Kalam

In a stunning turn of events, American voters sent MAGA Republicans packing and elected an historic number of Democratic candidates on all political levels and spectrums. While their policies differ, one thing seems to unite this new wave of Democratic politicians: A rejection of the Israeli lobby, AIPAC, and a harsh criticism of Israel itself. From Democratic Socialists in New York to Christian p...

From the abortive attempt Damascus Spring to the deadliest civil war the Middle East has seen it was plagued by rampant corruption, a weakening of the party state and and the disintegration of the social contract underlying its rule. Could the regimes collapse have been avoided, and is there any prospect for a return to relevance of the Syrian Ba’th Party today? This is a trailer, to listen to the...

This episode was recorded at the 2026 Göteborg Book Fair. Edgar speaks to authors Ece Temelkuran and Aris Fioretos about finding a home in estrangement. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Swisha stöd: 1232779700 eller via swishlänken: https://app.swish.nu/1/p/sw/?sw=1232...

Dritëro Kasapi är teaterchef och konstnärlig ledare på Riksteatern. Han är den tredje gästen i Kalam Podcasts valserie. För att stötta vårt arbete: https://www.patreon.com/KalamPodcast Swisha stöd: 1232779700 eller via swishlänken: https://app.swish.nu/1/p/sw/?sw=1232779700&amt=50.00&cur=SEK&msg=&edit=amt,msg&src=qr För uppdateringar om vårt arbete: https://www.instagram.com/ka...

Islamofobin ökar i Sverige. Högt uppsatta politiker säger åt Sveriges muslimer att sluta vara muslimer. Hur hamnade vi här? Kawtar Chibli är psykoterapeut och driver den inflytelserika Instagramsidan @hijabisinsideout . För att stötta vårt arbete: https://www.patreon.com/KalamPodcast Swisha stöd: 1232779700 eller via swishlänken: https://app.swish.nu/1/p/sw/?sw=1232779700&amt=50.00&cur=SEK...

Sverige går till val den 13 september. Därför gör vi på Kalam Podcast en valspecial. Edgar intervjuar personer som inspirerar honom om hur Sverige mår år 2026. För att stötta vårt arbete: https://www.patreon.com/KalamPodcast För uppdateringar om vårt arbete: https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Syrian Revolution quickly descended into the Syrian War. It collapsed many parts of the country and caused 6 million people to flee the country. Syrian photographer and writer, Loubna Mrie, recently published her memoirs entitled "Defiance". In them, she tells the story of her upbringing within an Alawite family, fiercely loyal to the Assad regime. Her father was, in fact, one of the regime's...

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'th Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. The party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al-Assad it was an odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism which grew to be a defining political force in the Arab World. In this third episode, Sam and Edgar discuss how the Syrian Ba’th came to be controlled by the Assad...

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'ath Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. It was the party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al Assad – dictators who betrayed the party's founding fathers. An odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism, the Ba'ath went from a relatively obscure group of schoolteachers to the defining political force in the A...

In a worrying development the Iran war seems to be expanding – in the past few days Saudi Arabia entered the conflict by conducting air strikes on Iraq and in an unprecedented event Egypt was hit by a drone strike. Sam and Edgar discuss Trump's shrinking options and speculate about his next move. In Gaza there may be reason to be hopeful as Hamas vows to disband if Israel withdraws its troops – we...

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'ath Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. It was the party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al Assad – dictators who betrayed the party's founding fathers. An odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism, the Ba'ath went from a relatively obscure group of schoolteachers to the defining political force in the A...

Sam and Edgar discuss the latest developments surrounding the Iran war, the upcoming Israeli elections, Hamas disbanding the Gaza government and, of course, the World Cup. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the political fascism in Israel, the daily abuses and ethnic cleansing on the West Bank, the genocide in Gaza and forever wars on Iran and Lebanon, there are those in Israel – both Jewish and Palestinian – who organise resistance. In fact, Standing Together recently launched a new Jewish-Arab political party. Standing Together describes itself as a force for equal rights, peace and justice...

Once again, Israel and Iran trade blows in the seemingly never ending war in the Middle East. As of now, however, tensions seem to have cooled slightly. Joining us to discuss the latest developments as well as some of the geopolitics of the USA, Israel and Iran is Borzou Daragahi, award-winning international journalist. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patre...

In a region defined by reactionary dictatorships and their Western allies as well as Islamist political movements, the left in the Middle East seem to be stuck in an impasse, with few good political options open. But might there still be meaningful way in which to be an Arab Marxist today? Samuel discusses these and other related topics, as well as the unfolding situation in Lebanon, Palestine and...

The settler violence on the West Bank is increasingly resembling fascist terror. Violent thugs roam the Palestinian countryside, beating, robbing, burning and killing Palestinians. If this continues, Palestinians will be squeezed into six urban areas and 82% of the land will belong to Israel. Soon, there won't be a Palestine to save. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at htt...

A ceasefire has taken effect for at least two weeks, between the US, Israel and Iran. Lebanon is, according to Israel, not included. Negotiations will now commence on a permanent end to the war. Sam and Edgar discuss the latest. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted...

Molly Crabapple is an artist and author from New York. She’s the author of the forthcoming book "Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund".  The Bund was a secular, progressive Jewish labour movement that existed in the first half of the 20th century in eastern and central Europe. The Bund, simply meaning organisation in Yiddish, was exactly the opposite of Zionism. The...

Today's episode is a kind of theoretical journey through concepts like Homonationalism, Muscular Judaism and Power Gays. Our illustrious guest, Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund has spotted a similarity between the gays who were embraced by mainstream society in the early 2000's and the hardline Zionist conception of the strong and powerful Jew. Both archetypes exist as a kind of counterweight to less desi...

Sam and Edgar give you an update on the latest developments in the Iran War. The killing of Ali Larijani – amazingly a scholar of Immanuel Kant – could blow up in Israel's face as a more hardline figure may replace him. We also detail how Syria and Iraq are faring in the midst of this war. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Follow us o...

"El Sett" is the new Egyptian biopic about the great Arab diva, Umm Kulthum. After an exclusive screening of the film in Stockholm, Edgar invited Egyptian curator, Mariam Elnozahy, and Egyptian multidisciplinary artist, Amr Hamid, for a conversation about the film, reactions to it in Egypt and about the icon Umm Kulthum herself. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://...

The US' lack of exit strategy from Iran becomes apparent as oil prices soar and Trump vacillates between talking about an "excursion" which will be "wrapped up very soon" and threatening to make it impossible "to recover that section of the world". To solve the problem of oil the US would have to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, but will that be possible without boots on the ground? Trump see...

Rami Khouri is a Palestinian-American author and analyst and a Distinguished Public Fellow at the American University of Beirut.  In today's episode, Edgar speaks with Rami about the US-Israeli war on Iran, why they're waging it and what it could mean for the region at large. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Follow us on Instagr...

Once again the unprecedented has occurred as the US and Israel strike Iran, sparking the closest we've come to an all-out regional war since October 7. The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, has been killed in an airstrike. Iran is retaliating with unprecedented force, against Israel and various Gulf Arab countries. More than 500 Iranians have been killed, a dozen or so Israelis and less than t...

We are joined today by award-winning Iranian author Sahar Delijani. Sahar was born in the notorious Evin prison. A prison in Iran which has become synonymous with political oppression. Her debut novel, Children of the Jacaranda Tree, is partially inspired by her own family history, and recounts one of the bloodiest and most repressive phases of Iranian history: the mass executions in 1988.  T...