The afikra Podcast

In this conversation, we talked to Fida Adely about her research on education, labor, development, and gender in the Arab world. Her primary research site has been Jordan, although she teaches and writes about the Arab world more broadly. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Convers...

In this Movie Night event, we talked to Viola Shafik about her career in the filmmaking industry. Shafik talked about film theory in Arab cinema. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Movie Night:  Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in...

In this conversation, we talked to Peter Adamson about his career in the field of ancient and medieval philosophy. His two monographs deal with the Arabic version of Plotinus, the so-called "Theology of Aristotle," and with al-Kindi (d. after 870 AD). Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the a...

In this conversation, we talked to Issam Kourbaj about his career in fine arts and design .  Issam’s work has related to the Syrian Crisis and reflects on the destruction of his cultural heritage. Created by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Hosted by Mysa Kafil-Hussain Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form...

In this Quartertones event, we listened to Adnan Joubran as he performed three musical pieces followed by a discussion. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen to music, across genres, from musicians of and from the Arab w...

In this conversation, we talked to Naomi Shihab Nye about her career in prose and poetry writing .  Nye is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her work, including the Ivan Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Book Critics Circle, the Lavan Award, the Paterson Poetry Prize, the Carity Randall Prize, the Isabella Gardner Poetry Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry aw...

In this Matbakh event, we talked to Charles Perry about his career as a translator of several medieval cookbooks from Arabic to English and published widely on the history of food. In 2005 Perry translated from Arabic A Baghdad Cookery Book, also known as Al-Baghdadi’s Kitab al-Tabikh, the only medieval Arabic cookbook known to the English-speaking world. Created by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Hosted...

In this conversation in collaboration with Liwan Design Studios & Labs at Qatar Museums, we talked to JILID founder Isa Aljalahma, Creative Dialogue creative director Samer Yamani & Studio 7 Concept Store creative director Asma Derouiche about designing, experimentation & reviving craft. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.in...

In this conversation, we talked to Roger Allen about  his career in translating the works of renowned Arab authors such as Naguib Mahfouz. Allen translated Mahfouz’s  God’s World , that being the collection mentioned in the published citation of the Nobel Literature Prize Committee in 1988. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www...

In this event, we talked to Yara Khoury Nammour and Lara Captan about the future of the Arab script.  Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures: Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures is an inclusive and multi-faceted view of the future, one that not only speculates o...

In this Quartertones event, we listened to Firas Zreik as he performed three musical pieces: Taksim, Zawraq & Refractions. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen to music, across genres, from musicians of and from the Ara...

In this conversation, we talked to Zeina Maasri about her investigation focused on post-1945 anti-colonial struggles, transnational anti-imperialist solidarities and violent conflicts, as complicated by a global Cold War order. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our...

In this Book Club, we talked to Safia Elhillo about her book "Home is not a country."  The novel is about family, identity, and finding yourself in the most unexpected places. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Book Club: Book Club is an interview series that calls for afikra community membe...

In this conversation in collaboration with Liwan Design Studios & Labs at Qatar Museums, we talked to the director of TypeAraby Basma Hamdy, graphic designer Zainab Alshibani & curator in residence at the Fire Station Gallery, Qatar Museums Hadeel Eltayeb about archiving techniques and processes. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Festival Co-Founder and Musical Director Yacine Boulares, Festival Co-Founder Meera Dugal, clarinet player Kinan Azmeh, and Joe's Pub Director Alex Knowlton about the ethos of the festival and opening night performance featuring AJOYO. Learn more at www.habibi-festival.com . Created & Hosted by Mikey M...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to North African dancer and educator Esraa Warda. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen to music, across genres, from musician...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to musicians of the Moroccan band Innov Gnawa. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen to music, across genres, from musicians o...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Sudanese musician Alsarah from Alsarah & The Nubatones and violinist Haig Papazian. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Quartertones: QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen t...

In this Conversation, we talked to Ruba Katrib about her work at MoMA PS1 in New York. Ruba was co-founder of the residency and exhibition space Threewalls in Chicago and was awarded a curatorial fellowship from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to support research on artist-run educational platforms throughout Latin America. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramz...

In this conversation in collaboration with Liwan Design Studios & Labs at Qatar Museums, we talked to the director of Liwan Design Studios & Labs Aisha Al Sowaidi about how Liwan was established, its plans and projects, and its future. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversati...

In this event, we talked to Haytham Nawar and Danah Abdulla about the future of education. Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures is an inclusive and multi-faceted view of the future, one that not only speculates on technological advancements—but on future threats and changes whether environmental, geographical, cultural, or social. Now more than ever, we must ask pertinent questions, raise critical d...

In this Matbakh event, we talked to Sami Tamimi about his career as a Palestinian cook in London. Sami had won several awards such as International Award and the Best Cookbook, James Beard Award, Cookery Book Award, and Dun Gifford Award for ‘Jerusalem.’ Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About Ma...

HUMANISING CITIES |  Featuring: Vilma Jurkute (Executive Director, Alserkal), Charles Landry (author and international authority on urban change),  Rupali Gupte & Prasad Shetty (co-founders Bard Studio, founding members School of Environment and  Architecture), and  Hamed Bukhamseen (Co-founder, Civil Architecture). PART OF  CULTURES IN CONVERSATION: PRELUDES & POSTSCRIPTS. The brand new series wi...

In this event, we talked to co-founders of DesignEarth Rania Ghosn & El Hadi Jazairy and the co-founders of Foundland Collective Ghalia Srakbi & Lauren Alexander about the future of design. Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures is an inclusive and multi-faceted view of the future, one that not only speculates on technological advancements—but on future threats and changes whether environmental, geogr...

In this episode, Eddy Maroun discussed the role of the Anghami in promoting music of the Islamic world and his work and perspective given his role at Anghami, as part of Al Burda Podcast series, powered by afikra. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music: The Loyalty of the Poet by Faraj Abyad | Performance was commissioned by MetLiveArts &  The Metropolitan...