Shows
The Diverse BookshelfEp51: Ola Abou & Ilham Essalih on exploring Palestinian & Syrian freedom struggles through literatureThis week on the show, I’m joined by two book-lovers, book bloggers and activists to talk about some really important issues: Ola Abou and Ilham Essalih. We're talking about what books we should read to further understand the war on Gaza, and the war in Syria, and how the movements for liberation in Palestine and Syria are intertwined. At the time of recording (16th October), we were on day 9 of Israel’s war against Gaza, with the official death toll having reached nearly 3,000, 700 of whom are children and babies. For 9 days, the besieged Gaza strip has faced...2023-10-241h 16
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast043 - Ukraine is Dividing the Gulf States from the WestAs Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused global energy prices to spike, the US looked to its traditional gulf partners to increase supply. However, Mohamed bin Zayed and Mohamed bin Salman chose not to - refusing President Joe Biden's calls and even raising prices, whilst making overt gestures of support for Putin.In this episode, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss how the war in Ukraine has pushed a wedge between the US and its traditionally-close gulf allies, and what this means for the future of the Middle East.Episode timetags:02:40 - The economic...2022-04-0841 min
Intergalactic Tarboush012 - Does language affect how we think?Iyad and Ahmed delve into the relationship between language and thought, discuss ideas about a potential Arabic-language podcast, and even pivot to modern discoveries about the Earth's mantle; in true Intergalactic Tarboush form.Episode Timetags:00:00 - Does language affect thought?03:30 - Arabic & translating vs. rewriting05:50 - The decline of the Arabic-language public sphere07:45 - An Arabic-language Kawaakibi Foundation podcast?08:20 - How Iyad's son navigates being quadrilingual11:30 - Is Hisham Matar an "Arabic writer"?16:00 - Strange blobs in the Earth's mantle20:30...2022-04-0422 minIntergalactic Tarboush011 - Why is Steven Seagal such an Asshole?Iyad and Ahmed continue talking about why the long-term prospects and strategic situation of Egypt are so depressing, why Steven Seagal is such an asshole and ideological polical opposition in Saudi Arabia.Episode Timetags:00:00: Egypt's troubles04:20: 'Syriana,' the movie06:30: Alaska and global trade07:30: Why is Steven Seagal such an asshole?10:00: The privilege to insulate yourself from self-awareness15:40: A new study on Universal Basic Income: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-leaf-project-results-1.575271419:00: Saudi political parties and ideological opposition22:00: Mustafa Akyol's...2022-03-2824 minIntergalactic Tarboush010 - Great power politics & why Egypt is screwed!In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss changes in world order and the relationship between citizenry and government in traditional versus modern 'great power' political structures.Episode Timetags:00:50 - great power politics & world change04:40 - how do we defend human rights in the "new world"06:00 - the influence of modern citizenry on political power09:10 - The future of Egypt & its water security14:30 - Egypt & "mega projects"17:00 - The Toshka project & corruption2022-03-2122 minIntergalactic Tarboush009 - Democracy is about power distribution, not votesIn this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss how a broad range of political and economic factors can impact democracy, and how the concept of a 'public sphere' can either strengthen or weaken democratic nations.Episode Timetags:05:00 - Centralisation of political and economic activity & weakened democracy06:00 - Economic inequality as a threat to democracy07:00 - APPGs in the UK, captured by the private sector - article referenced: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/17/lobbying-fears-as-mps-interest-groups-receive-13m-from-private-firms10:00 - French colonial censorship in Syria11:00 - "Public sphere" theory & democracy (+ shout-out to...2022-03-1522 minIntergalactic Tarboush008 - Consuming information in the modern worldIn this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss advancements in the world of technology and communication, and how they have impacted politics and humanity as a whole.Episode Timetags:00:55 - Consuming information via podcasts03:55 - Tweets & threads as sources of information05:55 - Expansion of humanity via social media & communication09:25 - Global divides & scientific racism11:10 - Putin & how