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The afikra Podcast

afikra
Education
Palestine
Cultural Identity
Saudi Arabia
Islamic Art
Iran-Iraq War
Dubai
Beirut
Lebanon
New Media Art
Ottoman Empire
Iraq
Art
Contemporary Art
Islam
Islamic Arts Biennale
Storytelling
Middle East
Colonialism
Soul DXB

The afikra Podcast is our flagship series featuring experts from academia, art, media, urban planning and beyond, who are helping document and shape the histories and cultures of the Arab world through their ‎work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their expertise and story, the community walks away with a new‎found curiosity, and recommendations about new nerdy rabbit holes to dive into ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes492Founded6 years ago
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EducationArts

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Latest Episodes

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. Writer and curator, Shumon Basar, ... more

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, Qatar National Library, explores ... more

YouTube

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 communicates. Professor Nizar Habash, a com... more

YouTube

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 the sophisticated loopholes us... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Dr. Hüseyin Sen
Historian of Arabic Science, scientist, and librarian; affiliated with Qatar National Library
Qatar National Library
Episode: Celebrating the Heritage of Arabic & Islamic Science | Dr. Hüseyin Şen
Nizar Habash
Professor of Computer Science at New York University Abu Dhabi; Director of CAMEL Lab
New York University Abu Dhabi
Episode: How Technology Is Changing the Arabic Language Forever | Prof. Nizar Habash
James Onley
Professor of Gulf and Arab Studies
American University of Sharjah
Episode: History of the British Raj in the Arabian Gulf | Prof. James Onley
Carmen Gitre
Associate Professor of Middle East History at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Episode: How Egypt Used Theater to Fight British Occupation | Prof. Carmen Gitre
Nidhal Guessoum
Professor, American University of Sharjah; advocate for science in the Islamic world
American University of Sharjah
Episode: The Legacy of Science & Faith in the Arab Muslim World | Prof. Nidhal Guessoum
Murat Yildiz
Associate Professor of History at Skidmore University
Skidmore University
Episode: Masculine Aesthetics & Sports in the Ottoman Empire | Professor Murat Yildiz
Bahia Shehab
Author, professor, and author of A Trade in Dreams, A Century of Egyptian Print Advertising
The American University in Cairo (book publisher: AUC Press)
Episode: Tobacco, Soap, Beer & Cars: 100 Years of Egyptian Print Advertising | Professor Bahia Shehab
Dima Srouji
Palestinian architect, artist, researcher
Based between Ramallah and London
Episode: Memory & the Systematic Mending of Heritage | Dima Srouji
Muhannad Salhi
Air World Specialist in the Near East section at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
Episode: The Weirdest Items in the Library of Congress | Muhannad Salhi

Host

Mikey Muhanna
Host of The Afikra Podcast

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 335 ratings
  • Very interesting

    A very inteResting listen

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    veganman1961
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Insightful and so interesting

    Super interesting topics with very knowledgeable (and credible) guests and great questions from the host. I love this podcast, I learn a ton each time I listen. Thank you for your work on this.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SuraAR
    Canada2 months ago
  • Hands down the podcast for any art and culture nerd

    Always interesting. Always quality.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bonooooooooooo
    United States8 months ago
  • Very informative

    Love the conversations with experts from the Arab world.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Obnossious
    United States5 years ago
  • The perfect listen!

    Super informative and unique stories from around the Arab world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mahakamel
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

The show is a go-to for art and culture nerds seeking deeper context and fresh perspectives.
Guests from the Arab world are highlighted and inform rich, informative conversations.
Listeners praise the host's thoughtful questioning and the credibility of guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#133
Germany/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#194
France/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#65
United Arab Emirates/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#92
Denmark/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#209
Chile/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

History of the British Raj in the Arabian Gulf | Prof. James Onley
Q: What is the difference between the 'informal empire' and 'formal empire' in practical terms in the Gulf context?
He defines informal empire as shared sovereignty where Britain handles foreign affairs and defense while local governments manage domestic matters, contrasting it with formal empire where Britain directly governs territory and applies British law.
History of the British Raj in the Arabian Gulf | Prof. James Onley
Q: Can you explain the two theories of Britain's motivations and methods in the Gulf and which you find more convincing?
He outlines the dominant views of a light British footprint versus a deeper, collaborative system where local rulers, merchants, and British interests formed a mutually beneficial framework, concluding that a hybrid, negotiated approach better explains Gulf governance than pure imperial imposition.
History of the British Raj in the Arabian Gulf | Prof. James Onley
Q: Let's start big picture about with how you got interested in the region.
The guest describes a personal trajectory starting from military observer roles in UN missions, a pivot to Gulf history through direct exposure to the region, and a long, scholarly path culminating in a PhD focused on Gulf history and the British Raj influence.
How Technology Is Changing the Arabic Language Forever | Prof. Nizar Habash
Q: How does CAMEL Lab approach building Arabic language tools, and what is their philosophy on openness?
CAMEL Lab focuses on Arabic language technologies developed in the Arab world, with a strong emphasis on open resources and public availability to empower students and researchers across the Arab world to work with Arabic linguistics and NLP without prohibitive licensing
How Technology Is Changing the Arabic Language Forever | Prof. Nizar Habash
Q: Why is Arabic both rich and difficult for NLP, especially in terms of dialects and orthography?
Arabic combines many dialects with a non-standardized orthography, extensive diacritics, and historical writing conventions; this creates data sparsity for some varieties and noise in others, making robust recognition and generation challenging while offering opportunities to design systems that can handle variability gracefully.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The afikra Podcast

What is The afikra Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show hosts in-depth conversations with scholars, artists, curators, and practitioners who explore histories, cultures, and contemporary issues in the Arab world. Episodes frequently center on archives, decolonization, modern art and design, heritage conservation, and the social dynamics shaping North Africa, the Levant, and the Gulf. Listeners can expect rigorous expert perspectives, first-hand field insights, and thoughtful reflections on representation, memory, and cultural production across time. A standout trait is the willingness to tackle underrepresented or overlooked topics—ranging from forgotten genocides and domicide to innovative fashion and digital storytelling—through accessible dialogue and vivid anecdotes. For potential l... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The afikra Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The afikra Podcast:

1. Makdisi Street
2. The Gray Area with Sean Illing
3. The 404 Media Podcast
4. Jacobin Radio
5. Guerrilla History

How many episodes of The afikra Podcast are there?

The afikra Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 492 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The afikra Podcast?

Recent guests on The afikra Podcast include:

1. Dr. Hüseyin Sen
2. Nizar Habash
3. James Onley
4. Carmen Gitre
5. Nidhal Guessoum
6. Murat Yildiz
7. Bahia Shehab
8. Dima Srouji

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.

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