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Artwork for The East is a Podcast

The East is a Podcast

Sina Rahmani (@urorientalist)
Gaza
Palestine
Israel
Iran
Zionism
United States
Colonialism
Palestinian Resistance
Hezbollah
Settler Colonialism
Hamas
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Imperialism
Lebanon
Syria
Palestinian Liberation
Islam
Yemen
Genocide
October 7th

A critical lens on the history of the present on West Asia and North Africa. Interviews with experts and archival mashups. Created by Sina Rahmani (twitter: @urorientalist)

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes616Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsIslamNewsReligion & Spirituality

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Artwork for The East is a Podcast

Latest Episodes

Dror Dayan returns to the show and is joined by Helena Zohdi, a socialist organizer in Berlin, to discuss the repression of the Palestine Congress.

You can access the material from the Congress recorded later here palaestinakongress.de/vi... more

Longtime friend of the show Ali Alizadeh (@jedaal) returns to discuss his latest essay on the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Watch the video edition on the East is a Podcast YouTube channel youtu.be/tEW7BsTj-7o Watch the essay here h... more

Hanna Eid returns to the show after his first appearance got nuked by our digital overlords to speak in broad strokes about the resistance in West Asia. Check out his author page on Al Mayadeen english.almayadeen.net/authors/hanna-eid

Watch... more

PressTV reporter Hadi Hoteit reflects on the pain and terror being inflicted on South Lebanon and the complete silence of the mainstream press on the war crimes being committed by ZioAmerican forces.

Watch the video edition on The East is a Podcast... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Hannah Eid
Palestinian analyst and commentator on West Asia affairs
Independent researcher/analyst
Episode: Erasing the borders: Understanding the new West Asian resistance w/ Hanna Eid
Hadi Hoteit
PressTV journalist, South Lebanon reporter
PressTV
Episode: The other Holocaust: ethnic cleansing in South Lebanon w/ Hadi Hoteit
Rabab Abdulhadi
Historian and guest on the program
East on Campus / academic role referenced in episode
Episode: OH 44-9/11/2001 : Imperial Commemorations & Collective Amnesia w/Rabab Abdulhadi & Sina Rahmani
Ammar Ali Jan
Historian and General Secretary of the Haqooq-e-Khalq Party (People's Right Party), a Marxist party in Pakistan
Haqooq-e-Khalq Party
Episode: Pakistan between sovereignty and vassalage w/ Ammar Ali Jan and Adeem Suhail
Adeem Suhail
Anthropologist, described as Ammar's college friend
Episode: Pakistan between sovereignty and vassalage w/ Ammar Ali Jan and Adeem Suhail
Sumun Pendakur
Social justice and racial equity scholar practitioner, trainer and organizational strategist
Independent / Sumun Pendakur
Episode: Academia's deadly empire of White Supremacy w/ Sumun L. Pendakur
Adnan Husain
Guest, academic and commentator
Episode: The (un)banning of The East is a Podcast w/ Jay Ware and Adnan Husain
Kit Klarenberg
Guest with a beat on Western imperialism and intelligence histories
Independent researcher
Episode: The revenge of history w/ Kit Klarenberg and Alexander Mckay
Alexander Mckay
Guest commentator on UK politics and geopolitics
The East is a Podcast team
Episode: The revenge of history w/ Kit Klarenberg and Alexander Mckay

Hosts

Sina Rahmani
Host and producer with a focus on diaspora narratives, radical imagination, and media critique.
Jay
Co-host who collaborates with Sina, contributing interview facilitation and critical perspectives.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 830 ratings
  • My Favorite Podcast is TEIAP

    Do yourself a favor and subscribe to The East Is a Podcast. Learn about the allusion in the show title. Get a copy of Orientalism by Edward W. Said (1977). You will be thanking yourself soon.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Reid Rothschild
    United Statesa month ago
  • *Note to Sina, re: listeners' attention spans - My odds of listening all the way through go WAY up when the recording is available as a downloadable podcast as opposed to just on YouTube. Thank you!

    Really enlightening discussions you don't find many other places. I always learn a lot. But more importantly, this podcast has hands down the best intro and outro music of anything I subscribe to (Please never change it).

