The afikra Podcast

The afikra عفكرة Channel
The afikra عفكرة Channel
  • 4.9 (77)
  • Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

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 through their ‎work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their expertise and story, the community walks away with a new‎found curiosity, and recommendations about new nerdy rabbit holes to dive into head first. ‎

  1. 2d ago

    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.

  2. Aug 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.

  3. Aug 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.

  4. Aug 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.

  5. Aug 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 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.

  6. Aug 3

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

  7. Jul 27

    Lessons from Innovators Across the Arab World | Hala Hanna, MIT Solve

    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   FOLLOW & RATE THE 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://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 » 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.

  8. Jul 20

    HopeCore, HopeRot & Life in the After Timeline | Shumon Basar

    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 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.

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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 through their ‎work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their expertise and story, the community walks away with a new‎found curiosity, and recommendations about new nerdy rabbit holes to dive into head first. ‎

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