University.

Senior Nonresident Fellow, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies

He holds a PhD in Comparative Politics from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), an MA in International Relations and International History from the London School of Economics and Peking University, and a BSc in International Politics from Georgetown University. Prior to his appointment at CAIS, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences at HKU, working on a project examining the intersections between religion and infrastructure in the context of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Since 2015, he oversaw the development of the Asian Studies Program at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, he was awarded a research fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to work on his upcoming book manuscript. He is also a Senior Nonresident Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

Connect with Mohammed Alsudairi 👉 https://cais.cass.anu.edu.au/people/dr-mohammed-alsudairi

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Global water systems are facing an unprecedented challenge as climate change, resource depletion, and globalization place staggering pressure on our natural resources. Dr. Raha Hakimdavar, Senior Advisor to the Deans of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and the Earth Commons & Founder & CEO - Zyon Space, unpacks the critical intersections of hydrology, space science, and environmental security. From analyzing how agricultural water waste and food imports impact the Arab world to detailing the vulnerabilities of desalination infrastructure, she offers a profound look at the cascading threats facing urban centers. By leveraging advanced satellite data collected from space, she reveals how tracking global groundwater levels can transform these invisible vulnerabilities into vital opportunities for international cooperation and policy reform.

00:00 Introduction

04:36 Energy, Oceans & the Cost of Innovation

06:22 Supermarket Aisles & Disconnected Systems

10:09 A Fifty-Year View from the Cosmos

14:09 Urban Budgets & Changing Taps

26:02 The Changing Anatomy of Regional Diets

30:47 Invisible Pipelines & Cascading Points

34:58 Distorting the Baseline of National Security

36:14 The Enabling Elements of Uprisings

38:06 A Landscape of Treaties

Dr. Raha Hakimdavar is a hydrologist, science policy expert, and space science leader with a proven record of innovation across government, academia, and industry. She is currently a Research Professor at the Earth Commons and Senior Advisor to the Deans at Georgetown University in Qatar and the Earth Commons, leading strategy and programs focused on environmental security, climate action, and sustainability research and education. She has active research projects in Greece (water scarcity), the Middle East (water and food security), and Indonesia (flood risk and nature based solutions), with a special focus on small islands. Dr. Hakimdavar has served as a technical consultant for UN Environment, the World Bank, and USAID on disaster risk reduction, water, and forestry projects for over a decade. Dr. Hakimdavar is also the Founder and CEO of Zyon Space, which supports emerging space agencies and organizations in the Global South in leveraging Earth observation technologies for climate and environmental resilience.

Connect with Raha Hakimdavar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/rahazhina/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Global challenges require useful intelligence rather than singular futures driven by tech hype. Executive Director Hala Hanna joins the podcast to share how MIT Solve acts as a marketplace for social impact, connecting early-stage ventures with critical funding and partners. This conversation highlights inspiring innovators and solvers who are transforming constrained design prompts into sustainable, sovereign systems across healthcare and education. Empowering communities through true open innovation proves that proximity to the problem is the ultimate tool for scalable, long-term change.

00:00 Introduction

03:56 The Flawed Metric of Monopolized Tech

07:41 Aligning Targets with Global Realities

10:08 The Select Few and the Select Best Seat

16:05 The False Solace of Parallel Systems

26:58 Reclaiming Data Ownership from Extractors

29:15 Transforming Government into a Platform

36:13 A Grumpy Contrast to Blind Optimism

24:52 Cultivating Agency Through Local Frugality

50:03 Leveraging Proximity as an Unfair Advantage

Hala Hanna is the Executive Director of MIT Solve, an MIT initiative that finds and scales tech-based solutions to global challenges. Hala's global career is about advancing equity and sustainability for all. She grew up in Lebanon, where conditions of conflict and constraint shaped her understanding of resilience as a design principle. She is a member of the Fast Company Impact Council and a contributor to the World Economic Forum. Her recent writing includes 'AI Has a Single Story Problem' (Fast Company, June 2026) and 'When Resilience Creates Innovation: Lessons for Entrepreneurs' (Entrepreneur MENA, April 2025). Previously she served as Managing Director of MIT Solve.

Connect with Hala Hanna 👉 https://solve.mit.edu

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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The pervasive exhaustion resulting from witnessing modern global atrocities often creates a paralyzing "hopeRot," yet the cultivation of an radical "HopeCore" remains an essential engine for systemic transformation. Writer and curator, Shumon Basar, analyzes the rewiring of the global psyche through the rise of Gulf Futurism and the eventual arrival of a post-Western reality. His critique centers on the provincialization of the West, a phenomenon where a minority population disproportionately dictates universal narratives and conceptual models. The discussion further traverses the evolution of Dubai from a startup city to a global urban paradigm, alongside a sobering exploration of the war on amnesia", as Basar describes it, through alternative institutions and magical historical thinking. Ultimately, the conversation confronts the unmasking of power and the abandonment of institutional shame, reinforcing the vital necessity of counter-histories in an increasingly ahistorical digital age.

