The afikra Podcast

The afikra عفكرة Channel
The afikra عفكرة Channel
  • 4.9 (77)
  • Arts
  • 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. 4d ago

    Ottoman Environmental History, Sultan Selim's Ambition, & NYC's First "Muslim" | Prof. Alan Mikhail

    We know about Islam in America, but what about America in Islam? Yale historian Alan Mikhail unpacks Sultan Selim I, the thuggish sultan who wrote bad poetry yet conquered the Arab world in 1516–17 and, Mikhail argues, changed the course of world history. From the water buffalo that powered Ottoman Egypt’s rural economy to Muhammad Ali’s deadly Mahmudiyya Canal, they explore how environmental history reveals the lives of the farmers who made up most of the Middle East’s past. Then the conversation crosses the Atlantic to meet Anthony the Turk, often called New York’s first Muslim, whose mysterious origins and life in the Dutch colony are at the heart of Mikhail’s new book Newcomers.00:00 Introduction01:08 Growing up between America and Egypt04:16 Why the Ottoman Centuries Matter07:00 What is environmental history?10:41 Rethinking Muhammad Ali's Egypt14:40 Animals, land, and the Life of an Empire23:09 Selim, the Overlooked Sultan27:21 What Does it Actually Mean to Conquer an Empire?33:23 How Ottoman was Ottoman Egypt?38:00 Anthony the Turk and Islam in Early America47:53 Did the Ottomans Care About the New World?Alan Mikhail is the Chace Family Professor of History at Yale University. He is the author of six books that have garnered numerous distinctions and been translated into ten languages. His most recent book is Newcomers: The Story of Anthony and Grietje and the Founding of New York. In addition to his current work on the intertwined histories of Islam and early America, he has written about the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. His book My Egypt Archive received the Victor Turner Prize in Ethnographic Writing of the Society for Humanistic Anthropology. Before that, God’s Shadow won the Gold Medal in World History from the Independent Publisher Book Awards, was a finalist for the Connecticut Book Award, was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, and was named a book of the year by the Times Literary Supplement, History Today, Publishers Weekly, and Glamour. Mikhail has written dozens of scholarly articles as well as for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times. Connect with Alan Mikhail 👉 https://www.alanmikhail.orgHosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_muTheme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59nsFOLLOW & 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/1014643869THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORKExplore 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.

  2. Oct 19

    Architecture & Identity in the Gulf | Sumaya Dabbagh, Award Winning Architect

    Shaping space goes far beyond physical structures, it deeply impacts people's lives and connects to the human spirit. Renowned, award-winning Saudi architect Sumaya Dabbagh shares her journey navigating the evolving architectural landscape of the Gulf, shifting away from commercial real estate focus to cultivate authentic, contextual architecture. She delves into her unique design philosophy of creating continuity by blending modern elements with historical fabric, as seen in landmark projects like the Mleiha Archaeological Centre and the Al Ain Museum. The conversation also highlights the intangible elements of design, exploring how thoughtful materials and sensory details bring a sacred sense of space to life.00:00 Introduction01:38 Returning to the Gulf in the Early '90s06:22 Real Estate vs. Architecture11:34 Turning Points in Gulf Building Standards14:52 Establishing a Practice & Contextual Architecture19:11 Understanding the Architectural Fabric of Cities25:15 Looking Beyond Soulless Towers to the Human Spirit29:53 Redefining Al Ain Museum36:03 Showcasing History at Mleiha Archaeological Centre40:51 Materiality & Setting42:26 Designing Places of Worship & Sacred Spaces44:56 A Broader Movement Towards Cultural Identity46:31 Recommended Reading for Aspiring ArchitectsSumaya Dabbagh is the founder and principal architect of Dabbagh Architects in Dubai. Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, she studied architecture at the University of Bath under the guidance of the late Peter Smithson and Sir Ted Happold. She began her career in London and Paris before returning to the Gulf region in 1993. In 2008, she founded Dabbagh Architects, one of the first women-led architectural practices in the UAE and one of the first in the Gulf region to be registered as a RIBA Chartered Practice (2015). Her multi-award-winning projects include the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah (2016), nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and the Gargash Mosque in Dubai (2021), making her one of the first women architects to design a mosque in the UAE. The Al Ain Museum in Abu Dhabi is currently under construction. She was a founding member of the RIBA Gulf Chapter (2009) and served as its Chair from 2015 to 2019. Her work is driven by the notions of memory, identity, and belonging, and she has been shortlisted for the Tamayouz Excellence Award for Woman of Outstanding Achievement (2019 and 2024) and named Principal of the Year at the Middle East Architects Awards (2019). Connect with Sumaya Dabbagh 👉 https://instagram.com/dabbagharchitects_  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. Oct 12

    Marie al-Khazen: Pioneer Lebanese Photographer, 1899 to 1983 | Art Historian, Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan

    A collection of black-and-white photographs from 1920s mandate Lebanon completely flips traditional regional history on its head. Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan takes us on a fascinating journey behind her PhD research into the life and legacy of Marie al-Khazen, a pioneer Lebanese photographer. Dr. Taan, a professor and director at LAU, utilizes a gender-focused lens to decode al-Khazen's meticulously staged compositions of active, unconventional women driving cars, smoking cigarettes, and going on armed hunting trips. This engaging discussion explores agency, cultural cross-dressing, and the striking parallels with other early female Arab photographers like Karimeh Abbud, demonstrating how these archival treasures continue to challenge established regional histories.00:00 Introduction02:03 The Discovery in Canada and an Unconventional Re-entry09:11 Aristocracy, Feudal Backdrops, and Staged Patriarchs17:39 Anecdotes of a Village Outcast21:22 Viewfinders from Above and Interrupted Legacies31:12 The Stone Under the Steering Wheel34:15 Trends of Fluidity and Cultural Cross-Dressing37:33 The Working Woman vs. The Documentarian41:58 The True Landscape of Palestine43:01 Self-Orientalizing and the Trend of the Bowl48:43 Scratched Faces and Pre-Photoshop Erasure53:06 White Eggs and the Mysterious Wife of BonfilsDr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan is Associate professor of Design and Design History at the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut.She holds a PhD in Art History and Communications Studies from McGill University. Her research focus is on design writing and research, visual culture and gender representation, design, media, photography and visual culture in the Middle East and North Africa. She publishes articles on visual culture in a number of international journals. She has illustrated more than twenty children’s books and has participated in a number of residencies in Berlin, Cairo, Beirut and Bratislava. Her artwork has been exhibited in New York, Berlin and Beirut. Connect with Yasmine Nachabe Taan 👉 https://instagram.com/yastaan 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. Oct 5

    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 MediaMai 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.

  5. Sep 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 Introduction04:00 Monopolies and Regional Boundaries12:07 The Myth of Free Market Competition17:30 Decolonizing Public Infrastructure23:26 The Spark of the Boycott Movement27:31 Redefining State Legitimacy through Protests32:34 Concrete Boundaries and Popular Sovereignty38:01 Tracing State Growth and Formations46:44 The Persistence of Institutions51:57 Invisible Walls and Controlled Movement54:49 History on StageZiad 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.

  6. Sep 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 Capitalism10:59 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 ScholarsMuriam 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.

  7. Sep 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.

  8. Sep 7

    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.

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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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