A Life Lived in Conflict (ALLIC) Podcast

In this episode, we hear from Arwa Alzraiy, an UNRWA teacher from Gaza and PhD scholar at Durham University, who travelled to Gaza for her fieldwork but had to interrupt it when the 2023 war began and she returned to her UNRWA duties. Still trapped in Gaza, she is now slowly returning to her research. Arwa is researching peace while living through war. Her story raises urgent questions about the r...

This episode delves into the fierce determination of learners in Gaza amid the gravest times. What drove them to keep learning when everything around them was collapsing? Were there singular forces of motivation, or many, and which proved strongest in such a harsh reality? How can motivation survive, or even rise, under conditions this extreme? We explore what these insights mean for policymakers,...

Foreign aid to higher education in conflict zones often bypasses local priorities, even when universities are crucial for rebuilding and recovery after violent conflict. New research reveals the limitations of aid where it is most needed, showing that much of it is directed toward scholarships rather than strengthening local institutions. This episode explores the latest findings on this issue, hi...

In Gaza, people with hearing loss are experiencing a crisis within a crisis. Already navigating a world that demands extra resilience, they now face bombardment, displacement, and the destruction of the institutions that once supported them. Blast injuries and trauma are creating new cases every day, leaving more people isolated in silence. This episode shines a light on their daily struggles — an...

In this episode, we explore the situation for women in Afghanistan under the Taliban, comparing the present to their previous rule. We discuss the severe restrictions imposed on women, the reasons behind these measures, and how women are responding to these challenges. The role of men in supporting or resisting these changes is also examined. Additionally, we consider the impact of the U.S. invasi...

Coding Hope: Digital Economy in the OPT for Post-War Revival Digital economy initiatives such as Gaza Sky Geeks, works to offer a dignified life for thousands of well-educated Palestinian youth, who cannot find employment in the OPT, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip. At this difficult time, as well as empowering these young people to gain some income, relevant training, work experiences and...

Israel's ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since 7th October 2023 has caused devastating consequences to Gaza's universities including their students. I speak to one of the Gaza students, who was studying for her second year of the undergraduate degree at the medical school of the Islamic University of Gaza, with high interest and expectations, and yet her study was violently interrupted by the war. S...

Welcome to A Life Lived in Conflict (ALLIC) Podcast, where we delve deep into the realities of conflict through the eyes of those who live it, study it, and work to change it. Our guests are students, researchers, academics, practitioners, and policy makers -individuals with insight and experience from different disciplines and backgrounds. Our mission is to give voice, raise awareness, foster und...

Covid-19 pandemic has increased the vulnerability of people who live in conflict affected settings including the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This episode explores the situation of mental health in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the support available for people, the healing mechanisms that they use,  and the gaps in knowledge and protection. (Mona talks to Yasser Abu Jamei and Hanna Ki...

"One politician asked me: Is there a culture in Gaza at all? I was surprised and said: Yes of course, there is art and culture wherever people are!" (Guest 2). This episode explores some of the initiatives, as well as the challenges for Art and Artists in the Gaza Strip, and whether Art can live under siege and occupation? (Mona talks to Mohamed Abusal and Mona Kriegler)

This episode explores the experience for the differently abled people in Gaza, taking a local, regional and international perspective to the context.(Mona talks to Dalal Al-Taji, Farida Larry, and Valerie Karr).