The afikra Podcast

George Saliba talked about his research in Islamic science. He discussed the works of Muslim astronomers and scholars and how they shape modern-day science. George Saliba is a Professor of Arabic and Islamic Science. He is currently the Founding Director of Farouk Jabre Center for Arabic & Islamic Science and Philosophy, and holder of the Khwarizmi Chair in Arabic and Islamic Science at the Depart...

Amr Salama talked about his movie "Asmaa" that tells the story of a woman who suffers from AIDS decides not to surrender to the fatal disease. Amr Salama is an International Award Winning Film Director, Writer and Producer. Directed  Feature Films , Hit TV and Platform Shows, TV commercials, Music Videos and Feature Documentaries. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman...

Lena Merhej talked about her work as an illustrator at Samandal and WatWat. Merhej discussed how her comics publishes provides an alternative expression of cultural and social issues for youths and adults. Lena Merhej is a visual storyteller and an expert in graphic narration. She taught at several universities in Beirut. She is the founder and director of the Story Center, which offers profession...

Karim Haidar talked about the future of Lebanese food in Europe through education and restaurant work. Haidar discusses traditional Lebanese food, devoid of fusion, and how he had developed the Academy of Arab Cuisine in Paris. Renowned chef Karim Haidar has founded the Academy of Arab Cuisine in Paris, a platform to promote Arab cuisine across the world. By offering a space for these cuisines on...

Josélia Neves is an expert at Qatar Foundation. She talked about the D'reesha Performing Arts Festival.  The inaugural edition brought thousands of people from across Qatar to a week-long event filled with talents in the fields of theatre, music, poetry, storytelling, education, research and much more. Dr. Josélia Neves is the Associate Dean for Social Engagement and Access and Professor at the Tr...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Bedouin Burger duo artists Lynn Adib and Zeid Hamdan. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwav...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to classical pianist Hatim Belyamani and rapper Mehdi WMD. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airw...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Kanun player and composer Firas Zreik.  ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and living...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to maqamat and awtaar vocalist Zahra Alzubaidi. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and li...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Mauritanian griot and singer Noura Mint Seymali and Mauritania/Senegal-based producer and musician Matthew Tinari.  ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take l...

Marcia Inhorn talked about her in-depth research on refugee health and healthcare rights for the most vulnerable. She also talked about her work on traditions regarding infertility, gender, and religion in Egypt. Professor Inhorn is the William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs and Chair of the Council on Middle East Studies (CMES) in the MacMillan Center for Intern...

Wafa Ghnaim talked about the process of establishing Tatreez and Tea and how embroidery plays an important role in the Palestinian society. Wafa Ghnaim is a Palestinian researcher, author and educator who began learning embroidery from her mother, award-winning artist Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim , when she was two years old. Her first book, “ Tatreez & Tea: Embroidery and Storytelling in the Palestinian...

Rashid Al Rahmani talked about his work as an animator and illustrator. Al Rahmani discussed the superhero projects that AC Comics AE are working on. Created and 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 long-form interview series features academics, arts, ‎and media experts who...

Ganzeer talked about his work as a muralist and street artist and how the Egyptian Revolution was a turning point in his career. Described as a “chameleon” by Carlo McCormick in the  New York Times , Ganzeer operates seamlessly between art, design, and storytelling, creating what he has coined:  Concept Pop.  His medium of choice according to  Artforum  is “a little bit of everything: stencils, mu...

Raghad Odeh talked about Arab animation and how it traveled from Japan to the Arab world, in a conversation in collaboration with Manarat Al Saadiyat. Raghad Odeh started storytelling with my Webtoon (Peasant Queen). She started getting freelance work as a children books illustrator. She was always fascinated with animation, especially Ghibli films. Odeh started Sadeem Studios which is currently d...

Joudie Kalla talked about her books "Palestine on a Plate" & "Baladi," how her work connects both food and politics, and her special chosen dish 'Fatteh.' Joudie Kalla is a Palestinian-British chef and food writer. She is the author of two prizewinning cookbooks,  Palestine on a Plate: Memories from My Mother’s Kitchen  (2016), and  Baladi: A Celebration of Food from Land and Sea  (2018), and has...

Naila Farouky talked about the work of the Arab Foundations Forum: non-profit membership-based association of actors in the philanthropy sector-based or working in the Arab region. She also talked about her career as a co-producer of Sesame Street which helped shape Arab childhoods. With over 20 years of experience in project management, media production, and strategic communication, Naila Farouky...

Dalia Khamissy talked to Mohamed Somji about her approach in photography and her numerous projects that portray ongoing events happening in Lebanon and her personal life. Dalia Khamissy is a Lebanese photographer based in Beirut, Lebanon. She received a diploma in photography from the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik in 1999. Her work since then has revolved around social and political stories in...

Christopher Silver talked about the history of music in North Africa, notably in Tunisia and Morocco. He outlined the contributions of famous Jewish and Muslim North African musicians to our current knowledge of modern-day music.  Christopher Silver is the Segal Family Assistant Professor in Jewish History and Culture at McGill University. He is the founder and curator of the website Gharamophone....

Lina AbiRafeh, PhD is a global women’s rights expert and gender equality advocate with decades of experience worldwide. Lina worked for over 20 years in development and humanitarian contexts in Afghanistan, Haiti, Central African Republic, Papua New Guinea, and others. Her experience spans global organizations such as the World Bank and various United Nations agencies. Lina advises several organiz...

Omar Naim spoke to us about his new film, "Route 10," which tells the story of two siblings who must make a journey through the desert in order to attend their father's wedding but underestimate the many hazards of the desert road, which includes an angry stranger whose terrifying pursuit has the brother and sister driving for their lives. Omar Naim is a Lebanese-born director, writer, and documen...

Kim Ghattas talked to us about her newest podcast, People Like Us, which tackles issues that matter in the Arab world but resonate with a global audience, as well as other materials she has authored such as her book, Black Wave. Kim Ghattas started her journalism career in 1998 as an intern in Beirut at the local English-language newspaper The Daily Star. Within a couple of years, she was reportin...

Kevin Jones talked about poetry in the Middle East and his book, The Dangers of Poetry, which is the first book to narrate the social history of poetry in the region through their function as social acts that critically shaped the cultural politics of revolutionary Iraq. Kevin Jones is Associate Professor of History at the University of Georgia. He earned his PhD in History from the University of ...

في هذه الحلقة من رؤوس أقلام٬ تحدثت دينا محمد عن سلسلة كتبها المصورة شبيك لبيك التي نالت على جوائز عدة في فئة الروايات المصورة. دينا محمد، رسامة ومصممة مصرية. بدأت في مجال الكوميكس في سن الـ١٨ لما نشرت سلسلة الكوميكس الرقمية “قاهرة” اللي كانت تتناول القضايا الإجتماعية من منظور سوبرهيرو مصرية محجبة. ظهرت هذه السلسلة المصورة على عديد من المواقع الإعلامية مثل البي بي سي وفورين بوليسي ونالت جائزة في مه...

Sami Zubaida talked about culinary cultures of the Middle East, drinks and social boundaries, and the history of his chosen single dish: Koshari. Sami Zubaida is Emeritus Professor of Politics and Sociology at Birkbeck, University of London and has held visiting positions in Cairo, Istanbul, Beirut, Aix-en-Provence, Berkeley CA, Paris and New York. His research interests include Middle East Politi...