TheEgyptianHulk

Erik Skare is a historian at the University of Oslo and the author of the award-winning "⁠A History of Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Faith, Awareness, and Revolution in the Middle East⁠" (Cambridge University Press, 2021). He specializes in Palestinian history with a particular focus on religion and secular politics. In episode 48 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “⁠Road to October 7: A Brief History of Palestinian Islamism,⁠” (Verso Books, 2025). The book looks at Palestinian Islamist groups, their history, progressions, triumphs, and defeats from their inception up to this day, covering the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb u-Tahrir, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hamas, and more. Eric argues that Palestinian Islamism is far more complex and dynamic than generally assumed. The phenomenon has continuously developed through disputes between moderates and hardliners.Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qXzbzbf4QuQEric's book: ⁠⁠https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3304-road-to-october-7?srsltid=AfmBOorRGHQVNGHb265e9R7yRnPqHR7nma4zdZ4DVbxwNNbWEf4P4rm-⁠Eric's website: ⁠https://erikskare.no/⁠Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comSupport us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Ömer Taşpınar is a Professor at the National Defense University and Johns Hopkins SAIS in Washington, D.C. He is a scholar, author, and policy expert specializing in Middle East politics, U.S. foreign policy, and Turkish affairs. His research focuses on the intersection of political economy, nationalism, and security in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Turkey.In episode 47 of Tahrir Podcast, we discuss his book "What the West is Getting Wrong about the Middle East: Why Islam is Not the Problem" (I.B. Tauris, 2020), where he challenges prevailing Western narratives about the region by highlighting weak states, economic underdevelopment, and authoritarianism—rather than religion—as the primary drivers of instability and extremism. The book delves into the historical and structural factors that have shaped the modern Middle East, arguing that Western policies often misdiagnose the region's problems by overemphasizing Islam's role. Taşpınar explores how economic stagnation, political repression, and weak governance fuel radicalization, while also critiquing Western interventions that have exacerbated these issues. Through a comparative analysis, he provides a nuanced perspective on why sustainable stability in the region requires addressing these root causes rather than relying on simplistic cultural or religious explanations.Episode on YouTube: Omer's book: ⁠ https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/what-the-west-is-getting-wrong-about-the-middle-east-9780755655069/Streaming everywhere! ⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

John Lechner is a writer and researcher specializing in security issues in Central Africa, the Sahel, Turkey, Russia, and the former Soviet Union. Fluent in Russian and several other languages, he has spent years analyzing Russia's growing influence in Africa and its global military networks.In episode 46 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "Death Is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare," (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025) which explores Wagner's origins and its evolution into a key tool of Russian power projection. Lechner challenges the prevailing narrative that Wagner operates purely as a Kremlin proxy, offering a detailed analysis of its structure, motivations, and impact on global warfare. Through extensive fieldwork and exclusive interviews, he sheds light on the mercenary group's role in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and Africa, revealing how it has shaped conflicts and influenced state-building efforts.The book also delves into the personal and political dynamics within Wagner, examining the group's financial incentives, ideological leanings, and its often-uneasy relationship with the Russian state. Lechner provides critical insights into the blurred lines between state and private military actors, the future of mercenary warfare, and what this means for global security.Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/J3pStvWHKTk John's book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/death-is-our-business-9781639733361/John's website: https://www.johnlechnerauthor.com/Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Tahrir Podcast turns 4!In episode 45, we celebrate this milestone by flipping the script—our host, Abdalla Nasef takes the guest seat as Gabriel Gluskin-Braun interviews him about the journey of the podcast.Since its first episode in 2021, Tahrir Podcast - بودكاست التحرير has featured 44 conversations with academics, activists, journalists, and political analysts, covering Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen, the Gulf, Iran, and more. It has explored everything from geopolitics and social movements to censorship and current events.What started as an independent project with just a microphone and a computer has grown into one of the top-ranked Middle East podcasts, reaching tens of thousands of listeners worldwide. It remains one of the few independent media sources in Egypt and the first explicitly political podcast broadcasting from the country.In this episode, Nasef reflects on the podcast's journey, and what's next.Now streaming everywhere.

Rusha Latif is an Egyptian-American researcher and author based in the San Fransisco Bay Area. In episode 44 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed her book, “Tahrir's Youth: Leaders of a Leaderless Revolution,” (American University in Cairo Press, 2022) which explores the role of the Revolutionary Youth Coalition (RYC) in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Rusha challenges the prevailing narrative that the revolution was spontaneous and leaderless, offering a compelling ethnographic study that highlights the organizational strategies and leadership dynamics within the RYC. The book delves into the personal and political stories of key youth leaders, examining how their diverse backgrounds and shared commitment shaped the revolutionary movement in Tahrir Square. Through their experiences, Latif provides critical insights into the potential of horizontal leadership and participatory democracy in revolutionary organizing. Tahrir's Youth not only preserves the voices of Egypt's youth revolutionaries but also offers lessons for future movements around the world, especially in understanding the complexities of leadership and the limits of grassroots mobilization.Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tOBCbOXe7m0Rusha's book: https://aucpress.com/9781649030207/Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcastReach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comSupport us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

جابر بكر كاتب وروائي وصانع أفلام وسجين سياسي سوري سابق.في الحلقة ال٤٣ من بودكاست التحرير و الثالثة باللغة العربية، انضم جابر بكر لمناقشة كتابه، "الجولاج السوري: سجون الأسد 1970 - 2020" متناولًا منظومة سجون الأسد والقمع في سوريا عبر الوقت وأفكار أخري في حلقة شديدة التعمق. YouTube - يوتيوب: http://youtu.be/9AxHoCstWRgرابط الكتاب: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/syrian-gulag-9780755650224/Special thanks to Gabe Gluskin-Braun for helping out with the episode.Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast - يمكنكم الاستماع على جميع المنصات!Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Anita R. Gohdes is a Professor of International and Cyber Security at the Hertie School in Berlin. In episode 42 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed her most recent book, “Repression in the Digital Age: Surveillance, Censorship, and the Dynamics of State Violence,” (Oxford University Press 2023) which theoretically and empirically investigates how governments use cyber controls to support their strategies of violent repression. The book received the 2024 Goldsmith Book Prize, awarded by the Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. Episode on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=NkF-B9hceXY Anita's book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/repression-in-the-digital-age-9780197772614 Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Jerome Drevon is a Senior Analyst in Jihad and Modern Conflict at the International Crisis Group, where he undertakes research and analysis on Islamist militancy across regions. In episode 41 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “From Jihad to Politics: How Syrian Jihadis Embraced Politics,” (Oxford University Press 2024) which looks at why and how jihadis were able to take over the Syrian armed opposition, as well as why these very groups ultimately rejected domination by al-Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State (IS) and embraced a different action plan. The book builds on years of impressive field research, including multiple trips to northwest Syria, and interviews with the main leaders of the armed opposition, especially Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra/Nusra Front–now called Hayatt Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), including an interview with Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dS5ZLqDFJfw Drevon's book (open access): https://t.co/uK4JfaAUVn Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Alex Rowell is a journalist, writer, and online editor at New Lines Magazine. In episode 40 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “We Are Your Soldiers: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World,” which offers an eccentric but provocative retelling of modern Arab history, providing an engaging account of Nasser's influence on the Middle East. The book delves into Nasser's role in shaping authoritarian systems across the Arab region, examining his influence beyond Egypt, including his interactions in countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jm_4J4oRSl4 Rowell's book: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324021667/ Special thanks to Gabe Gluskin-Braun for helping out with the episode. Streaming everywhere!https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com             Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Over the past couple of weeks, American campuses have erupted over Israel's war in Gaza, with encampments springing up all over the nation. Some of these movements have been met with anti-semitism allegations and police violence alike. In this episode, I speak to the people behind these movements–two organizers, a reporter and a participant. Zeno (MIT student organizer), Jude Taha (Columbia student & journalist), Harry (UNC student organizer), and Molly (UNC participant). Episode on YouTube (video + bonus footage!): youtu.be/gSQfI8wFqdc Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

Mairav Zonszein is an Israel-Palestine senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. She has been covering Israeli politics and U.S foreign policy for over a decade. In episode 38 of the Tahrir Podcast, Mairav tuned in to speak about how the current right-wing Israeli government, led by Bibi Netanyahu, came to be. She discussed the military objectives of Israel's brutal war in Gaza, the Israeli public's perception of this aggressive war, Bibi being on trial for corruption, as well as the intimidation, forcible expulsion, and harassment of Palestinians in the West Bank. She also explored what a Rafah Operation would mean for Gazans displaced there on the border with Egypt and, ultimately, how the U.S. could pressure Israel into a permanent ceasefire. Episode on YouTube: youtu.be/x5eb1yYebJ4 Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

Khalil Sayegh is a Palestinian political analyst. In episode 37 of Tahrir Podcast, Khalil joined me to speak on Gaza's humanitarian crisis as Israel continues to block aid from going in while continuing to indiscriminately bomb the strip, Hamas, ceasefire prospects, what the future might hold for Gaza, and the Israel's expansion in the West Bank. Episode on YouTube: youtu.be/CzSSgfYm2AU Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

Nadwa Al-Dawsari is a researcher and conflict practitioner with over twenty years of field experience in Yemen where she worked with tribes, civil society, local authorities, security actors, and non-state armed groups. Nadwa is currently a nonresident Scholar with the Middle East Institute and a fellow at the Center on Armed Groups. In episode 36 of Tahrir Podcast, Al-Dawsari joined me from Washington D.C to speak on Yemen‘s Houthis, their ideologies, origins, Iran links, and the Red Sea crisis. Episode on YouTube: ⁠http://youtu.be/juHKqb-8gY4 Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠ (Use VPN if in Egypt) Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

Omenya is a Khartoum resident who joined me from Wad Madani, Sudan as it fell to the RSF to talk about the harrowing situation unfolding there. A safe haven for those who fled from Khartoum as the war broke out in April 2023, Wad Madani fell to the RSF just four days ago. A safe haven no longer, hundreds of civilians are now trapped in the city. Hospitals are no longer functional. Tune in to hear from one of the people there. Episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/4_ovZNIB6qY Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ (Use VPN if in Egypt) Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

In this episode, I carry on from where I left off in EP 30, further analyzing Egypt's 2024 Presidential Election, touching on nearly everything related to it now that we're only nearly two weeks away. Episode on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r45NY89FUk4 Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠ (Use VPN if in Egypt) Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

Hind Khoudary is a Palestinian journalist based in Gaza. One of the only people in Gaza with a connection to the outside world, Khoudary joins me in this episode to talk about how things are looking on the ground as the Israeli ground invasion commences, the communication blackout, Israel's carpet-bombing of Gaza, and her message to the people of the world. Episode on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/_nLTe_78D04⁠ Hind's Twitter: @Hind_Gaza Hind's Instagram: @HindKhoudary Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast⁠ (Use VPN if in Egypt) Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

In this episode, I share some thoughts on the Egyptian state's war on reality. I go into depth about how the state tricked, bribed, and blackmailed thousands of Egyptians into 'endorsing' the president (which I witnessed in real time by going to one of these rallies in Cairo), how media is manipulated, and ultimately the Orwellian nature of the Egyptian regime. Tune in for a light and unedited episode. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LX34yTs2kWk Streaming everywhere! ⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠ Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt) Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com

On the 25th of September 2023, Egypt's National Election Authority announced the dates for the presidential election. Set to take place in December and with a tight schedule, the self-explanatory title "Egypt's Microwave Election" perfectly captures that image. In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, joined by Mahmoud Salem, an award-winning writer and commentator on Egyptian politics, we analyze the current state of affairs now that the presidential election dates have been released, what it means for potential presidential candidates and Egypt's opposition, all from the heart of Cairo. Tune in. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WskwI6yougc?si=KwmiCvQ5VDG0SPIV Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Jean-Loup Samaan is a senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, as well as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He is also an associate research fellow with the French Institute of International Relations. In episode 29 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "New Military Strategies in the Gulf: The Mirage of Autonomy in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar," and in turn touched on, military education in the Gulf, Gulf arms deals with Russia and China, Gulf militaries' reliance on the West, the Yemen War, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/loszDquo-Bs Samaan's book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/new-military-strategies-in-the-gulf-9780755650712/ Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com              Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast  (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Sharan Grewal is an Assistant Professor of Government at the College of William & Mary, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Project on Middle East Democracy.  In episode 28 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "Soldiers of Democracy? Military Legacies and the Arab Spring." Analyzing the conduct of the Egyptian and Tunisian militaries within the context of the Arab Spring, Grewal presents the compelling argument that the manner in which militaries are treated during periods of autocracy plays a pivotal role in shaping their behavior under democratic systems. This perspective not only provides insight into the distinct responses exhibited by these militaries in the face of the uprisings but also sheds light on their divergent reactions to the subsequent waves of political turbulence that ensued. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ccHcjy0epeo Grewal's book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/soldiers-of-democracy-9780198873518 Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com              Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast  (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Arash Azizi is an Iranian journalist, author, and adjunct instructor at NYU. In episode 27 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book "The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the U.S, and Iran's Global Ambitions." The book looks at the life and influence of General Qassem Soleimani. Assassinated by a U.S drone strike in 2020, Soleimani was almost the second most powerful person in Iran and lead militias & proxies from Lebanon to Yemen. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KvUdBDjA-G4 Arash's book: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Commander-Soleimani-Global-Ambitions/dp/1786079445 Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com              Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast  (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Cameron Hudson is a senior associate at the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). An analyst and consultant on African peace, security, and governance issues, Hudson has held various positions such as Intelligence analyst in the Africa Directorate at the Central Intelligence Agency, Chief of Staff to successive presidential special envoys for Sudan and Director for African affairs on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House during the Bush administration. In episode 26 of Tahrir Podcast, he joins me from Durham to talk about how the conflict started (Sudan 2023), why ceasefires have been failing, the international dyanmics of the conflict, and how it could be ultimately resolved. Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKSbDG4tlp8 Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast  (Use VPN if in Egypt)

المؤرخ الدكتور خالد فهمي أستاذ التاريخ ينضم إلي التحرير بودكاست من بوسطن لتناول العديد من الموضوعات ومنها أهمية كتابة ودراسة الماضي، الديمقراطية، المعوقات التي تواجه الباحثين المصريين وال٢٠١١ This episode is in Arabic. English subtitles are available on YouTube. In episode 25 of Tahrir Podcast, I flew out to Boston to record in-person with renowned Egyptian historian Dr. Khaled Fahmy about the importance of history-writing, democracy, hurdles that face Egyptian researchers, and the Egyptian Revolution. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zncZ3-51knc Outro credits - Ali Talbab: https://soundcloud.com/otteswed/dr3gqcfscfcx?si=6132bddc8de741209fadf0016b1f85de&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Aaron Salzberg is a distinguished Holzworth professor in the department of environmental sciences and engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), and is the director of the Water Institute. He was previously the U.S State Department's First Special Coordinator for Water where he led the development and implementation of U.S foreign policy on water and sanitation, water resources management, and transboundary water and conflict. In episode 24 of Tahrir Podcast, Dr. Salzberg joined me to discuss the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), its implications, uses, harms, and the fight to secure an agreement among Nile basin countries, namely Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Episode on YouTube: Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Elizabeth R. Nugent is an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University. Her research focuses on the politics of authoritarianism and religion in the Middle East. Dr. Nugent's first and award-winning book, After Repression: How Polarization Derails Democratic Transition, documents repression and polarization among the opposition in Egypt and Tunisia. She presents a theory of polarization under authoritarianism, highlighting the repression that defines these contexts. On the one hand, Hosni Mubarak's Egypt demonstrated targeted repression, which was overwhelmingly directed at the Muslim Brotherhood. Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali (ZABA)'s Tunisia, on the other hand, demonstrated widespread repression. The former and latter's repression, as put forward by Nugent, affected both transition outcomes. In this episode, Nugent joined me to further discuss her book, After Repression, and ultimately why Egypt and Tunisia had divergent outcomes. Don't share this episode with your local dictator. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RYCw7nfabLo Dr. Nugent's book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691203065/after-repression Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Kyle J. Anderson is an assistant professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury. Anderson's most recent book, "The Egyptian Labor Corps: Race, Space, and Place in the First World War," (University of Texas Press 2021) tells the history of Egypt's involvement in World War I (WWI) by telling the story of the Egyptian Labor Corps (ELC) and how the treatment of these primarily rural workers influenced the 1919 Egyptian Revolution. In episode 22 of Tahrir Podcast, Anderson joins me for a conversation on the ELC, Egypt's role in WWI, and most importantly, a reinterpretation of the 1919 Egyptian Revolution. Special thanks to the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC) for giving me access to their library where I had the opportunity to read the first chapter of this book in person. Dr. Anderson's book: https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/anderson-egyptian-labor-corps Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UP2bLOwLsOA Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

On the 27th of April 2022, Egypt's incumbent president reactivated the presidential pardon committee, called for a national dialogue, and emphasized that it's completely normal for there to be a diverse set of opinions. As of the 30th of June 2022, only 236 political prisoners have been released, and most of whom are already widely known within the Egyptian political sphere––activists, legitimate party members––or have been on hungerstrike beforehand. With a board of trustees released two days ago, the so-called national dialogue proposed in April is set to start in a couple of days. Is it all just a political shitshow? Or the beginning of a new era? Well, one would have to wait and see how it unfolds. In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, fellow Egyptian researcher and friend Ahmed Nada joins me in a lively albeit humorous conversation on how that ought to unfold, and other alternative the Egyptian state could undertake for it to actually show goodwill, and open up political space. I argue that for that so-called dialogue to work (or to not), the Egyptian constitution must be activated, pretrial detention laws must be implemented and non-combatants should stop standing before the infamous SSP accordingly. Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UMPcXEAjsfA Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Zaynab El Bernoussi is an assistant professor of International Politics at Sciences Po Rabat, International University of Rabat. El Bernoussi's most recent publication and first book, “Dignity in the Egyptian Revolution: Protest and Demand During the Arab Uprisings,” (Cambridge University Press 2021) explores the concept of Dignity (or Karama in Arabic) in the context of the Egyptian Revolution (#Jan25). Based on interviews with participants in the 2011 protests and analysis of the art forms that emerged during protests, Zaynab El Bernoussi explores understandings of the concept of dignity, showing how protestors conceived of this concept in their organisation of protest and uprising, and their memories of karama in the aftermath of the protests, revisiting these claims in the years subsequent to the uprising. Dr. El Bernoussi's book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/dignity-in-the-egyptian-revolution/E66234FA0A694166A7FEC7EF62582A15 Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1asKdPfMInA Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Dr. Andrew Simon is a lecturer and research associate in Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College.  Simon's most recent publication and first book, "Media of the Masses: Cassette Culture in Modern Egypt," (Stanford University Press 2022) draws on a wide array of audio, visual, and textual sources that exist outside the Egyptian National Archives, and in so doing, provides a new entry point into understanding everyday life and culture. He investigates the social life of the cassette tape to offer a history of modern Egypt.    In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, Simon joined me to talk about his time in Egypt, his book "Media of the Masses," music censorship, vulgarity, and the long-proven totalitarian tendencies of the Egyptian state.   Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com    Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast    Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast (Use VPN if in Egypt)

Mahmoud Salem is an award-winning blogger, government toppler, former politician, political campaignist, and death list survivor.    Salem, under his online nom de guerre 'Sandmonkey' rose to fame amid his blog,  'Rantings of a Sandmonkey'  claiming him various awards including best Middle East and Africa blog in 2006 and 2007, best English blog in the Deutsche Welle Best of Blogs award in 2011. Salem was one of the leading voices of the Egyptian revolution. In 2011, he ran for parliament. In 2013, he was put on an Ansar Al Sharia death list. He is known online as Sandmonkey.   In this episode, Salem talks to me about his experience being politically active starting from the mid-2000s, the Egyptian blogosphere, how Egyptian activists mobilized before social media, Alaa Abd El Fattah, his political campaigning experience in Suez and Sinai (spoiler alert: it was quite hostile), how he deals with death threats, how he ended up on Ansar Al Sharia's death list, and much more. Tune in for a lively (and humor-packed) conversation.   Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/b61e7hIA03o Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com    Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast    Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

This episode is in honor of Ali Al-Batati (1999-2022). Donations for charity in his name: https://rb.gy/glx7v6 Dr. Dana Moss is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research investigates how authoritarian forces repress their critics and how collective actors resist this repression in a globalized world. She is also the founding director of the Yemen Peace Project. Her most recent publication and first book, “The Arab Spring Abroad: Diaspora Activism Against Authoritarian Regimes,” (Cambridge University Press, 2022) investigates when diaspora actors mobilize, how they intervene, or what makes them effective. Drawing on over 230 original interviews, fieldwork, and comparative analysis, examining Libyan, Syrian, and Yemeni mobilization from the US and Great Britain before and during the revolutions, Dr. Moss presents a new framework for understanding the transnational dynamics of contention and the social forces that either enable or suppress transnational activism. Dr. Moss' Book [FREE]: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/arab-spring-abroad/D7EC15ED46D37A2DB8CDDB83F06CC591#overview Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_lmVYdTWltw Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 a year)! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Dr. Erin A. Snider is an assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. Dr. Snider's most recent book, “Marketing Democracy: The Political Economy of Democracy Aid in the Middle East,” (Cambridge University Press, 2022) examines the construction and practice of democracy aid in Washington DC and in Egypt and Morocco, two of the highest recipients of US democracy aid in the region. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, novel new data on the professional histories of democracy promoters, archival research and recently declassified government documents, Dr. Snider focuses on the voices and practices of those engaged in democracy work over the last three decades to offer a new framework for understanding the political economy of democracy aid. Her research shows how democracy aid can work to strengthen rather than challenge authoritarian regimes. Marketing Democracy fundamentally challenges scholars to rethink how we study democracy aid and how the ideas of democracy that underlie democracy programs come to reflect the views of donors and recipient regimes rather than indigenous demand. Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Ido Levy is an associate fellow with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, specializing in military and counterterrorism operations, particularly relating to jihadist groups. Formerly editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Public Policy Review, he has written for publications including Studies in Conflict & Terrorism and Middle East Policy. He holds a master's degree from Georgetown University. His first book and most recent publication, "Soldiers of End-Times: Assessing the Military Effectiveness of the Islamic State," looks at jihadist warfare from the 1970s to the present, building on primary sources, and interviews with military officers, experts, and journalists. In doing so, Levy explains how the Islamic State (IS) used conventional military capabilities to defeat larger, better-equipped state armies and conquer land in Syria, Iraq, Libya, the Philippines, and Nigeria. Anchored by four case studies—Ramadi, Kobane, Mosul, and Baghuz—the volume illuminates potential strategies to prevent a resurgence by IS or similar groups. Levy's book [FREE]: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/soldiers-end-times-assessing-military-effectiveness-islamic-state Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ghpmg9HcedM Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Consider leaving a one-time PayPal donation! https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/siko2001?country.x=EG&locale.x=en_US Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per-month! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Farah Darwish is a Syrian student activist, founder, and president of the Lebanese International University (LIU)'s Secular club. Darwish took part in Lebanon's 2019 uprising that lead to --then Prime Minister-- Saad Hariri's resignation. In this episode, Darwish gets into what it felt like protesting the government in Beirut, being Syrian in Lebanon (even though her mother is Lebanese), and what the future holds for the country. Farah Darwish's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefarahdarwish/ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Kate Romashko is an Ukrainian teacher, and Kyiv resident. In this episode of Tahrir podcast, she gets into how the Russian invasion of Ukraine had changed life in Ukraine, as Russian troops close in on Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. The episode was recorded on the 26th of February, 2022. Kate Romashko's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romashko_kate/ Kate Romashko's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romashkokate Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Charlotte Streinger is a French blogger and tutor. Joining us from Damascus, Syria, in this episode, Streinger, among many things, talks about how she ended up in Damascus, how sanctions are affecting Syrians as of 2021, and the catastrophe that looms. Streinger's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlota_green_/ Streinger's Blog: http://carlotagreen.com/ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Ghaya Ben Mbarek is a Tunisian journalist and former student activist. In episode 10 of Tahrir podcast, