The afikra Podcast
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The afikra Podcast
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 w...
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Sculpting Public Art | Najla El Zein
Award-winning sculptor and artist Najla El Zein is most recently known for her work on a public commission by Qatar Museums for Doha's cultural distri...
Pressure Cooker: National Pavilion UAE at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale | Azza Aboualam
We delve into the UAE National Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Biennale, titled "Pressure Cooker" with curator Azza Aboualam. An assistant professor at th...
History of Carpets | Mohamed Maktabi
We visit Maktabi's flagship store in Beirut to unravel the rich history and intricate artistry of carpets. A third-generation carpet dealer from the r...
Dust That Never Settles: Literary Afterlives of the Iran-Iraq War | Amir Moosavi
Amir Moosavi discusses the profound impact of the Iran-Iraq War – the longest two-state war of the 20th century – on the literature of both nations. T...
Yemen as the Global Home of Coffee | Nancy Um
We challenge contemporary perceptions of Yemen as a "backwater" by revealing the pivotal role of its port city, Mocha, in the making of our modern wor...
Orientalism & Edward Said | Professor Nubar Hovsepian
Author of "Edward Said: The Politics of an Oppositional Intellectual," professor Nubar Hovsepian joins us to delve into the nuanced legacy of Edward S...
Sustainability in Qatar & the GCC: Environmental Challenges & Opportunities
The author of "Sustainable Qatar: Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives" delves into the multifaceted meaning of sustainability, especially...
Photographer Yumna Al-Arashi: Yemen, Identity, and Challenging Perceptions
A captivating episode with Yemeni-Egyptian artist Yumna Al-Arashi who discusses her upbringing in Washington D.C., the impact of the 2017 executive or...
Smita Prabhakar on Ishara Art Foundation & Nurturing South Asian Art in the UAE
We challenge the conventional perceptions of home and identity in a diasporic context and delve into South Asian art. An art collector, entrepreneur,...
Contemporary Moroccan Thought | Mohammed Hashas
We delve into the need to fill the literary and intellectual gap in Moroccan scholarship, the impacts of notable contemporary Moroccan philosophers an...
How Do You Decolonize Care? | Sundus Abdul Hadi & Maktaba Bookshop
We explore the Arab community's evolution in Montreal, the intent behind Maktaba Bookshop as a space for Arab representation and cultural exchange, an...
Director of Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT Nasser Rabbat on Al-Maqrizi
We welcome back Prof Nasser Rabbat to discuss his latest book "Writing Egypt: Al-Maqrizi and His Historical Project," which focuses on the 14th-centur...
Dubai's South Asian Communities | Neha Vora
A professor of anthropology at the American University of Sharjah and the author of "Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora" and "Teach for Arab...
Mazen Kerbaj | Gaza in my Phone
Considered a key figure within Beirut's creative scene, comics author, visual artist and musician Mazen Kerbaj joins us on The afikra Podcast and disc...
Nathaniel Mathews | Zanzibar & Oman's Common History & Identities
Nathaniel Mathews is associate professor in Africana Studies at Binghamton University and author of "Zanzibar Was a Country: Exile and Citizenship bet...
Maknana at DAF: Glossary of New Media Art From the Arab World | Ala Younis & Haytham Nawar
Live from Diriyah Art Futures in Riyadh, we're joined by Haytham Nawar, the director of Diriyah Art Futures, and Ala Younis who co-curated its latest...
Rana AlMutawa | Unveiling Dubai's Complex Social Fabric
Host Mikey Muhanna talks to Rana AlMutawa, Assistant Professor of Social Research and Public Policy at NYU Abu Dhabi and author of "Everyday Life in t...
Mental Healthcare For Children That Have Survived War | Dr Atif Magbool
We're joined by Dr Atif Magbool at Sidra Medicine who talks to us about the immense challenges and efforts in providing mental healthcare to children...
Art, Identity & Technology in Riyadh | Khaled Makshoush, Aya Abu Ghazaleh & Youssef El Idrissi
Host Mikey Muhanna interviews emerging artists, Khaled Makshoush, Youssef El Idrissi and Aya Abu Ghazaleh, who share their experiences and artistic pr...
Prof Yasir Suleiman-Malley | Arabic in the Fray: Language Ideology and Cultural Politics
Professor Yasir Suleiman-Malley speaks about the complexities of Arabic tracing his personal journey with the language, from early struggles with gram...
