We go back to 1931, when Palestinian journalist Issa El-Issa visited Paris's Colonial Exhibition and discovered Palestinian pavilions had been co-opted by British and Zionist organizers. This experience led the journalist to organize an Arab Exhibition in Palestine in 1933. Historian Nadi Abusaada discusses Resurgent Nahda, a book he recently researched and edited, and takes us through the exhibition of the same name at Dar El-Nimer in Beirut. The discussion covers the key contributors, artworks, and crafts displayed at the exhibition in Mandate Jerusalem, along with its organization and its role in promoting Arab unity. It also highlights the tragic fate of the Palace Hotel in Jerusalem, which hosted the exhibition and was later repurposed by British and Israeli authorities.

00:00 Introduction 

 01:51 Discussing the Book Resurgent Nahda

 02:35 Origins of the Arab Exhibition Idea

 04:48 Organizing the Arab Exhibition

 05:38 Themes and Contributions of the Exhibition

 08:36 The Role of Exhibitions in Nationalism

 09:17 Historical Context and Modern Relevance

 10:43 Contributors and Their Works

 12:05 Exploring the Exhibition’s Layout

 14:12 Notable Artists and Their Contributions

 23:41 The Urgency of Arab Exhibitions

 26:04 Mother of Pearl Craftsmanship in Bethlehem

 28:45 The Tragic Story of the Palace Hotel

 33:40 Tour of the Art Exhibition at Dar El-Nimer

 34:08 Contributions and Featured Artists

 38:10 Historical Artifacts and Their Significance

 48:05 Rediscovering Yvonne Howa

 50:12 Final Thoughts & Future Exhibitions

Nadi Abusaada is a Jerusalem-born architect and historian. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture and Design at the American University of Beirut (AUB). His work focuses on the material histories and visual cultures of the modern Arab world. He is the co-editor of “Arab Modern: Architecture and the Project of Independence” (gta Verlag, 2025) and editor of “Resurgent Nahda: The Arab Exhibitions in Mandate Jerusalem” (Kaph Books, 2024). Nadi has earned his Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees in architecture at the University of Cambridge and his B.A. in architecture at the University of Toronto. He has also held various prestigious academic fellowships including the ETH Zürich Postdoctoral Fellowship at ETH Zürich and the Aga Khan Postdoctoral Fellowship in Islamic Architecture at MIT. Before joining AUB, Nadi has taught subjects related to the history and theory of architecture and urbanism at Cambridge, MIT, and ETH Zürich.

Connect with Nadi Abusaada 👉 https://instagram.com/nadi.saadeh

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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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

We talk to Lena El-Malak, author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees." The discussion explores the unique challenges faced by Palestinian refugees in securing their right of return and receive reparations, contrasting it with other global examples of refugee repatriation and compensation. El-Malak provides an in-depth analysis of various periods in Palestinian land ownership, the role of international law, and the impact of agreements like Resolution 194 and the Oslo Accords. The conversation also covers broader issues of justice and accountability in the Palestinian context.

This episode was recorded on February 25, 2025

00:00 Introduction

01:22 Understanding Reparations: Historical Context

03:31 Palestinian Land Ownership: Historical Overview

04:29 British Mandate and Land Expropriation

07:06 Israeli Legislation and Land Ownership

18:45 UN Resolution 194 and Right of Return

24:36 International Law and Palestinian Rights

35:42 Oslo Accords and the Fragmentation of Palestinian Issues

43:08 Conclusion: Justice for Palestinian Refugees

Lena El-Malak is a commercial tech attorney and data privacy professional (CIPP/E/C) with extensive experience working in the tech industry across Canada, the UK, and the UAE, as well as in private practice at a top-tier British law firm. Prior to transitioning into commercial law, she worked as a legal and development consultant in the non-profit sector. She is the author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees" published by I.B. Tauris. 

Connect with Lena El-Malak 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-el-malak/?originalSubdomain=uk

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

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

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

Activist, producer, writer and editor Frank Barat shares his journey into activism, focusing on Palestine, and the significant moments that shaped his advocacy. From his upbringing in a working-class family to his eye-opening trip to Palestine in 2007, Barat paints a picture of the struggles and beauty he witnessed. He discusses the Russell Tribunal on Palestine and its impact, the Freedom Flotilla initiatives, and the importance of global solidarity movements. He touches on the moral high ground held by the movement and the intricate dynamics of apartheid in Israel, and offers a candid look at the challenges and hopes for the future of Palestine and Palestinian solidarity.

