The afikra Podcast

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

12 NOV

Maha El Akoum | Obesity Epidemic & Health Policy in the Arab Gulf

In this episode of the afikra podcast, we chat with Maha El Akoum, the Manager of Content and Policy at WISH, to try to explore the causes of childhood obesity – especially in the Arab world and particularly in the Gulf – and to understand the complexities of dealing with it. Based in Qatar, Maha discusses the alarming rise in childhood obesity within the Gulf region, but also globally. She explores factors contributing to the epidemic such as lifestyle changes, dietary habits, economic factors, and urban planning. The conversation also covers potential solutions, highlighting successful policies in other nations and outlining the comprehensive approach needed to tackle obesity effectively. Maha emphasizes the societal efforts as well as the policy changes required for meaningful impact.

44 min
6 NOV

Narcy at Habibi Festival 2024 With Appearances by Hamed Sinno, Nadine El Roubi, Omar Offendum & Niko | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub

Habibi Festival is back for another year at Joe's Pub, bringing Arabs, comrades, and lovers of music together in New York in these difficult times that our nations continue to endure. And for another year, afikra was on stage to speak to the musicians and bring their conversations and performances to you on afikra's Quartertones podcast.Who better to kick off the season with than the one and only Iraqi-Canadian rapper, writer and teacher Narcy who's been – for decades – making music about the atrocities and racism that the Arab region and people have endured. Narcy calls on his friends and peers Hamed Sinno, Nadine El Roubi, Omar Offendum & Niko to join him on stage in an evening filled with poetry, music and solidarity. Narcy shares his journey of grieving the Iraq War and the blessing and importance of community in the ongoing healing process. He also discusses cultural production as a form of resistance, reflecting on when to be silent, when to be loud, and when to amplify one’s voice in protest.

1h 3m
18 OCT

Beirut Southern Suburbs & Hezbollah: History & Truth | Mona Harb

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. Professor Harb offers an in-depth exploration of Dahiyeh, a part of the Lebanese capital often associated with Shi'ism, poverty, and Hezbollah, highlighting the socio-economic diversity in the area and the effects of Lebanon's civil war and subsequent urban planning policies on this large geography which encompasses several municipalities. The episode further explores the interconnected economy and population movements, and the impact of media misrepresentation on Lebanon. Stressing on just how large and diverse of an area "Dahiyeh" is, Harb explores the impacts of Israeli attacks on urban heritage, the media's false portrayal of Hezbollah, and the strength of Beirut's communities amidst the ongoing challenges. With personal insights and professional expertise, she sheds light on the multifaceted narrative of this urban space in Beirut, bringing attention to the fact that the attack on Dahiyeh (and the south of Lebanon) is an attack on the entire Lebanese population and infrastructure. Harb highlights the resilience and solidarity among Beirut's communities and the significance of knowledge production in fostering inclusive urban environments. This episode was recorded on October 15th at 5pm Beirut time. 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Personal Reflections on Safety in Beirut 02:53 Understanding the Southern Suburbs of Beirut 04:31 Historical Context and Evolution of Dahieh 09:19 Sectarian Geographies, Municipalities and Urban Dynamics 15:11 Current Damage and Reconstruction Challenges 19:42 Interconnectedness of Lebanon's Regions 22:54 Lies in Media Portrayal 28:07 The Dahieh Doctrine and Urbacide Explained 30:43 Impact on Education and Daily Life 34:34 Challenges Faced by Students and Youth During The Current Israeli War on Lebanon 39:38 Solidarity and Hope Amidst Crisis 44:59 Recommendations for Further Reading Mona Harb is Professor of Urban Studies and Politics at the American University of Beirut where she is also co-founder and research lead at the Beirut Urban Lab. Her research investigates governance and territoriality in contexts of contested sovereignty; urban activism and oppositional politics; and how people make collective life in fragmented cities. She is the author of "Le Hezbollah à Beirut: de la banlieue à la ville, co-author of Leisurely Islam: Negotiating Geography and Morality in Shi’i South Beirut (with Lara Deeb)", co-editor of "Local Governments and Public Goods: Assessing Decentralization in the Arab World (with Sami Atallah)", and co-editor of "Refugees as City-Makers (with Mona Fawaz et al.)". She serves on the editorial boards of MELG, IJMES, EPC, and CSSAME, and was previously on the boards of IJURR and the ACSS. At AUB, she served as Coordinator of the Graduate programs in Urban Planning, Policy and Design, Associate Dean of her faculty, and as Chairperson of the department of Architecture and Design. Connect with Mona 👉 https://x.com/mona_harb_ Beirut Urban Lab is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space. It produces scholarship on urbanization by documenting and analyzing ongoing transformation processes in Lebanon and its region's natural and built environments. It intervenes as an interlocutor and contributor to academic debates about historical and contemporary urbanization from its position in the Global South. Discover Beirut Urban Lab 👉 https://beiruturbanlab.com/ Explore the Middle East Research and Information Project 👉 https://merip.org/