Sami Al Daghistani | Al-Ghazali's Influence on Islamic Thought, Ethics & Economic Philosophy
We're joined by professor and author Sami Al Daghistani to explore the life and thought of Al-Ghazali, a prominent figure in Islamic intellectual hist...
Samer Abboud | Syria's Political History From 1946
Professor Samer Abboud from Villanova University is an expert on Syrian politics. He joins us to discuss the intricacies of Syria's political history...
The MENA's Pop Culture Landscape | With Editor-In-Chief of Dazed MENA Ahmad Swaid
Previously Editor-in-Chief for GQ Middle East and currently for Dazed MENA, Ahmed Swaid has had an extensive career in media. He joins us to talk abou...
Data-Driven Storytelling & Anti-Authoritarian Journalism | Mona Chalabi
In this episode of The afikra Podcast, we're joined by renowned journalist Mona Chalabi who discusses her latest animated series "#1 Happy Family USA"...
The Evolution and Impact of Saudi Art | Mohammed Hafiz of ATHR
We talk to Mohammed Hafiz, the founder of ATHR Gallery and Foundation, about his journey in the art world, the evolution of Saudi contemporary art, an...
Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and The Birth of History | Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid
We sit down with Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid, author of "Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and The Birth of History" an honorary fellow at Wolfson Colle...
The Future of Energy After Oil in the GCC | Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin
Senior visiting research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Dr Shihab-Eldin joins us on The afikra Podcast to discuss his extensive ca...
The Moriscos & the Purging of Muslim Spain (1492-1614) | Matthew Carr
The author of "Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim Spain, 1492 to 1614," delves into the complex history of Muslim Spain, starting from the arrival...
Desert Geography: The Entangled Fates of Arizona and the Arabian Peninsula | Natalie Koch
In this episode of The afikra Podcast, Professor Natalie Koch – the author of "Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arizona and Arabia" – helps us dive...
Let's Diagnose Global Health Today | Dr Slim Slama
The CEO of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), Dr Slim Slama, joins us on this episode of The afikra Podcast to give an in-depth look into...
Camera Obscura and Photography's Roots in Tehran | Behzad Khosravi Noori at Quoz Arts Fest
Artist, archivist, and educator Behzad Khosravi Nouri, and Richard Lackey from Fujifilm Middle East delve into Behzad's unique exhibition at Gulf Phot...
Using Urban Fabrics Literally To Explore Layers That Shape Our World | Zé Tepedino at Quoz Arts Fest
Brazilian artist Zé Tepedino tells his fascinating story of journeying from Rio to Dubai, his innovative public art residency, and the creative proces...
On Lifting the Hijab Ban in Basketball, Growing Up Sudanese in Britain & Finding Home in Poetry | Asma Elbadawi at Quoz Arts Fest
We dive into the multifaceted life of Asma Elbadawi, a Sudanese British poet, photographer, basketball player, and activist. From her early struggles...
Inside the Islamic Arts Biennale | HE Rakan Altouq & Dr Julian Raby
In this episode of the afikra podcast, host Mikey Muhanna speaks with His Excellency Rakan Altouq – Vice Chair of the Diriyah Biennale Arts Foundation...
Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and the Making of the World Market | Prof Adam Hanieh
In this episode of The afikra Podcast, host Mikey Muhanna speaks with Professor Adam Hanieh, author of "Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and th...
Exploring the Future of Art | Haytham Nawar on Diriyah Art Futures
In this episode of The afikra Podcast, host Mikey Muhanna talks to the director of Diriyah Art Futures, the MENA region’s first hub dedicated to New M...
Curating Art Shows at Jaou Tunis & Navigating Artistic & Cultural Politics | Taous Dahmani
In this episode of The afikra Podcast, host Mikey Muhanna chats with Dr Taous Dahmani, a London-based art historian, writer, and curator. She discusse...
Nadia Maftouni on the Legacy of Ibn al-Haytham in Camera Obscura | With Fujifilm & Gulf Photo Plus
The afikra podcast is back with a new season hosted by Mikey Muhanna. We kick off with an episode in partnership with Fujifilm and Gulf Photo Plus wit...
Dr Sohaira Siddiqui | Al-Mujadilah: Center & Mosque for Women
In this episode of the afikra podcast produced in collaboration with Qatar Foundation, we discover the impactful contributions and current challenges...
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 childhoo...