The Enlightenment Podcast

In Episode 31 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Ronnie Barkan — a Jewish Israeli dissident, human rights activist, and outspoken anti-Zionist. Ronnie is the co-founder of Boycott from Within , a group of Israeli and Palestinian citizens (from 1948 territories) who support the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. His activism is rooted in a principl...

In Episode 30 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Dr. As’ad Abu Khalil , a political scientist, author, and prominent commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. Dr. As’ad Abu Khalil, is best known for his critical perspective on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and his outspoken critiques of Zionism. He gained a wide following through his long-running blog, the Angry Ara...

In Episode 29 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Dr. Sara Husseini , a political strategist and advocate for Palestinian representation. Dr. Husseini is the Director of the British Palestinian Committee , an independent, diaspora-led organization dedicated to political and strategic advocacy in the UK. She also serves on the boards of the Britain-Palestine Centre and the...

In Episode 28 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Sawsan Asfari , a Palestinian-Lebanese film producer, philanthropist, and human rights advocate. Sawsan holds a degree in Political Science and Journalism and has dedicated her career to supporting Palestinian communities through education, cultural initiatives, and storytelling. She is the Executive Director of the Galilee...

In Episode 27 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Farah Nabulsi , an Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker and human rights advocate. After a successful career in finance, Farah pivoted to filmmaking following her first visit to Palestine in 2013. Since then, she has dedicated her work to highlighting the Palestinian experience through cinema. She has written,...

In Episode 26 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan sit down with Dr. Ghada Karm i, a Palestinian-born academic, physician, prolific author, and activist. Dr. Karmi has held numerous prestigious positions, including Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London and Research Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter . She has al...

In Episode 25 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan engage in a compelling conversation with Dr. Lena El-Malak , a Palestinian technology and data privacy attorney with profound expertise in public international law and refugee law. Dr. El-Malak earned her doctoral degree in public international law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. She is the...

In Episode 24 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Raja Shehadeh , a distinguished Palestinian lawyer, human rights activist, and prolific, award-winning writer. In 1979, he co-founded Al-Haq, a pioneering Palestinian human rights organization that continues to do remarkable work in the field.  Shehadeh's literary contributions have garnered significant acclaim. His boo...

In Episode 23 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan sit down with Miko Peled , an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem. He is renowned for his influential books, including The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine and Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five . Miko is the founder and president of the Palestine House of Freedom (Dar Alhurriya) ,...

In Episode 22 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan sit down with Ahmed Eldin , an Emmy-nominated journalist, producer, actor, and activist of Palestinian descent. Ahmed has built an impressive media career, including roles with The Huffington Post , VICE , and AJ+ . His work includes the Emmy-nominated project Defining Middle Ground: The Next Generation of Muslim New Yorkers , and he ha...

In Episode 21 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan welcome their first Israeli guest, Professor Avi Shlaim , an Israeli-British historian of Iraqi Jewish descent. As an Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford, Professor Shlaim is renowned for his critical perspectives on the history of Zionism and Israel, being a prominent figure among Israel's "New His...

In Episode 20 of The Enlightenment Podcast , Shamim and Hanan sit down with Atef Alshaer , a Professor in Arabic and Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster. With a career dedicated to exploring the intersections of literature, culture, and politics, Atef brings profound insights into Palestinian identity and resistance through poetry and storytelling. With a BA in English Language and L...

In Episode 19 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Amal Ghandour, a Lebanese-Jordanian author and blogger behind This Arab Life. With over three decades of experience in research and community development, Amal offers deep reflections on Arab identity, generational silence, and storytelling. She is the author of two books: About This Man Called Ali and her latest, This Arab...

We were privileged to sit down with Omar Dajani, Carol Olson Professor of International Law at McGeorge School of Law and a key figure in the Middle East peace process.  With roots in Jaffa, Syria, and France, Omar brings a rich cultural perspective to his work. A Yale graduate, he served as legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team during pivotal peace talks, including the Camp David Summ...

We were honored to interview Palestinian artist Sandra Watfa, whose work powerfully highlights themes of displacement, resilience, and Palestinian rights. Born in Lebanon to a family displaced during the Nakba, Sandra’s art captures the grief and strength of the Palestinian experience. Her evocative collection Nakba: Palestinians' Ongoing Dispossession combines art and poetry to tell these endurin...

🎄 Happy Holidays from Bethlehem! 🎄 We were thrilled to interview Palestinian chef and restaurateur Fadi Kattan , (Hanan's cousin), joining us from the heart of Bethlehem during this festive season. Fadi is the chef-owner of Fawda in Bethlehem and co-owner of Akub in London, known for their modern takes on Palestinian cuisine. His cookbook Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food showcases th...

On our latest podcast episode, we were delighted to interview Susan Abulhawa. Susan is a Palestinian-American human rights activist, founder of the NGO Playgrounds for Palestine, a biomedical scientist, a poet, and an award-winning author of three incredible novels. Her debut novel, Mornings in Jenin , sold over a million copies, was translated into 32 languages and established Susan as the most w...

Munir is Head of Production & Acquisitions at Watermelon Pictures, which promotes movies that reflect the perspectives and experiences of Palestinians as well as other marginalised groups around the world. Munir has a rich background as a Palestinian and within the entertainment industry - join us for a wide-ranging discussion about films, representation and much more...https://www.watermelonp...

Samia Halaby is considered a trailblazer in contemporary abstract art internationally. Displaced from Palestine in 1948 with her family when she was eleven, Halaby was educated in the U.S. Halaby is collected by many museums such as the Guggenheim Museum; Institut du Monde Arabe; and Birzeit University (Ramallah). Her works are part of the current Tate Modern exhibition 'Electric Dreams'. We hope...

In Episode 12 of the Enlightenment Podcast, we delve into the concept of justice in the context of Palestine and the international world order. 🌍 We explore whether international law has been applied fairly and discuss these complex issues from a humanist perspective. Please note, we are not legal experts, but rather engage in a thoughtful conversation based on research and our own opinions, aimi...

We discuss the recent arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli leaders, and also debunk the idea that Palestine was an empty land with no people before Zionists took over with a look back at culture, arts and commerce in Palestine in the early 20th century.

As Gaza undergoes ethnic cleansing, we look back at a history around the mass persecutions of Palestinians that have been well-documented but often overlooked or buried.

Today our guest is Dr Victor Kattan - Assistant Professor in Public International Law at the University of Nottingham School of Law. Dr Kattan’s scholarship has been cited by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), by states and by international organisations in advisory proceedings before the ICJ, Special Rapporteurs to...

Not many people realise Gaza has been under severe blockade for 18 years. We take a look at the recent history of Gaza and how it relates to what's happening there today.

Is there apartheid in Israel and how is it implemented? A look at the current state of play for Palestinians living within Israel and in the occupied territories. With Shamim Sarif and Hanan Katan of The Enlightenment Podcast.