Rephonic
Artwork for Kalam
Israel
Gaza
Syria
Palestine
Iran
Hamas
Lebanon
Hezbollah
Protests
Middle East
Genocide
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Palestinian Authority
Egypt
United States
West Bank
Assad Regime
Human Rights
Palestinians
Anwar Sadat

Kalam is a podcast about the culture, history and politics of the Middle East. Hosted by seasoned radio journalist Edgar Mannheimer, Kalam aims to be a source of knowledge and understanding about a region of the world that is so often misunderstood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes146Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Kalam

Latest Episodes

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 w... more

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... more

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 ep... more

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 ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Café Bambino
Café BambinoAftonbladet Kultur
Bildningskomplexet
BildningskomplexetBenjamin Elfors
Kära dagbok
Kära dagbokDagens Nyheter

Recent Guests

Nadim Haidar
Longtime organizer in the Marxist tradition; commentator on Middle East geopolitics from a Marxist perspective
Arab Marxist (Instagram channel) and activist organizer
Episode: 67. Empire, Anti-Imperialism and Marxism in the Middle East of Today with Nadim Haidar
Zena Tahhan
Palestinian journalist based in occupied Jerusalem
Media outlet reporting on West Bank
Episode: 66. Settler Terror on West Bank Escalating with Zena Tahhan
Sam Carlson
Eminent guest discussed on the show
Episode: IRAN CEASEFIRE – Everyone Won and Nothing Changed: Kalam Digest 47
Molly Crabapple
artist and author
New York-based artist and author
Episode: 65. The Jewish Movement that Defied Zionism with Molly Crabapple
Fredrik Asplund
Apollo, recurring guest and commentator on Kalam
Episode: 64. Power Gays & Muscle Jews with Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund
Edgar Mannheimer
Journalist, writer and host of Kalam
Kalam podcast
Episode: 63. Umm Kulthum Forever: Kalam Live!
Amr Hamid
Multidisciplinary artist and founder of the Egyptian Cassette Archive
Egyptian Cassette Archive
Episode: 63. Umm Kulthum Forever: Kalam Live!
Rami Khouri
Palestinian-American author and analyst, distinguished public fellow at the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
Episode: 62. Trump and Bibi's Endgame in Iran with Rami Khouri
Sahar Delijani
Award-winning Iranian author of Children of the Jacaranda Tree
Author, Children of the Jacaranda Tree
Episode: 61. The US and Israel Will not Save Iran with Sahar Delijani

Host

Edgar Mannheimer
Journalist and host of Kalam Podcast; experienced radio presenter and commentator on Middle East culture and history.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 604 ratings
  • Confused

    Hi, I’m confused how you say you were under Israeli occupation in Gaza but never saw an Israeli soilder? I think you may not understand what occupation is, maybe before Israeli left Gaza in 2006 and hasn’t occupied it since then.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nia_fan11
    Australiaa year ago
  • About the Middle East. Very interesting and knowing,. With different aspects. Everybody should listen to it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Bjorn
    a year ago
  • Insightful and broad

    Lots of aspects of the crises in Palestine, the Middle East and now also in depth on Syria. Mainly contemporary issues, but sometimes also history. Politics and culture. Beautiful

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sanne Lundberg
    Swedena year ago
  • Great pod!

    Quick and insightful on the Middle East. High quality stuff here!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Henning T
    Swedena year ago
  • Excellent podcast.

    When I first came across this podcast I didn’t know Edgar Mannheimer’s work, but he’s a brilliant journalist.

    I think I’ve listened to literally every episode, and while I do have my favorites, every single episode has been worth my time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Teacher (uni and high school)
    Denmark2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A fresh, unique program offering in-depth discussions without pretension.
Delivers deeper understanding of Palestine and broader regional dynamics.
Consistently engaging guests and rigorous perspectives.
High-quality, bite-sized context on crises and history.
Thoughtful, context-rich analysis of Middle East politics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

67. Empire, Anti-Imperialism and Marxism in the Middle East of Today with Nadim Haidar
Q: Is there a meaningful anti-imperialist movement in the Arab world today, and what would that look like?
There is sentiment against imperial power structures, but no strong, unified anti-imperialist movement with durable mass organization and systemic challenges to accumulation; any serious anti-imperialist current would require a genuine alternative political economy and structural challenges to capital.
67. Empire, Anti-Imperialism and Marxism in the Middle East of Today with Nadim Haidar
Q: What is your assessment of the Iran-Israel-US strategic dynamic and who holds the advantage currently?
Iran has demonstrated significant resilience and the ability to exhaust missile defenses and establish control in Hormuz; The US-Israel bloc lacks a coherent, clear strategy going forward, and Iran is perceived as having the upper hand in many dimensions, at least temporarily.
67. Empire, Anti-Imperialism and Marxism in the Middle East of Today with Nadim Haidar
Q: How would you analyze the situation in Lebanon at the moment, especially regarding Israel and Hezbollah?
Lebanon is dealing with a developing social catastrophe, ongoing Israeli pressure, and a strategy that aims to erode Hezbollah's social base while attempting to fracture Lebanon's sectarian balance; Hezbollah remains hegemonic for now but faces internal and external pressures that could alter the political landscape in the long term.
66. Settler Terror on West Bank Escalating with Zena Tahhan
Q: What is the Palestinian Authority's role and how does withholding tax revenue affect the situation?
The PA is financially crippled by regular tax-withholding by Israel, dependent on donor funds; this stress exacerbates debt, public service struggles, and creates a governance vacuum that compounds daily violence.
66. Settler Terror on West Bank Escalating with Zena Tahhan
Q: Could you for our audience try to just explain what that is, what happened and how should we classify it?
Tahhan describes a killing near El Mughayyar where a settler opened fire at a school, killing a 14-year-old and a teacher, illustrating a pattern of attacks targeting villages and schools as part of a broader system of displacement and intimidation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Kalam

What is Kalam about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Kalam presents in-depth conversations on the culture, history, and politics of the Middle East, often weaving archival context with on-the-ground reporting and sharp geopolitical analysis. Episodes frequently feature analyses of regional power dynamics, imperialism, and social movements, alongside cultural topics like film, literature, and music history. Notable strengths include a dialectical, multi-perspective approach, a willingness to challenge dominant narratives, and frequent guest voices that span scholars, journalists, authors, and activists. Listeners are likely looking for thoughtful, reference-rich discussions that connect local experiences to broader regional and global trends; the show often caters to audiences seeking nuanced ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Kalam?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Kalam. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Kalam and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Kalam get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Kalam, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Kalam?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Kalam, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Kalam have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Kalam has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Kalam?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Kalam:

1. Café Bambino
2. En varg söker sin pod (gratisfeeden)
3. Stormens utveckling (gratisfeeden)
4. Bildningskomplexet
5. Kära dagbok

How many episodes of Kalam are there?

Kalam launched 2 years ago and published 146 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Kalam?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Kalam?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Kalam from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Kalam?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Kalam. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Kalam?

Recent guests on Kalam include:

1. Nadim Haidar
2. Zena Tahhan
3. Sam Carlson
4. Molly Crabapple
5. Fredrik Asplund
6. Edgar Mannheimer
7. Amr Hamid
8. Rami Khouri

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days