The afikra Podcast

By afikraSociety & Culture Education Arts

The afikra Podcast episodes

October 05 Human Rights & Accountability in the Arab World: 15 Years After the Uprisings | Mai El-Sadany, TIMEP Executive Director
Reimagining the future of policy and human rights across the Middle East and North Africa requires moving past broken international systems and broadening our collective imagination. Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), Mai El-Sadany, explores how centering those most impacted can drive meaningful legal advocacy, creative accountability, and systemic change. Grounded in the enduring legacy of the 2011 Arab uprisings, the discussion addresses the evolution of civil society organizations, navigating global funding crises, and overcoming systemic inertia.

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Decentering the Old Guard in Policy Advocacy
08:44 Finding Your Strategic Space
13:30 15 Years of Tectonic Shifts
17:46 Operationalizing Ethical Policy and Community Building
21:40 Navigating Systemic Inertia and Regional Realignment
28:44 Bending the Arc: Mobilization Beyond Complacency
33:37 Pluralistic Justice and Strategic Legal Alliances
38:14 Strategic Resilience Amid Non-Profit Funding Shifts
44:13 Differentiating Core Values from Institutional Decay
50:10 Constructing Alternate Frameworks
54:58 Investing in Grassroots Alliances and Independent Media

Mai El-Sadany is the Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). She is a human rights lawyer with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Throughout her career, she has worked to expand creative pathways to accountability, to leverage international and regional mechanisms to advance human rights, and to publish accessible analysis and scholarship on legal, judicial, and constitutional issues. She was previously TIMEP's Managing Director and Legal and Judicial Director. Prior to that, she worked at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, among other organizations. She is a Steering Committee member of the World Movement for Democracy, a member of the Working Group on Egypt, and a Board Member of HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement. Mai holds a J.D. and certificate in refugees and humanitarian emergencies from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.A. in political science from Stanford University.
Connect with Mai El-Sadany 👉 https://x.com/maitelsadany?lang=en

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.
58 min
September 28 Lebanon's Electricity Crisis is Not New - It Started in 1952! | Prof. Ziad Abu-Rish
The history of electricity in Lebanon serves as a vibrant arena for struggles over political economy, foreign corporate ownership, and the very definition of national sovereignty. Associate Professor Ziad Abu-Rish unpacks this evolution, tracking public utilities from early regional monopolies to the eventual creation of Électricité du Liban (EDL). Rather than viewing popular protests and boycotted utility bills as signs of state disintegration, this conversation explores how these collective actions actively built and legitimized Lebanese state institutions. This deep dive ultimately reframes daily encounters with state infrastructure as fundamental practices of modern politics and national identity.

00:00 Introduction
04:00 Monopolies and Regional Boundaries
12:07 The Myth of Free Market Competition
17:30 Decolonizing Public Infrastructure
23:26 The Spark of the Boycott Movement
27:31 Redefining State Legitimacy through Protests
32:34 Concrete Boundaries and Popular Sovereignty
38:01 Tracing State Growth and Formations
46:44 The Persistence of Institutions
51:57 Invisible Walls and Controlled Movement
54:49 History on Stage

Ziad Abu-Rish is Associate Professor of Human Rights and Middle East Studies at Bard College, where he also directs the MA Program in Human Rights and the Arts. A scholar of the modern Middle East and North Africa, his research centers around state formation, economic development, and popular mobilizations, particularly in Lebanon and Jordan. He earned his PhD in History from UCLA and his MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University. Abu-Rish is the author of The State of Lebanon: Popular Politics and Institution Building in the Wake of Independence (Stanford University Press, forthcoming), and co-editor of The Dawn of the Arab Uprisings: End of an Old Order? (2012). He is the co-creator (with Tania El Khoury) of The Search for Power, an interactive installation and lecture performance on the history of electricity in Lebanon. He serves as Co-Editor of Arab Studies Journal and Jadaliyya, as well as Co-Director of the Lebanon Dissertation Summer Institute.
Connect with Ziad Abu-Rish 👉 https://instagram.com/ziadaburish

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.
58 min
September 21 Islam Became a Racial Category in French Colonial Algeria | Prof. Muriam Haleh Davis
Algeria's complex colonial landscape serves as the backdrop for a deep dive into the intersection of race, Islam, and capitalism. Dr. Muriam Haleh Davis unravels how the French colonial state weaponized Islam as a racial category to structure economic inequalities. The conversation expands into the enduring legacy of Frantz Fanon, exploring the complex dynamics of national liberation and third-world revolutionary aspirations. Uncovering a rich, often-overlooked intellectual history, the discussion highlights the Algerian scholars and philosophers who actively fought to define their own nationhood.