    Podcast Addict
    5
    always.listening
    8 months ago
  • «Educated perverts»

    Love most things about this pod except the way Sina pronounces Khan Younis like it’s a french suburb. Keep it up guys 👍

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mr Kliin
    Norwaya year ago
  • Alternative media is critical to our understanding

    At a time dominated by Western imperialism and colonialism, citizens need to understand the impact of the old oligarchs and corporate elites. The podcasters are a diverse knowledgeable well educated bunch that immerse us with opposing perspectives to help us understand and resist oppressive regimes.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    k_mattar
    Canadaa year ago
  • On the ground reports of the perverted system of capitalist injustice which leaves working, poor people without adequate housing, health care, nutritious food, childcare, livable wages, human dignity and, above all, the power to control their communities and control the workplace for the good of the workers. All Solidarity with the Working Class! ¡El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido!

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Harold N.
    a year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the depth and diversity of guests and the ability to connect historical context to current events.
Audience often highlights the quality of guests and expert analysis as a standout feature.
Fans appreciate rigor and willingness to challenge mainstream narratives.
Critics note highly opinionated takes; some episodes attract polarizing reactions but engage a dedicated audience.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#132
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#165
Indonesia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#167
Mexico/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#188
South Africa/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#204
Singapore/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Khamenei's last move w/ Ali Alizadeh
Q: So I'm curious, maybe at the outset, can you describe the basic argument of the essay?
The guest outlines three layers: Iran's revolutionary state's dynamics, the factional infighting around Khamenei, and the way Rafsanjani's era set up Khamenei's long-term strategic patience and eventual leadership path, culminating in a shift after his martyrdom.
Erasing the borders: Understanding the new West Asian resistance w/ Hanna Eid
Q: What changes in warfare are redefining the balance of power in West Asia?
The conversation argues that warfare is shifting from large troop deployments to high-tech, capital-intensive methods, paired with highly mobile, local, and popular resistance that can disrupt supply chains and energy flows.
The cunning plan to remake the world w/ Kit Klarenberg
Q: What would you say is the keystone, the architectural piece, of the wider story behind 9/11 if you had to choose one?
A keystone is the pervasive pattern of state-led violence and the way institutions—from intel agencies to media—shape public perception to normalize extraordinary actions, which helps explain how a narrative of terrorism can justify long-term geopolitical campaigns.
The cunning plan to remake the world w/ Kit Klarenberg
Q: Can you talk a little about the asbestos angle and who might have benefited from rebuilding after 9/11?
There is debate about whether demolition-related materials and economic incentives for rebuilding played a role, with some suggesting figures like Larry Silverstein could profit from large-scale reconstruction, though this remains contested and debated within the scholarly community.
The cunning plan to remake the world w/ Kit Klarenberg
Q: So Kit, if there's one piece of this wider story that you think needs to be a central facet of your understanding, what would that be?
The central facet is recognizing that states—not just individuals—are capable of orchestrating and financing violence, and that large-scale violence is often used to advance political objectives and consolidate power, which requires critical scrutiny of who controls information and narratives.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The East is a Podcast

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

A hard-edged, analytically driven show that examines power, imperialism, and geopolitics in West Asia, North Africa, and related regions. Across recent episodes, discussions span Western media narratives, statecraft, diaspora perspectives, and regional resistance, with frequent critiques of liberal interventions, sanctions, and foreign policy. Guests range from historians and journalists to activists and researchers, offering on-the-ground insights and historical context to complex geopolitical events. The format often blends rigorous analysis with provocative storytelling, challenging mainstream narratives while highlighting solidarity with marginalized communities. Noteworthy is a consistent emphasis on anti-imperialist critique, deep-div... more

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1. Guerrilla History
2. The Red Nation Podcast
3. Rev Left Radio
4. Turbulence
5. Geopolitical Economy Report

How many episodes of The East is a Podcast are there?

The East is a Podcast launched 8 years ago and published 616 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 East is a Podcast?

Recent guests on The East is a Podcast include:

1. Hannah Eid
2. Hadi Hoteit
3. Rabab Abdulhadi
4. Ammar Ali Jan
5. Adeem Suhail
6. Sumun Pendakur
7. Adnan Husain
8. Kit Klarenberg

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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