The afikra Podcast

We visit Basel Dalloul at the Dalloul Artist Collective to discuss the genesis of the Dalloul Art Foundation and the mission of the new artist collective. A technologist and lawyer by training, Basel shares his family’s journey into collecting art and the vision his father had for a Pan-Arab art collection in Beirut. They discuss how Arabism failed politically, but that culturally, the art from th...

Curator of "Niyū Yūrk: Middle Eastern and North African Lives in the City", Hiba Abid, joins us to talk about the exhibition, housed at the New York Public Library's iconic 42nd Street building, which challenges dominant narratives by presenting New York as a city deeply intertwined with Middle Eastern and North African history and culture. Abid delves into the diverse stories of immigration, the...

We visited renowned architect Bernard Khoury in his studio in Karantina, who offered a critical, unvarnished look at the reality of practicing architecture in Lebanon, contrasting it with the sugarcoated story of the "Phoenix coming out of its ashes". He discusses his career beginnings, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and how his first project—the infamous B018 nightclub—was a radically specific a...

We delve into the evolving landscape of filmmaking in the region, the importance of authentic, locally rooted narratives, and the critical role of institutions like the Doha Film Institute in fostering emerging talent. Award-winning filmmaker and associate professor at Northwestern Qatar, Rana Kazkaz, offers a glimpse into her current project "The Hakawati's Daughter," and provides recommendations...

"The Future Is Not a Grave" is a three-day workshop happening next week at NYUAD which explores futurisms and futurescapes across the MENA, Gulf, and Indian Ocean regions. In this collaborative episode with NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, conveners Tishani Doshi and Masha Kirasirova delve into challenging despair, fostering collective imagination, and integrating diverse perspectives from artists, schola...

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 district — a work titled "Us, her, him". She joins us to talk about her creative process, the evolution of her work, and the profound impact of personal experiences on her art. Based between Beirut and Amsterdam, Najla's work explores the relationship betw...

We delve into the UAE National Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Biennale, titled "Pressure Cooker" with curator Azza Aboualam. An assistant professor at the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University Dubai and co-founder of Holesum Studio, Aboualam explains how architecture can be a cornerstone for achieving food security, particularly in challenging climates like UAE's and the broade...

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 renowned family behind Iwan Maktabi, Mohamed Maktabi delves into everything from the first carpet every discovered, the ancient origins of carpet weaving and the unique characteristics of tribal versus city carpets, to the esteemed legacy of Persian r...

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. Through his book "Dust That Never Settles: Literary Afterlives of the Iran-Iraq War," he explores in this conversation the official state-sanctioned narratives that emerged during and after the war, comparing them with the more nuanced, critical, and...

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 world. Historian Nancy Um delves into the fascinating history of coffee, from its origins in 15th-century Yemen to its global spread and the economic transformations it spurred. She explores the rich maritime trade routes of the Indian Ocean, highlighti...

Author of "Edward Said: The Politics of an Oppositional Intellectual," professor Nubar Hovsepian joins us to delve into the nuanced legacy of Edward Said, exploring common misunderstandings of his work, the reception of "Orientalism" within academia, and Said's vision of the "oppositional intellectual." The discussion also covers the evolving discourse around Zionism and Palestine, the challenges...

The author of "Sustainable Qatar: Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives" delves into the multifaceted meaning of sustainability, especially within the context of the Arabian Peninsula. Our guest unpacks the region's unique environmental challenges, including sea level rise, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss, and explores the innovative strategies being implemented to build a...

A captivating episode with Yemeni-Egyptian artist Yumna Al-Arashi who discusses her upbringing in Washington D.C., the impact of the 2017 executive order (often referred to as the "Muslim ban") on her family, and how her art explores themes of identity, feminism, sexuality, healing, and human rights, frequently challenging the misrepresentation of Muslim women in Western media. Al-Arashi delves in...

We challenge the conventional perceptions of home and identity in a diasporic context and delve into South Asian art. An art collector, entrepreneur, and the founder and chairperson of the Ishara Art Foundation, Smita Prabhakar shares personal anecdotes, including her move to Dubai 45 years ago and the evolution of her understanding of community and belonging. The discussion highlights the importa...

We delve into the need to fill the literary and intellectual gap in Moroccan scholarship, the impacts of notable contemporary Moroccan philosophers and thinkers, and how their ideas engage with local, regional, and global issues like modernity, democracy, and human rights. Dr Mohammed Hashas is an assistant professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and discusses his new book on contemporary...

We explore the Arab community's evolution in Montreal, the intent behind Maktaba Bookshop as a space for Arab representation and cultural exchange, and the concept of decolonizing care. The founder of Maktaba in Montreal, Iraqi artist and author Sundus Abdul Hadi shares her immigration story, creative endeavors, and the significance of her community-focused bookstore. Sundus also delves into her b...

We welcome back Prof Nasser Rabbat to discuss his latest book "Writing Egypt: Al-Maqrizi and His Historical Project," which focuses on the 14th-century historian labeled as Egypt's greatest historian. The director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT outlines the journey and reasons behind his lengthy process of writing the book, the life and works of Al-Maqrizi, his significanc...

A professor of anthropology at the American University of Sharjah and the author of "Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora" and "Teach for Arabia: American Universities, Liberalism, and Transnational Qatar," Neha Vora talks about her experience living in the United Arab Emirates, the influence of South Asian communities in Dubai, the concept of citizenship beyond legal definitions, and the...

Considered a key figure within Beirut's creative scene, comics author, visual artist and musician Mazen Kerbaj joins us on The afikra Podcast and discusses his upbringing in Beirut, his creative family background growing up around famous artist as parents, and the influence of the city's tumultuous history on his work. Kerbaj shares insights into his childhood during the Lebanese Civil War, his pa...

Nathaniel Mathews is associate professor in Africana Studies at Binghamton University and author of "Zanzibar Was a Country: Exile and Citizenship between East Africa and the Gulf." He tells us about his journey in studying Zanzibar, prompted by his early exposure to Swahili culture. He delves into the historical significance of Zanzibar, its cosmopolitan nature, the Omani influence in East Africa...

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 exhibition, which delves into the New Media Art scene in the Arab world. They explore the lack of recognition for Arab names in global media art history, discuss the significance of the word "archeology" in the exhibition's subtitle "Maknana: An Arch...

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 the Spectacular City, Making Home in Dubai." They delve into the misunderstood complexities of Dubai's social dynamics, exploring urban ethnography, the mislabeling of spaces as "fake" or "authentic" and the city's multifaceted social hierarchies. AlM...

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 and women in crisis-affected areas. Dr Magbool shares his journey into pediatric psychiatry – primarily influenced by early experiences in Sudan – and discusses the significant differences between child and adult psychiatry. The conversation explores...

Host Mikey Muhanna interviews emerging artists, Khaled Makshoush, Youssef El Idrissi and Aya Abu Ghazaleh, who share their experiences and artistic practices, covering their backgrounds, inspirations, and the challenges of being a young artist. Recorded live from Riyadh at Diriyah Art Futures, the episode delves into cultural exchanges, technological influences on modern art, and the evolving defi...

Professor Yasir Suleiman-Malley speaks about the complexities of Arabic tracing his personal journey with the language, from early struggles with grammar to a deep appreciation for its richness. We explore the historical and pedagogical challenges of teaching Arabic, especially given its sacred status connected to the Quranic text and the socio-cultural resistance to modernizing its grammatical te...