00:00 Introduction

04:36 The Rewiring of the Global Psyche

07:30 Spectral Enemies and the Geography of Time

10:08 Provincializing the West and Cognitive Mapping

16:13 The Foundational Myths of Unification

27:31 The Paradox of HopeRot and HopeCore

34:39 Absolute Impunity and the Narrative Battle

44:02 The Reckoning of Liberal Fascism

53:48 Alternative Institutions and the War on Amnesia

01:00:10 Magical Historical Thinking in the Extreme Present

Shumon Basar is a British-Bangladeshi writer, editor, and curator born in 1974. He attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University (1993–1996) and studied at the AA School, London (1998–2000). In 2005 he joined Goldsmiths, University of London's doctoral program in Visual Cultures. He is co-author with Douglas Coupland and Hans Ulrich Obrist of The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present (Penguin, 2015) and The Extreme Self: Age of You (Walther & Franz König, 2021), and co-curated the large-scale exhibition Age of You at MOCA Toronto and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Since 2010, Basar has been Commissioner of the Global Art Forum, Art Dubai's annual transdisciplinary summit. He became a founding member of Fondazione Prada's Thought Council in 2015. He is Adjunct Curator at Art Jameel and holds editorial and advisory positions at Tank, Bidoun, 032c, and Flash Art. He has lived in Dubai, Vancouver, Berlin, Beirut, and Istanbul.

Connect with Shumon Basar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/shumonbasar/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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The scientific achievements of the medieval Islamic world provided the forgotten foundations for much of the modern world's mathematics and physics. Dr. Huseyin Sen, historical map specialist at The Heritage Library, Qatar National Library, explores the critical necessity of reclaiming this heritage to combat cultural prejudice and build self-esteem in new generations. This discussion highlights the monumental contributions of scholars like Al-Khwarizmi and Ibn al-Haytham, whose work on algebra and optics remains foundational to global scientific knowledge. The conversation reveals the urgent need for digitizing, translating, and integrating these historical texts into modern education to bridge the gap between past innovations and current understanding. From the intricate chemistry of medieval perfumery to the advanced engineering behind historical maps, these insights showcase a sophisticated intellectual tradition that once spanned the globe.

00:00 Introduction

01:10 The Legacy of Arabic Sciences

01:48 Modern Efforts in Manuscript Digitization

03:26 The Multidisciplinary Skills of a Science Historian

05:54 Reconnecting with a Forgotten Heritage

08:37 Integrating History into Modern Science Education

10:50 Cultural Role Models and Global Contributions

15:25 Reconstructing Original Texts from Manuscripts

19:40 The Sophisticated Chemistry of Medieval Perfumery

27:24 Tracing the Evolution of Personal Care Products

34:30 Algebraic Roots and Algorithmic Foundations

35:44 Paradigm Shifts in the Science of Optics

42:04 Cartographic Rarities and Engineering Marvels

Dr. Huseyin Sen is an aerospace engineer and a historian of science, specializing in the history of medieval Arabic science & technology. His engineering background has enabled him to engage with the history of science and technology in a profound way (numerical and hands-on) and at the same time has allowed him to build bridges between the education of history of science on one hand and education of science on the other. He is particularly interested in combining history of science with STEM/STEAM education, and in introducing and engaging students with technologies of the future such as 3D printing via history of science like by developing working replicas of ancient inventions by 3d printing.

الدكتور حسين شِن هو مهندس طيران ومؤرخ علمي متخصص في تاريخ العلوم والتكنولوجيا العربية في العصور الوسطى. وقد مكنته خلفيته الهندسية من التعمق أكثر في تاريخ العلوم والتكنولوجيا، كما أتاحت له الربط بين تعليم تاريخ العلوم من جهة وتعليم العلوم من جهة أخرى. يركز د. شِن على الدمج بين تاريخ العلوم وتعليم العلوم والتكنولوجيا والهندسة والرياضيات، مع تعريف الطلاب بتقنيات المستقبل، مثل الطباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد، من خلال تاريخ العلوم، وذلك عبر تطوير نسخ مطابقة من الاختراعات القديمة باستخدام الطباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد. من أحدث مشاريعه لمكتبة الرئاسة التركية معرض بعنوان "تاريخ العلوم الإسلامية في 100 قطعة"، والذي يضم 100 قطعة، منها 87 نسخة طبق الأصل و13 مخطوطة علمية أصلية من العصور الوسطى. افتتح المعرض في أبريل 2021، وهو مستمر كمعرض متنقل منذ ذلك الحين. يتلقى د. شِن طلبات منتظمة لتحليل ووصف وتقييم الأدوات والمخطوطات العلمية العربية/الإسلامية من العصور الوسطى

Connect with Professor Hüseyin Şen  👉 https://instagram.com/takiyuddinrasid

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.