Alternative Frequencies | غيّر الموجة

Bassel Akar discusses with LCPS Researcher Christelle Barakat Lebanon's public education system in times of war and crisis, focusing on the need for reforms and ways of increasing inclusion and sustainability in the schools.  Bassel Akar is a Research Associate at the Center for African Studies, University of Porto, Portugal. From 2014 to 2021, he served as the Director of the Center for Appli...

In this podcast, Carlos Naffah speaks with LCPS researcher Rasha Akel about the dynamics between Syrian refugees and Lebanese returnees in Ghobeiry, a municipality in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Naffah discusses a study he conducted after the 2023 conflict which explores how these two communities—both impacted by displacement and economic hardship—navigate coexistence in a strained environment. Thr...

Walid Marrouch discusses with LCPS Senior Economic Researcher Lina Maddah the pressing issues of poverty and income inequality in Lebanon. Drawing from recent research and data, the conversation explores the impact of Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis, the role of governance and public policy, and the urgent reforms needed to protect vulnerable populations—especially young people. Walid Marouc...

Jasmin Lilian Diab speaks with LCPS researcher Christelle Barakat about the intersecting impacts of conflict, economic collapse, and political paralysis on emigration from Lebanon. The conversation examines the structural and immediate drivers of departure, the growth of irregular migration routes, and the policy challenges these trends present. Jasmin Lilian Diab is the Director of the Institute...

Marc Ayoub and Ahmad Diab discuss with LCPS researcher Rasha Akel the role of Lebanon’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country’s clean energy transition. Drawing on a year-long LCPS mixed-methods study conducted between October 2023 and July 2024, the conversation explores how MSMEs have adapted to overlapping crises—from economic collapse to energy shortages—by embracing rene...

Muez Ali discusses with Rasha Akel the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to renewable energy in Lebanon and Sudan amid economic and political turmoil. Muez Ali is a Research and Policy Lead at Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future at Qatar Foundation, an Honorary Research Fellow at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at UCL, London and an Adjunct Professor at Ge...

يتحدث زياد عبد الصمد بالتفصيل عن الفضاء المدني في لبنان، مراقبته، والخطوات القادمة مع مقدّمة "غيّر الموجة" كريستيل بركات.    يشغل السيد عبد الصمد منصب المدير التنفيذي لشبكة المنظمات العربية غير الحكومية للتنمية (ANND) التي تضم 30 منظمة غير حكومية و 9 شبكات وطنية من 10 دول عربية. يرتكز عملها على الحقوق الاجتماعية والاقتصادية. شارك السيد عبد الصمد بشكل كبير ولعدة سنوات في الجهود المحلية وا...

Hala Abdallah discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Christelle Barakat the realities of the Lebanese agricultural sector in light of the overlapping crises and offers recommendations for improvement. Hala Abdallah currently serves as the Director of Studies and Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon. She holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management from the University...

Industrial Entrepreneur and CEO of Polytextile Paul Abi Nasr discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Christelle Barakat the realities of the Lebanese manufacturing sector in light of the current overlapping crises and offers recommendations for the improvement of the sector as well as advice for youth wanting to become industrialists and entrepreneurs. Paul Abi Nasr is an industrial entreprene...

Three years into Lebanon's economic and financial meltdown, Founder and President of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies Patrick Mardini says that the economy has not hit bottom yet, and although the government has taken some preliminary steps to implement reforms, there are few signs of recovery on the horizon. بعد ثلاث سنوات على الانهيار الاقتصادي والمالي...

Economist Lina Maddah and education specialist Bassel Akar discuss with Christelle Barakat the state of the knowledge economy and education sector in Lebanon, pinpointing the key challenges and offering solutions to overcome them. Lina S. Maddah is an Economic Researcher at the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS) and a Lecturer in the Department of Economics at the Lebanese American Universi...

نيكولاس فوتيادس ، المستشار المالي ومؤسس Orion Financial Solutions ، يناقش مع لينا س. مداح تأثير الأزمات على رواد الأعمال بحكم الضرورة في المناطق الريفية ، من الناحية المالية. يتناول البودكاست تطوير وتكامل أدوات التمويل البديلة (التقليدية والرقمية) التي يمكن أن تدعم ريادة الأعمال الريفية خلال الأزمات ، وبعد ذلك ، على مستوى أكثر استراتيجية.  نيكولاس فوتيادس هو مصرفي استثماري ومستشار مالي يتمتع...

في هذه الحلقة، تتناول المهندسة المعمارية أسيل حنين التفكير التصميمي لرواد الأعمال المدفوعين بالضرورة كأداة فعالة للتخطيط الاستراتيجي. وهي تبدأ حوارا يهدف إلى تعزيز أهمية دمج ممارسات التفكير التصميمي من قبل رواد الأعمال المدفوعين بالضرورة وصانعي السياسات. خلال البودكاست، تشارك السيدة حنين معرفتها كرائدة أعمال مدفوعة بالضرورة وكخبيرة في التفكير التصميمي كأداة للسياسة. اسيل حنين مهندسة معمارية ورائدة...

