Middle East Talks

Middle East Talks
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Middle East Talks is a podcast produced by the American University in Cairo’s Middle East Studies Program in collaboration with the Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department. The podcast aims to foster a better understanding of the Middle East among a wider audience by exploring new and contemporary research in the region’s history, politics and culture. In each episode, a scholar is invited to discuss their work in a fashion that is accessible and engaging to listeners who are curious about the Middle East.

Episodes

  1. 12/26/2025

    S1 E10 Sex Work in Colonial Egypt - with Francesca Biancani

    The British occupation authorities drafted the first law regulating sex work in Egypt, merely 6 weeks after British forces defeated the Egyptian army and occupied the country in 1882. The era of regulated sex work would last until 1951 when it finally became criminalized – just a few years before the end of British occupation. But the story of “Sex Work in Colonial Egypt” – the title of the book whose author is our guest today – is not merely a story about imperial and nationalist approaches towards prostitution. Francesca Biancani tells a much more fascinating and complex story about modernity, Egypt’s place in the global economy, migration, urbanization, gender and labor politics, during this era. Guest: Francesca Biancani, Associate Professor, Department of Political and Social Sciences, Bologna University Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in Cairo Researcher: Wafaa ElSaid Book: Biancani, Francesca. Sex Work in Colonial Egypt: Women, Modernity and the Global Economy. Edited by Francesca Biancani. vol. 72., I.B. Tauris, 2018. Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay Music Get in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.edu Disclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    45 min

  2. 12/19/2025

    S1E9 Recovering Palestinian Lives - with Andrea Stanton

    Qudsiyya Khurshid belonged to the first generation of Palestinian broadcasters, joining the Palestine Broadcasting Service shortly after its launch in 1936. An educator and writer, she was among a small but expanding circle of women shaping Arab intellectual life in mandate-era Palestine. Afterleaving in 1948, she settled in Pennsylvania, where she remained active in civic and community work. What can her life tell us about gender, media, and everyday experience in the decade before the Nakba? This question is explored by our guest today, Andrea Stanton, Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Denver, in her article “Recovering Palestinian Lives: Qudsiyya Khurshid from Mandate Palestine to Postwar Pennsylvania,” published in the International Journal of Middle East Studies. Guest: Andrea Stanton, Professor of Islamic Studies, University of DenverInterviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in CairoArticle: Stanton, Andrea L. "Recovering Palestinian Lives: Qudsiyya Khurshid from Mandate Palestine to Postwar Pennsylvania." International Journal of Middle East Studies, vol. 56, no. 4, 2024, pp. 627-644. Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay MusicGet in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.eduDisclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    39 min

  3. 12/12/2025

    S1 E8 Social Media and the Politics of Ironic Belonging in Dubai - with Sonali Pahwa

    What’s it like to be a 2nd generation migrant to the United Arab Emirates who is also a social media star? How can you express your identity within the constraints of its legal and political system? My guest today Sonali Pahwa, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts & Dance at the University of Minnesota, looks at the examples of two famous content creators in Dubai… an Egyptian woman and a Syrian man. Through their comic performances, argues Pahwa, they practice “belonging” in a nation where they lack a path to citizenship. While doing so, they also challenge conventional perceptions on national and gender identity. Guest: Sonali Pahwa, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts & Dance, University of MinnesotaInterviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in CairoArticle: Pahwa, Sonali. "Social Media and the Politics of Ironic Belonging in Dubai." International Journal of Middle East Studies 56, no. 4 (2024): 569-584.Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay MusicGet in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.eduDisclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    30 min

  4. 10/10/2025

    S1 E7 Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza - with Peter Beinart

    Our guest today in Middle East Talks is Peter Beinart, American writer and professor at the Newmark School of Journalism at the City University of New York, to discuss his new book Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. The book has caused a sensation ever since it was published earlier this year. Coming at a time when the American Jewish community is increasingly divided over Israel, the book served as an important contribution to the debate. It’s an attempt to grapple not just with the horrors that the Israeli war machine has brought upon Palestinians in Gaza, but also with what Peter calls the “kind of moral, cultural, even theological wreckage that Jews now have to face”. While its subject is depressing, the book ultimately offers a hopeful note… perhaps even too hopeful, as we’ll discuss today. Middle East Talks is a podcast series produced by the American University in Cairo’s Middle East Studies Program in collaboration with the Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department. The podcast aims to foster a better understanding of the Middle East among a wider audience by exploring new and contemporary research in the region’s history, politics and culture. In each episode, a scholar is invited to discuss their work in a fashion that is accessible and engaging to listeners who are curious about the Middle East. Guest: Peter Beinart, Journalist and Writer, Professor at the Graig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, City University of New York Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in Cairo Book: Beinart, Peter. Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. First Edition. Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay Music This podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi Yassin Get in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.edu Disclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    26 min