00:00 Introduction
01:43 An Intellectual Journey to Algeria
04:40 Connecting Religion and Capitalism
06:50 Defining Racial Capitalism
10:59 Ideological Threats in the Cold War
12:50 Citizenship and the Colonial Status of Islam
17:22 Economic Policies of Settler Colonialism
23:05 Early Strains of Algerian Nationalism
28:36 Beyond the Mythology of Frantz Fanon
39:05 An Accident of History
43:31 Theory Production from the Global South
45:35 The Circuits of Intellectual Production
48:54 Highlighting Overlooked Algerian Scholars

Muriam Haleh Davis is Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she directs the Center for the Middle East and North Africa. She is the author of Markets of Civilization: Islam and Racial Capitalism in Algeria (Duke University Press, 2022) and the co-editor of North Africa and the Making of Europe: Governance, Institutions, and Culture (Bloomsbury Press, 2018). She is currently working on a second book, Decolonizing Sociology: State-Building and Knowledge Production in the Maghreb, which examines how intellectuals in North Africa appropriated and transformed the discipline of sociology after independence. She is co-chair of the editorial committee for MERIP (Middle East Research and Information Project) and co-editor of the Maghreb Page for Jadaliyya. She holds an MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown, an MA in Culture and Theory from UC Irvine, and a PhD in History from NYU (2015). She has been a Max Weber Postdoctoral Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence and a fellow at IMéRA in Marseille.
Connect with Muriam Haleh Davis 👉 https://instagram.com/muriamhaleh
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.
52 min
September 14 US Destruction of Iraq's Healthcare System | Omar Dewachi
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.

00:00 Introduction
01:21 The Concept of Medical Anthropology
04:52 Dual Trajectories in Health and Social Contexts
06:31 A Career Shift Rooted in Wartime Experience
10:19 The True Toll of the Comprehensive Sanctions Regime
12:56 Infrastructure and the Early Construction of the State
17:53 Systemic Vulnerabilities and the Scales of Destruction
22:25 Healthcare Expansion as an Instrument of Statecraft
28:21 The Rhetoric of Progress and the Framing of Pathologies
31:47 Moving Beyond Conventional Battlefields
37:13 Bearing Witness to Systemic Ruination and Personal Loss
43:09 Challenging Michel Foucault's Framework
49:44 Unequal Knowledge and Visibility on the Global Stage
51:57 The Erosion of Sacred Alliances and the Shift to Commerce
53:41 The Geography of Regional Wounds

Omar Dewachi is an Associate Professor of Medical Anthropology and Global Health at Rutgers University. His work examines the social, medical, and environmental fallouts of decades of war and violence in Iraq and the broader Middle East. Before joining Rutgers in 2018, Dewachi co-founded the Conflict Medicine Program at the American University of Beirut, where he taught social medicine and global health. His award-winning book Ungovernable Life: Mandatory Medicine and Statecraft in Iraq (Stanford University Press, 2017) documents the untold history of the rise and fall of Iraq's healthcare system under decades of US-led interventions. His ongoing project 'When Wounds Travel' weaves almost two decades of ethnographic research with his personal experience of displacement and his medical and public health practice across Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. He holds an MD from Baghdad University, an MPH from the American University of Beirut, and a PhD in Anthropology from Harvard University.
Connect with Omar Dewachi 👉 https://instagram.com/omar_dewachi
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.
58 min
September 07 France's Nuclear Toxicity in the Algerian Sahara | Samia Henni
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

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.
58 min
August 31 Syrian Diaspora's Role in the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925 | Reem Bailony
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

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.
49 min
August 24 1001 Nights, the Arab Novel & the Age of Decay That Never Was | Prof. Muhsin al-Musawi
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

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.
55 min
August 17 East & East: Arab Craft Meets Japanese Minimalism | Nada Debs: Founder, Studio Nada Debs
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

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.
1 hr 5 min
August 10 What Does China Actually Want from the Arab World? | Mohammed Alsudairi
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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1 hr
August 03 Seeing the Earth's Water Crisis from Space | Dr. Raha Hakimdavar
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

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

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41 min

About The afikra Podcast

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The afikra Podcast is our flagship series featuring experts from academia, art, media, urban planning and beyond, who are helping document and shape the histories and cultures of the Arab world…