This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025.

00:00 Introduction 
00:48 Frank Barat's Early Influences and Activism
03:02 First Visit to Palestine and Its Impact
10:19 The Russell Tribunal and Its Significance
16:48 Challenges and Strategies in Activism
24:36 The Freedom Flotilla 
31:14 Legal Battles and Collaborations
33:10 The Reality of Activism in Israel and Palestine
34:28 The Moral High Ground and Global Solidarity
35:01 Demonstrations and Public Perception
36:08 Israeli Perspective and Internal Change
38:04 The Zionist Project and Brainwashing
41:05 Chomsky, Pappé & Other Influential Voices
46:16 The Role of Jewish Voices in the Movement
50:56 Global Shifts and the Future of Solidarity
55:51 Reflections on Resilience and Struggle
01:00:44 Book Recommendations and Closing Remarks

Frank Barat is a French-born activist, producer, writer and editor currently based in Brussels, after spending more than a decade in London. He was one of the coordinators of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine (2008-2014) and is the co-founder of Festival Ciné-Palestine in Paris, the Palestina with Love festival in Brussels, and BARC Productions, a film production company, created in Brussels in February 2019. He has produced or co-produced films, including The Key, London Recruits, and a feature documentary on Palestine directed by Ali Al-Araian. He is also developing a television series with UK producer George Arbourne. Barat has edited books with Ilan Pappé, Noam Chomsky, Angela Y. Davis, Marc Lamont Hill, Ken Loach and Vijay Prashad. 

Connect with Frank 👉 https://www.instagram.com/4frankbarat/

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

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

In this episode of This is Not a Watermelon podcast, we're joined by Oscar-Nominated and award-winning Palestinian filmmaker, Scandar Copti. We dive into his childhood in Jaffa and growing up in a neighborhood with a rich and tumultuous history like Ajami, to his rise as an acclaimed filmmaker. Scandar shares personal anecdotes about the challenges he faced – including at the Oscars – his unique filmmaking process, and the philosophical underpinnings of his films "Ajami" and "Happy Holidays." Join us for a captivating conversation about filmmaking, identity, and resistance.

This episode was recorded on March 25, 2025

00:00 Introduction 
01:48 Growing Up in Jaffa
02:08 Life in the Ajami Neighborhood
04:25 Cultural Identity and Language
07:03 Journey to Filmmaking
15:00 First Short Film Experience
16:09 Reflections on Political Speech and Censorship
25:44 Understanding Palestinian Oppression
30:43 Misunderstandings and Criticisms of the Film "Ajami"
35:41 Reflecting on Filmmaking Journey
36:19 The Oscar Nomination 
40:06 Power Dynamics in Collaborative Filmmaking
41:56 Facing Backlash and Controversy
45:51 Anecdotes from the Oscars
52:54 Creating "Happy Holidays"
55:57 Philosophical Insights on Freedom and Oppression
01:02:20 Unique Casting and Filmmaking Techniques
01:06:18 Final Reflections

Scandar Copti is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker known for his distinctive approach to working with non-actors. His debut feature film, Ajami, won the Camera d'Or Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. His second film, Happy Holidays, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024 and won the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay. Copti is also the recipient of the prestigious Sutherland Trophy and the Council of Europe Film Award.

Connect with Scandar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/scandemon/

Watch The Truth 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1c1EKDbEpU

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

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

In this episode of This Is Not a Watermelon podcast, we talk to UN special rapporteur Michael Fakhri, and comic journalist and film writer Omar Khouri, about their report "Palestine and the Right to Food." They explain how starvation is always intentional – with a focus on Israel's policies towards Palestine – illustrating the broader global implications. The episode delves into the legal definitions of famine and starvation, the use of starvation as a weapon, and how the international food system is fundamentally flawed. The discussion covers the collaboration between Michael and Omar, the impact of making such reports accessible through comics, and the bureaucratic challenges they faced within the UN system. They emphasize that the issues in Palestine are part of a larger global crisis affecting food security and human rights worldwide.