  5. 09/19/2025

    S1 E6 State, Peasants and Land in mid-19th century Egypt - with Maha Ghalwash

    The eras of Abbas Pasha and Said Pasha in mid 19th century Egypt are usually perceived as somewhat of a dark age … stuck there between the powerful ambitious rule of their predecessor Mohammed Ali, and the glamourous modern state that Ismail Pasha, their successor, tried to project after he came to power.Yet, Maha Ghalwash, our guest in today’s episode of Middle East Talks, argues that we should re-think the way we view this period. Her book “State, Peasants and Land in the mid-19th century Egypt” sheds a surprisingly positive light on the dealings of the state with al falaheen – the peasants who formed the overwhelming majority of the Egyptian populace at the time. Guest: Maha Ghalwash, Associate Professor of Middle East History and Politics at the British University in EgyptInterviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in CairoResearcher: Marta AsencioBook: Ghalwash, Maha Ahmad. State, Peasants, and Land in Mid-Nineteenth-Century Egypt. New York;Cairo;: The American University in Cairo Press, 2023. doi:10.2307/j.ctv2rsfcp8.Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay MusicThis podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi YassinGet in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.eduDisclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    35 min

  6. 09/04/2025

    S1 E5 Gaza Catastrophe: The Genocide in World-Historical Perspective - with Gilbert Achcar

    As the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power 16 years ago, our guest in today’s episode warned of an “imminent nakba”… the Arabic term used to describe the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948. Gilbert Achcar, Emeritus Professor at SOAS, University of London, described the convictions of Netanyahu and his right-wing allies in 2009 as:  “[It] is that coexistence is not possible with the Palestinians, and that Israel’s security will not be established without 'cleansing' most Palestinians of all areas close to where Israelis live, including Israeli settlers on the West Bank. This would be achieved by deporting the majority of Palestinians across the Jordan River and into the Sinai Desert after exterminating part of them to terrorize the rest in order to achieve that purpose.” It is astonishing to contemplate how – 16 years later – this scenario seems to be unfolding to the letter in Gaza. In today’s episode of Middle East Talks we talk to Gilbert Achcar about this and more as we discuss his new book, “The Gaza Catastrophe: The Genocide in World-Historical Perspective”. Guest: Gilbert Achcar, Emeritus Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at SOAS, University of London Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in Cairo Book: Achcar, Gilbert. Gaza Catastrophe: The Genocide in World-Historical Perspective. University of California Press https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-gaza-catastrophe/paper Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay Music This podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi Yassin Get in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.edu Disclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    52 min

  7. 08/21/2025

    S1 E4 Egypt's 1919 Revolution in Literature and Film - with Dina Heshmat

    The Revolution of 1919 is a key moment in modern Egyptian history. Pent up anger exploded after World War One, and Egyptians rose up demanding independence and an end to British occupation. But while 1919 is commonly seen to have achieved at best only partial success, it is revered as the moment when Egyptian national consciousness and unity reached their zenith. The prevailing narrative about 1919 is one where Egyptians from all walks of life (urban, rural, Muslim, Copt, men and women), are united in their struggle against the British and led by Zaghloul’s Al Wafd party. But how did this narrative develop and change over the years? This is the question that Dina Heshmat our guest in today’s episode of Middle East Talks, attempts to address in her book “Egypt 1919: The Revolution in Literature and Film”. Guest: Dina Heshmat, Associate Professor of Modern and Contemporary Arabic Literature at the Sheikh Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations, American University in Cairo Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in Cairo Researcher: Benjamin Fultz Book: Heshmat, Dina. Egypt 1919: The Revolution in Literature and Film. 1st ed. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2020;2022;. doi:10.1515/9781474458382 Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay Music This podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi Yassin Get in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.edu Disclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    41 min