LCPS Fellow Fadi Nicholas Nassar discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Ali Taha the alarming state of vulnerability and alienation of youth in Lebanon and unpacks some key concerns and priorities of a generation living through a critical period in Lebanon's history. Fadi Nicholas Nassar is a research fellow at the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS). His research focuses on internation...

داني ليشع الخوري ، مدير مشروع في منظمة الأغذية والزراعة للأمم المتحدة (الفاو) في لبنان، وهي وكالة متخصصة تابعة للأمم المتحدة تقود الجهود الدولية للقضاء على الجوع وتحسين التغذية والأمن الغذائي، يناقش مع لينا مداح السياسات المتعلقة بالتغلب على التحديات التي يواجهها رواد الأعمال في المناطق الريفية. تشمل القضايا التي تم تناولها التخطيط الاستراتيجي (خاصة التخطيط الزراعي) على المستوى المحلي، والأساليب ا...

يناقش روني الأسعد، أمين عام الجمعية اللبنانية من أجل ديمقراطية الانتخابات، مع علي طه، الانتخابات النيابية لعام 2022 وما قد يعترض اجراءها من تحديات. كما يتناول أهم الدروس المستخلصة من انتخابات العام 2018 مسلطاً الضوء على الضمانات الرئيسية لنزاهة العملية الانتخابية وحسن سيرها. روني الأسعد هو أمين عام الجمعية اللبنانية من أجل ديمقراطية الانتخابات. نسّق قضاء المتن الشمالي في مراقبة الانتخابات ومن بعده...

تناقش ماري لويز الحايك ، مديرة مشاريع ومنسّقة الشؤون الجندرية في منظّمة الأغذية والزراعة العالمية، مع لينا مدّاح، السياسات المتعلقة بإنشاء واستدامة تعاونيات وجمعيات فعالة في قطاع الأغذية الزراعية في المناطق الريفية في لبنان. كما وتتناول أهمية توفير أدوات قابلة للتطبيق لفهم القيود والفرص في التعاونيات الزراعية، وتلقي الضوء على تمكين المرأة ودورها من خلال التعاونيات في المناطق الريفية في لبنان. المه...

After working with the Lebanese government for many years, Ziad Hayek discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Bilal El-Amine the key problems posed by the existing system of governance, as well as some solutions that can improve the economy and the functioning of the state. A former investment banker, Ziad Alexandre Hayek was Secretary General of the Republic of Lebanon's High Council for Priv...

As the Lebanese government prepares to start formal negotiations with the IMF, Alternative Frequencies host Bilal El-Amine asks Oxfam Regional Director Sally Abi Khalil about the prospects and pitfalls of these critical talks. Is Lebanon prepared for these negotiations and what kinds of outcomes can we expect? Sally Abi Khalil is a humanitarian and development practitioner with 20 years of experie...

Tammam Nakkash discusses with Alternative Frequencies host Bilal El-Amine the state of transportation in Lebanon, proposing both immediate and long-term solutions, particularly in light of the lifting of fuel subsidies and the paralysis it has caused in the critical transportation sector. Tammam Nakkash is a founding partner of TEAM International, an engineering and management consulting firm. Dr....

How did Lebanese banks go from being the crown jewel of the economy to become what is being referred to as "zombie banks"? Can the sector recover on its own or does it need a complete overhaul? And, most importantly, what is the fate of the billions of dollars in deposits? Join Jean Riachi, the founder and CEO of FFA Private Bank, as he explains to Alternative Frequencies host Bilal El-Amine how t...

What are the reasons that lead so many Lebanese to emigrate? Does Lebanon benefit from the emigration of its citizens? What are the levels of emigration today, given the severe economic crisis the country is undergoing? Join Jasmin Lilian Diab as she discusses the pros and cons of Lebanese emigration. ما هي الأسباب التي دفعت الكثير من اللبنانيين إلى الهجرة؟ هل يستفيد لبنان من هجرة مواطنيه؟ ما...

Dr. Patrick Mardini, the founder and president of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies, explains to Bilal El-Amine Lebanon's multilayered economic and financial crisis, focusing on the decline of the national currency and the role of the Lebanese Central Bank before and after the 2019 collapse, as well as possible ways out. يشرح مؤسس ورئيس المعهد اللبناني لدراسات السوق د. باتريك مارديني لبلال...

In this episode of Alternative Frequencies, Bilal El-Amine discusses with Dr. Mounir Mahmalat how Lebanon’s political elites interfere in the procurement of infrastructure projects administered by the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR). Mounir draws on a detailed study he conducted with Dr. Sami Atallah and Wassim Maktabi titled, “ Public Infrastructure Procurement in Post-Conflict P...

On this week's episode, Sami Zoughaib sits with Dr. Mounir Mahmalat, Senior Researcher at LCPS, to discuss the issue of rotation of ministerial portfolios between political parties. The episode dwells on recent research conducted by Sami and Mounir on this issue, looking at the effect of previous cases of rotation in past governments and their effect on legislative production. في حلقة هذا الأسبوع،...