The afikra Podcast

Algeria's pivotal role as a historic center for revolutionary and independence movements is frequently overlooked, leaving a gap in public understanding of its complex history. Architectural historian Samia Henni...

A unique personal journey spanning from a third-generation textile merchant family in Japan to a thriving design studio in Beirut serves as the foundation for iconic designer Nada Debs’ universal message of...

The modern experience of China is often viewed through a western lens, but its complex history and relationship with the Arab world reveal a much deeper story. Dr. Mohammed Alsudairi challenges the dominant narrative of...

Global water systems are facing an unprecedented challenge as climate change, resource depletion, and globalization place staggering pressure on our natural resources. Dr. Raha Hakimdavar, Senior Advisor to the Deans of...

Global challenges require useful intelligence rather than singular futures driven by tech hype. Executive Director Hala Hanna joins the podcast to share how MIT Solve acts as a marketplace for social impact, connecting...

The pervasive exhaustion resulting from witnessing modern global atrocities often creates a paralyzing "hopeRot," yet the cultivation of an radical "HopeCore" remains an essential engine for systemic transformation...

The scientific achievements of the medieval Islamic world provided the forgotten foundations for much of the modern world's mathematics and physics. Dr. Huseyin Sen, historical map specialist at The Heritage Library...

Language serves as the vital intersection of cultural identity and technological innovation, yet the rapid rise of AI reveals a significant representation gap for the nearly many million ways the Arab world...

Imperialism was a masterclass in maintaining the fiction of autonomy while quietly acquiring the assets of an empire. Professor James Onley, chair of Gulf and Arab Studies at the American University of Sharjah, dissects...

Theatrical stages often mirror the intricate evolution of the societies that build them. Professor Carmen Gitre explores the burgeoning performance culture of Cairo between 1867 and 1930. This era witnessed a shift from...

For centuries, the Arab and Muslim worlds led humanity in scientific discovery, establishing a culture where faith served as an inspiration rather than an obstacle to empirical research. The conversation with...

<p>Modern sports did not just change how people played; they fundamentally rewired how they lived, looked, and identified within a rapidly transforming world. The conversation with Murat Yildiz, an assosciate professor...

<p>Egyptian print media has historically functioned as a cultural barometer, shifting from the early official bulletins of the 20th century into a relentless and aggressive form of capitalism on steroids. Professor...

<p>Palestinian architect and artist Dima Srouji explores the systematic displacement of Palestinian material culture and the liberation lab working to bring it home. For over a century, archaeology in Palestine has been...

<p>Rare artifacts within the vast archives of the Library of Congress (LOC) represent a shift in how our region's history is fundamentally understood. Moving beyond traditional nationalist timelines, Arab World...