  8. 08/07/2025

    S1 E3 The Ghosts of Iraq’s Marshes - with Steve Lonergan

    The marshes of Iraq lie physically and metaphorically at the edge of the Arab world, and are quite under-studied and under-reported. Environmentally and culturally unique, the marshes and their people offer their own distinctive perspective on modern Iraqi history. “The Ghosts of Iraq’s Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration”, offers a rare account of this story, and its co-author Steve Lonergan is our guest in today’s episode of Middle East Talks. Guest: Steve Lonergan, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography, University of VictoriaInterviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in CairoResearcher: Kawthar Abdulwahid AliBook: Lonergan, Stephen C., Jassim Al-Asadi, and Keith (Geospatial scientist) Holmes. The Ghosts of Iraq's Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration. New York;Cairo;: The American University in Cairo Press, 2023.Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay MusicThis podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi YassinGet in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.eduDisclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    41 min

  9. 07/28/2025

    S1 E2 Egypt's Housing Crisis - with Yehia Shawkat

    For decades, Egyptians have been complaining about a chronic housing crisis: there never seem to be enough homes to keep up with the rapid growth of the Arab world’s most populous country. Yet, surprisingly, Egypt is one of largest producers of housing in the world… in fact there are millions of empty homes in Egypt… defying the simple logic of supply and demand.In his book, “Egypt’s Housing Crisis”, Yahia Shawkat, housing and urban policy researcher, attempts to explain this paradox. His account offers a rare documentation of the attempts and mostly failures of successive Egyptian regimes to resolve the housing dilemma. He discusses his book with Khaled Ezzelarab in this episode of Middle East Talks.Guest: Yahia Shawkat is a housing and urban policy researcher who specializes in legislative analysis, data visualization, and historical mapping. He is research coordinator for 10 Tooba, a research studio he co-founded in 2014 that focuses on spatial justice and fair housing.Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in CairoBook: Shawkat, Yahia, and David Sims. Egypt's Housing Crisis: The Shaping of Urban Space. 1st ed. La Vergne: The American University in Cairo Press, 2020. doi:10.2307/j.ctv2ks6zb8.Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay MusicThis podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi YassinGet in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.eduDisclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    34 min
  10. S1 E1 Boom Cairo: Egypt in Disaster, 1787 - with Alain Mikhail

    06/26/2025

    S1 E1 Boom Cairo: Egypt in Disaster, 1787 - with Alain Mikhail

    Cairo, 1787. In the heart of a bustling market, a sudden explosion rips through the evening air. Gunpowder ignites, chaos erupts, and dozens are left dead or wounded. But what really happened that night? And what can this disaster reveal about the social and economic pulse of 18th-century Cairo? Join us for the premiere episode of Middle East Talks, where we dive deep into this historical moment with Alan Mikhail, Professor of History at Yale University and author of the 2024 article Boom Cairo: Egypt in Disaster, 1787. Middle East Talks is a podcast series produced by the American University in Cairo’s Middle East Studies Program in collaboration with the Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department. The podcast aims to foster a better understanding of the Middle East among a wider audience by exploring new and contemporary research in the region’s history, politics and culture. In each episode, a scholar is invited to discuss their work in a fashion that is accessible and engaging to listeners who are curious about the Middle East. Guest: Alan Mikhail, Chase Family Professor of History, Department of History, Yale University Interviewer: Khaled Ezzelarab, Associate Professor of Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and Director of the Middle East Studies Program, American University in Cairo Journal Article: Mikhail, A. (2024). Boom Cairo: Egypt in Disaster, 1787. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 56(2), 193–206. doi:10.1017/S0020743824000448 Intro Music: Festival of Eid Joy by Adiiswanto, licensed via Pixabay Music This podcast was produced with the help of Nourhan Amer, Nouran Elian, and Judi Yassin Get in touch via email mesc@aucegypt.edu Disclaimer: Views expressed in this podcast series are those of participants and do not reflect the opinions of The American University in Cairo. Copyright is held by the appropriate AUC school, office or department unless otherwise stated. Requests for permission to quote or use any content should be addressed to the appropriate AUC school, office or department directly.

    38 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Middle East Talks is a podcast produced by the American University in Cairo’s Middle East Studies Program in collaboration with the Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department. The podcast aims to foster a better understanding of the Middle East among a wider audience by exploring new and contemporary research in the region’s history, politics and culture. In each episode, a scholar is invited to discuss their work in a fashion that is accessible and engaging to listeners who are curious about the Middle East.

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    Middle East Talks
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  • Episodes
    10
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