47 min
2 SEPT

Manufacturing Consent and Fake News | Marc Owen Jones

In this episode, produced in collaboration with the Qatar Foundation, Marc Owen Jones — Associate Professor of Media Analytics at Northwestern University Qatar — talks to us about this age of disinformation and how it manifests in the context of the Middle East. We discuss regulating social media platforms and try to understand what exactly disinformation is and where it came from. Touching on significant socio-political events such as the Arab uprisings of 2011, Professor Owen Jones reflects on the unique role that social media plays in the region. Referencing the dangers posed by monopolized social media platforms and data colonialism, we also talk about how the news industry is changing and what this means for historical records. Finally, the conversation moves to young people today and how they grapple with Ai, disinformation, false and new narratives, and orientalist perceptions of the Arab world.

59 min
26 AUG

Tracy Chahwan | Beirut Bloody Beirut

Tracy Chahwan's bold and vibrant posters have become a common fixture of Beirut's walls, and her colorful illustrations are known and loved by people across the Arab world and beyond. For this episode of the afikra podcast, she joined us in our Beirut-studio to reminisce on the early days of her career, and discuss key influences and what it means to remain authentic as an artist. Referencing her work for Beirut Groove Collective, Samandal, the Nib and ultimately publishing her own comic novel "Beirut Bloody Beirut", Tracy maps how her style has evolved over time. She talks about the difference between commissioned and personal work, what it takes to brand and market yourself as an artist, and how her relationship with Beirut has shifted and changed over the years.

58 min
12 AUG

Personal Narratives in Collective History, Consumer Culture & Mass Production | Raed Yassin

What is the difference between being an artist and an entertainer? What are the nuances of conveying humour and comedy through art? In this conversation, multi-creative Raed Yassin gives us his take.

1h 1m
5 AUG

Lessons in Decolonization From North Africa's Global Thinkers | Idriss Jebari

What does it mean to decolonize our thinking? In this episode of the afikra podcast, we chat with Idriss Jebari, assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, and discuss language, colonialism and 20th century North Africa. Tracking the transformation of North African countries through colonialism and independence, we learn about the ways that thinkers through the decades have approached decolonization.

57 min
22 JUL

My Mother’s Extraordinary Life in Beirut of the Late 50s & Early 60s | Venetia Porter

An eclectic and vibrant conversation with Venetia Porter — former curator of Islamic and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art at the British Museum — about her iconic mother Thea Porter's life across Palestine, Syria and Beirut in the 50s, her own work at the British Museum, and the purpose of curation. Reflecting on an extraordinary moment in time when Thea Porter was a fixture of Beirut’s creative circles, Venetia shares what it was like to unearth her mother’s personal archive of photos, letters and memories from that era. Moving on to her own work at the British Museum, she sheds light on what she believes the role of curation and the curator should be, what it means to build a “universal” museum, and whether it’s possible to establish this kind of institution in the Arab world. Finally, Venetia offers insight on how museums are responding to the increasingly charged question of how they obtained the objects in their collections and how she navigated her position as a non-Muslim when curating an exhibition about the history of the Hajj.

54 min

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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. ‎