The Beirut Banyan

0:00 Intro

2:32 Anniversary

4:11 Long-Term Goals & Grassroots Activity

13:07 A Late Stage

18:44 Both Sides Fighting for Survival

22:03 Megaphone Today

26:47 Social Pact Discussion

34:15 A Year from Now

We're with Jean Kassir for Episode 218 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/S5gXhJTmHHs

We discuss the one-year anniversary of the October 17 Uprising and reflect on accomplishments and setbacks since the protests began.

Our conversation includes politics at the grassroots level and wider debates over a new social pact. We also talk about both sides - the political establishment and protest movement - fighting for survival.

We talk about Megaphone's evolution and alternative media entering the mainstream.

Jean Kassir is a co-founder and managing editor of Megaphone.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

3:20 Dearborn

22:42 Foundational Flaw

41:47 Fundamental Disagreement

59:55 Force & Pressure

1:05:52 Biden Campaign

1:10:13 Direct or Indirect Support

1:24:48 Coup D'Etat

We're with Nicholas Noe for Episode 217 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/A84uohN9HIg

We discuss US foreign policy towards Lebanon, and reflect on potential changes should the Biden campaign win the upcoming US elections.

We also talk about Hezbollah's political and military role in Lebanon and the region and debate the Trump administration's recent positions towards Lebanon.

Our conversation unpacks disagreements we share over Hezbollah's role in Lebanese affairs.

Nicholas Noe is a political advisor (currently on leave) at the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. He is a 2020 Fellow at the School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute, and co-founder of MideastWire.

The article we discuss in the episode is accessible here:

https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/68378/PB_2020_35_MED.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeiru

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 'Pilgrim' & Intro

6:27 Storytelling

26:53 Our Homes Are Broken

37:18 Betting On The Future

49:18 Paralysis

55:42 Tripoli

1:17:33 Back To Beirut

We're with Zeina Hashem Beck for Episode 216 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/Jp7RsErQ_Z8

We discuss a shared passion for storytelling, and the emotional inspiration and injury when trying to share Beirut's current pain.

We talk about our respective childhoods in Tripoli and our earliest memories during the civil war. We also reflect on why we continue to consider Beirut home, and the difference between longing from abroad and detachment through diaspora.

Our conversation includes a reflection on the current political and economic paralysis facing Lebanon and a bet on the youth and future. Zeina also reads an unpublished poem 'Pilgrim' at the start of the episode.

Zeina Hashem Beck is a poet and author. Check out her website:

http://www.zeinahashembeck.com

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeiru

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

5:18 Late Summer 2020

10:55 Pissed Off

27:00 Rigorous Argument

46:17 Going Rogue

56:12 Joe Rogan

1:06:29 Self-Publishing

1:25:00 What to Think

1:31:33 Tricksters & Joe Rogan

1:43:88 Sardonically Speaking

We're with Mahmoud Rasmi for Episode 215 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/JAhxZP_35h0

We discuss taking philosophy - and other academic endeavors - to the marketplace, and examine the benefits and disadvantaged of self-employment and self-publishing.

We also talk about mutual appreciation for stand-up comedians and unfiltered music, and why podcasters like Joe Rogan elevate the art of long-form conversation.

Our conversation includes a look at Mahmoud's recent Medium Piece: Put Your Work Out There:

https://medium.com/@mahmoud.rasmi/put-your-work-out-there-cc2aa00658ba

and a deep dive into 'Sardonically Speaking' - his recent self-published book on marketplace philosophy, rap music and stand-up comedy. Fans of the podcast receive a 40% discount off any online purchase by clicking on the link below:

https://gumroad.com/l/ohYop/beirutbanyan

Mahmoud Rasmi is a philosopher, online instructor and podcaster. He hosts DecafQuest.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

2:00 Last Chance for Serious Reform

10:23 Affecting Change in Lebanon

18:36 Early 1990s

25:21 Real Possibility for Breakdown

32:15 Can Anything Else Be Done?

37:58 External Players & Reform

45:37 Persistent Pressure

We're with Alia Moubayed and Jessica Obeid for Episode 2143 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/YcPGpKJM5Co

We discuss key components necessary for reform and compare the current political and economic crisis to the early 1990s as Lebanon emerged from civil war.

We examine the geo-economic factors related to unlocking CEDRE funds and a potential IMF bailout. We also talk about the survivability of the political class and whether - in the long run - time is on Lebanon's side.

Alia Moubayed is an economist and Jessica Obeid is an energy consultant.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeiru

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

2:26 Macron's Speech

13:35 Expiration

22:35 Demons

39:33 1970

1:05:21 Financial Incentive

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/Y8ixcsXGsvU

We're with Joseph Kéchichian for Episode 213 of The Beirut Banyan.

We discuss his recent Foreign Policy piece, "Partition is the Only Solution to Lebanon's Woes" and what in his mind is an inevitable consequence should the Lebanese state continue down its current path.

We talk about fallout from Macron's recent speech and condemnation of the political class across the board, and what Joseph refers to as post-1920 'demons' Lebanese citizens must address.

I also challenge Joseph's personal view on the intertwining of religion and political dogma.

Joseph Kéchichian is a Senior Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

The Foreign Policy article referenced in this episode can be accessed via the following link:

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/18/partition-is-the-only-solution-to-lebanons-woes/

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeiru

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

4:49 Paralysis

13:38 Justice

22:05 Irrational Optimism

30:44 'We Wait for their Return'

43:59 Resilience

We're with Sara Mourad for Episode 212 of The Beirut Banyan.

We discuss her recent AlJumhuriya and Rusted Radishes personal essays and reflect on the cycle of prosperity and ruin that came to define modern Lebanon. The conversation delves into the aftermath of the recent Beirut blasts, the persistent demands of protestors and a post-war generation dealing with tragedy once more.

We also talk about 'perpetual return', 'irrational optimism' and the constant search for passion, hope and home.

Sara Mourad is an Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the American University of Beirut and co-directs the Women & Gender Studies Program.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

5:49 Sanctions

24:54 Beyond Symbolic Gestures

32:21 Irreversible

44:05 Model Paralysis

1:08:04 Neutrality & Lebanon

1:20:42 Neutrality in Perspective

1:34:12 Bleak Trajectory

We're with Drew Mikhael and Nadim Shehadi for Episode 211 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/CVPKblGRCsk

We discuss US sanctions against Lebanese officials and French involvement in pushing for local reforms. We also talk about state paralysis and the political and economic consequences of national unity governments.

The conversation includes a wider take on international protection and neutrality in foreign policy, using other countries as examples where neutrality took hold.

Drew Mikhael is a 'pracademic' and a research fellow at Queens University. He has done extensive work on ethnic conflict, management, refugees & violent extremism.

Nadim Shehadi is the Executive Director of Lebanese American University's New York campus and previously served as Director of the Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies at Tuft's Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

3:24 Sanctions

14:41 Reforming the State

18:14 Organization & Structure

32:52 Deeply Embedded

40:00 Letting Go

44:48 Purpose

50:52 A Feminist Movement

56:15 Optimism

1:02:58 Away from the Story

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/Q4xHAl6Tlbw

We're with Dalal Mawad for Episode 210 of The Beirut Banyan.

We discuss recent US sanctions against Lebanese politicians and the wider domestic and regional obstacles to reforming the state. We also talk about the protest movement's lack of organization and structure and potential stepping stones to eventual progress.

The conversation includes Dalal's career in journalism and how purpose guides our commitment to Lebanon.

Dalal Mawad is a Senior Producer and Correspondent for The Associated Press.

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

0:00 Intro

2:22 Personal Well-Being

4:43 The Bubble

8:45 A Unique Tragedy

12:08 Beirut's DNA

16:52 Political Pressure

We're with Dion Nissenbaum for Episode 209 of The Beirut Banyan.

Click to watch:

https://youtu.be/rowid3IXogw

We discuss his recent essay reflecting on the Beirut blasts and how reminders of the tragedy persist.

We also talk about US foreign policy vis-a-vis sanctions and a wider push for political reform.

Dion Nissennbaum is Beirut-based reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

The two pieces authored by Dion and referred to in this episode are accessible below:

The Family Scars Left by the Beirut Blast

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-family-scars-left-by-the-beirut-blast-11599141470

U.S. Prepares Sanctions Against Hezbollah’s Allies in Lebanon

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-prepares-sanctions-against-hezbollahs-allies-in-lebanon-11597234311

Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.