age affects decision making15:15 - Bitcoin mining as part of national policy2022-03-0721 minIntergalactic Tarboush007 - Putin's politics, regionally & globallyIn this episode, recorded prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iyad and Ahmed discuss Putin's politics and its significance both regionally and globally.Episode Timetags:01:00 - Predictions on Russia & Ukraine04:50 - US foreign policy - Obama, Assad & chemical weapons09:00 - Geopolitics & Russian motivations for the invasion14:45 - Recent books - 'Red Notice' & 'The Man Without A Face'18:00 - Putin not being ideological, only understanding hard power21:00 - What is cancel culture?2022-02-2825 minIntergalactic Tarboush006 - Religion with a Mario Kart Bonus!In this episode, recorded last year, Iyad and Ahmed switch gears a little and hone in on issues of religion. Topics include separating "life" from religious acts, and glorifying the divine through honouring the human being.Episode Timetags:01:00 - Muslim leadership & human rights03:40 - Charity fundraising & religious identity versus morality08:00 - Spirituality versus religiosity12:05 - A chance encounter with Raed Jarrar13:50 - Gratitude for working in human rights14:50 - Breaking down the meaning of Surah Al-Ikhlas20:00 - Looking at Surah Al-Fatiha23:00...2022-02-2127 minIntergalactic Tarboush005 - Why we're into Bitcoin, and why Koalas are stupidIn this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the revolutionary nature and potential of Bitcoin, sectarianisation in Yemen and around the region, and reframing perspectives on mental health.Episode Timetags:01:00 - Human rights use cases of Bitcoin05:50 - Financial situation in Libya08:00 - Alex Gladstein's work on Bitcoin (article links below)09:50 - 'Sectarianization' - Danny Postel and Nader Hashemi12:20 - Summarising Yemen's process of sectarianisation15:50 - Mental health paradigm20:10 - Iyad thinks Koalas are stupidAlex Gladstein's articles:https://bitcoinmagazine...2022-02-1422 minIntergalactic Tarboush004 - The World is Bigger Than Your Country!In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss productivity and novel sleeping concepts, European imperialism and its impacts on various languages and races, and the future of cryptocurrency in and outside of the United States.Episode Timetags:0:28 – Sleep routines and productivity06:35 – Imperialism, language & Native American DNA across the Americas12:47 – The origin of Urdu as ‘the camp language’14:20 – WWI, WWII & the end of colonialism15:25 – Cryptocurrency & American versus global economies20:00 – Shifting power and world order2022-02-0721 minIntergalactic Tarboush003 - Optimism vs. Pessimism Around the WorldIn this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the concept of futurism and its relation to our work, as well as optimism versus pessimism in the spheres of religion, politics and human rights activism.Episode timetags:00:30 - Futurism - tradition and modernity05:50 - Pessimism in the Muslim community08:45 - China's growth - birth rates, power and risk15:10 - Genetic supremacy - Germanic germ theory17:00 - Britain & colonialist nostalgia19:00 - France & the nationalism of decline2022-02-0321 minIntergalactic Tarboush002 - Too many tabs!In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss knowledge bases, mortality and the fascinating science behind the cosmos.Episode timetags:01:00 - Too many tabs! Too much information03:15 - Iyad’s near-death experience6:00 - Reflections on the new podcast format09:25 - Interesting facts about birds’ lungs, dinosaurs and evolution12:00 - Interesting facts about astronomy17:00 - The ‘Drake Equation’19:15 - Reasons behind European colonialism20:30 - Balancing work and personal lives2022-01-2422 minIntergalactic Tarboush001 - Launching Intergalactic Tarboush!Iyad and Ahmed officially launch a new podcast - Intergalactic Tarboush! Their first conversation includes all sorts of interesting titbits from the worlds of politics, science and human rights activism.Episode timetags:00:48 - Intro to Intergalactic Tarboush01:30 - Knowledge bases - using Roam as a writing tool03:45 - Gorillas, evolution and religious sentiment06:00 - Prophet Adam in the Shi'a tradition08:45 - Historical growth of Christianity10:00 - Eclectic activism12:50 - Éric Zemmour15:00 - French Political Spectrum and Muslims2022-01-1720 min
LSE Middle East Centre PodcastsThe Middle East Crisis Factory: Tyranny, Resilience and ResistanceWhy is the Middle East a crisis factory, and how can it be fixed? What does the future look like for its 500 million people? And what role should the West play?
Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash tell the story of the modern Middle East as a series of broken promises. They chart the entrenchment of tyranny, terrorism and foreign intervention, showing how these systems of oppression simultaneously feed off and battle each other.
Exploring demographic, economic and social trends, the authors paint a picture of the region’s prospects that is alarming yet hopeful. Finally, they present ambitious and thoughtful id...2021-10-181h 06
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast036 - What does Justice For Jamal Khashoggi look like?Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss the release of the ODNI report confirming US intelligence's conclusion that MBS directly ordered the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Now that two years of gaslighting by the Trump administration are finally over, we can turn to the important question: what does justice for Jamal look like?
Iyad's article in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/26/saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-mbs-biden-freedom-of-expression/?arc404=true
Find us on Twitter at @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash and @arabtyrantman. Support our work:
www.patreon.com/kawaakibi2021-03-0318 min
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast034 - Reflections on the podcast, US elections and the future...Ahmed Gatnash and Iyad El-Baghdadi reflect about the podcast, how far it's come, and plans for the future, as well as discussing Joe Biden's election victory and Trump's defeat, and what they mean for the MENA region and the global struggle for human rights.
Support our work on Patreon here:
www.patreon.com/kawaakibi2020-11-1538 min
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast015 - How Gary Lineker Once Helped an Innocent Iranian PrisonerHow do you get one of the world's most beloved ex-footballers to speak out about an innocent political prisoner in Iran? In this episode (part 2 of a 2-part show), Iyad El-Baghdadi and Maryam Nayeb Yazdi talk about a campaign they ran for Arash Sadeghi, and what activists can learn from it.
Maryam can be found on Twitter at @MaryamNayebYazd. Iyad and Ahmed can be found at @iyad_elbaghdadi and @gatnash. Tweet us, or join the conversation on #ArabTyrantMan.2018-09-1345 min
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast013 - Can Debate Save the Arab World?A discussion between Belabbes Benkredda, Founding Director of the Munathara Initiative, and Iyad El-Baghdadi, Nasser Weddady and Ahmed Gatnash, on the public sphere, what teaching young people to debate can do for the world, and how to normalise civilised exchange of ideas and evaluation of them on their merits.
Belabbes is currently Senior Research Scholar at Yale Law School's Information Society Project, and can be found on Twitter (@AbuLavinia). The Munathara Initiative (@Munathara) can be found at http://www.munathara.com/2018-08-0638 min
Sinica PodcastChina’s growing hacking power, with Kevin Collier and Priscilla MoriuchiIn this week’s episode of the Sinica Podcast, taped live in New York at the law offices of Dorsey and Whitney on June 19, Kaiser and Jeremy chat about DEF CON, the world’s premier hacker convention, which was — to the surprise of many — held in Beijing this May, and sponsored by Baidu. They also discuss U.S-China cyber relations throughout the years, including some of the finer emerging contours that define this relationship. Joining us are Kevin Collier, a reporter for BuzzFeed who reported on the conference from Beijing, and Priscilla Moriuchi, a 12-year veteran of the National Security Agency...2018-07-0558 min
Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast005 - NonviolenceIyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss nonviolent resistance to oppression - realistic mechanism of change or idealistic and ineffective? What is it, and how does it apply to different struggles today?
Got any thoughts or questions? Tweet us @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash. #ArabTyrantManual2018-04-0432 min