00:00 Introduction 
00:37 The Intentionality of Starvation
01:23 Defining Starvation and Its Implications
03:03 The Legal and Humanitarian Perspective
07:19 Global Food Systems and Broader Implications
09:11 The Collaboration and Creation of the Report
18:41 Historical Context and Mechanisms of Starvation
25:59 The Role and Critique of the UN
32:21 The Dilemma of Institutions and Liberation
33:59 Historical Context of Famine and Starvation
38:45 The Role of International Law in Gaza's Fishing Rights
43:10 The Importance of Seeds in Food Sovereignty
47:39 The Impact and Reception of the Report
54:28 Challenges and Future Directions

To view the report 👉 https://www.un.org/unispal/document/right-to-food-report-17jul24/

Michael & Omar's collaboration 👉
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/food/2024-08-27-visuals-palestinian-people-food-sovereignty.pdf

Michael Fakhri is a professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, specializing in human rights, food law, and development, and directs the Food Resiliency Project. He is an appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food since 2020. He has taught the right to food at institutions like Harvard and the European University Institute and lectured globally on human rights and development and contributed to international forums like the WTO Ministerial Conference. His book "Bandung, Global History, and International Law" has been cited by the International Court of Justice. 

Connect with Michael 👉 https://x.com/michaelfakhri

Omar Khouri is a co-founder of Samandal Comics Magazine, the first experimental comics periodical in the Arab world. In 2010, his socio-political comic strip Utopia won best Arabic Comic at the International Comic book Festival of Algeria (F.I.B.D.A). He currently lives and works in Lebanon.

Connect with Omar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/omar_k_khouri/

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

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» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

Better known to many through her Instagram account @leb.historian which has gained a large audience especially since Lebanon's 17 October Revolution, Chloe Kattar joins us on This Is Not a Watermelon for a special podcast episode to contextualize the current Israeli war on Lebanon. We focus on Israeli propaganda and discuss Zionist expansionist agenda and the ways in which these imperial narratives are disseminated. Kattar gives us a quick history of Israel's aggressions on Lebanon which started decades before October 7. She dismantles vague terms weaponized by the the Israeli occupation such as "Hezbollah Infrastructure", clarifies the ambiguities of the "Dahiyeh Doctrine", and explains the impact of drones and psychological warfare on a civilian population.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday October 22nd, 4:30pm Beirut Time. 

0:00 Introduction 
1:16 Information Wars & Israeli Propaganda 
8:40 Israeli Messaging & Narratives to Western Audiences 
11:32 Chronology of the War in Lebanon 
22:05 Zionist Agenda in Lebanon 
24:51 Awareness in the West 
27:09 Relating Palestine & Lebanon 
32:07 The "Dahiyeh Doctrine"
38:19 Drones & Psychological Warfare 
41:32 Resource Recommendations 

Chloe Kattar is a research fellow in history at Darwin College, at the University of Cambridge. She is a historian of the modern Middle East, with a specific interest in the global movement and exchange of ideas between the Arab-speaking world and Western societies. 

Connect with Chloe 👉 https://www.instagram.com/leb.historian/

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

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

In this special episode of This Is Not a Watermelon podcast, we speak to Professor Mona Harb, co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab at the American University of Beirut, to help us delve into the intricate socio-political dynamics and historical narratives of Beirut's southern suburbs, known as "Dahiyeh" that's been under severe Israeli bombardment since September. 

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

Palestinian doctor, scholar and research fellow Ghada Karmi offers powerful, truthful and hard-hitting words on Palestine's past, present and future. She sheds light on a common experience amongst Palestinian diaspora: that of blocked memories, suppressed as a result of trauma. She shares wise words of advice on dealing with friends and family who – especially in the wake of October 7th – have stayed apathetic and silent, or refused to take a moral stance.

We talk in depth about the cognitive dissonance and lack of popular memory of the Nakba or the Palestinian lived experience as compared to that of the Holocaust. Dr Karmi emphasizes her belief in the power of words, stories and personal memories in not only eternalizing the Palestinian cause, but in infusing it into popular discourse. We hear her extraordinary story of being invited to her family home in Jerusalem by the New York Times bureau chief to face its then current inhabitants, and the visions she has for a future Palestine.

This episode of This Is Not a Watermelon podcast was recorded on the 25th July 2024.

Ghada Karmi is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. She was born in Jerusalem and forced to leave her home during the Nakba of 1948. Her family moved to England where she later practiced as a doctor working as a specialist in the health of migrants and refugees. She later held a number of research positions on Middle Eastern politics and culture at London's SOAS and the Universities of Durham and Leeds. She is also the author of the books: "In Search of Fatima," "Return: A Palestinian Memoir," "One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel," and "Married to Another Man".

Connect with Dr Karmi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/karmighada/

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉   mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047...

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series:    • This Is Not a Watermelon | Palestinia...  

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: / afikra_  

🔗 Facebook: / afikra.official  

🔗 Twitter: / afikra  

#Palestinian #Palestine #Nakba #ArabHistory #MiddleEastHistory

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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

In this episode of This Is Not a Watermelon, we talk about positioning Palestinian music within a global music scene, cassettes as precious as diamonds, music and resistance, and reiterations of traditional folk music. Global scholar of Palestinian music, activist, and musician Louis Brehony joins us with a roster of musical interludes that take us on a tour of the Palestinian music that should appear on all those "Top 10" rankings we read online.

With each musical interlude, we reflect on whether resistance music is or should be a genre in itself – and if it's even possible to untangle Palestinian music from voices of resistance. Louis shares the struggles to get funding for research related to the "P" word. He highlights the unique characteristics of Palestinian music because of how removed from commercialism it is, and Fairuz as an icon relating to the Palestinian question. Finally, he rebuts the common misconception that all Palestinian music must be sad.

This episode of the This is Not a Watermelon podcast takes the same format as one of our QuarterTones episodes, with musical interludes to accompany the conversation. It was recorded on July 15th 2pm Palestine time.

Louis Brehony is an activist, musician, researcher and educator, and a preeminent global scholar of Palestinian music. He is the director of the award-winning documentary film Kofia: A Revolution Through Music (2021) and has published widely on Palestine and political culture in the Palestine Chronicle, Middle East Monitor,Arab Media and Society, and a range of other journals. He received his PhD from Kings College London and a master's in composition from the University of Salford, and performs internationally as a multi-instrumentalist. He has family origins in Ireland and lives in Manchester, UK.

Connect with Louis 👉 https://www.instagram.com/louie.m14/?locale=us&hl=am-et

Louis' Book "Palestinian Music in Exile: Voices of Resistance

Palestinian Music in Exile" is a historical and contemporary study of Palestinian musicianship in exile in the Middle East, spanning half a century in disparate locations, including Gaza, Turkey, Kuwait, and Egypt. Grassroots musicians emerge here as powerful actors, their stories taking center stage, offering critiques of existing conditions, and new perspectives on displacement and the transmission of Palestinian narratives, presenting alternative visions for the future.

Learn more about the book 👉 https://aucpress.com/9781649033048/

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

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 / mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1I...

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047...

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK&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

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
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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

This episode was recorded on July 10th, 2024.

Check out Sonja's reading recommendations for Palestinian literature from the 20th Century 👉https://www.afikra.com/daftarjournal/sonja-mejcher-atassi-book-recommendations

And dive deeper into the history of the King David Hotel 👉https://www.afikra.com/daftarjournal/jerusalems-king-david-hotelnbsp

Sonja Mejcher-Atassi is a professor of Arabic and comparative literature in the Department of English and an associated faculty in the Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Languages at the American University of Beirut. Her research focuses on modern Arabic literature in global perspective, and closely intersects with cultural and intellectual history and memory studies. She is also interested in biography, writers' libraries, collecting practices and literature archives, book culture and art, and aesthetics and politics.

Connect with Sonja 👉 https://x.com/someatassi

About "An Impossible Friendship: Group Portrait Before & After 1948": Sonja Mejcher-Atassi tells the story of this unlikely friendship and in so doing offers an intimate cultural and social history of Palestine in the critical postwar period. She vividly reconstructs the vanished social world of these protagonists, tracing the connections between the specificity of individual lives and the larger contexts in which they are embedded. In exploring this ecumenical friendship and its artistic, literary, and intellectual legacies, Sonja demonstrates how social biography can provide a picture of the past that is at once more inclusive and more personal.

Learn more about the book 👉 https://cup.columbia.edu/book/an-impossible-friendship/9780231214759

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

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉   / mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1I...

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047...

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series:    • This Is Not a Watermelon | Palestinia...  

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: / afikra_  

🔗 Facebook: / afikra.official  

🔗 Twitter: / afikra  

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

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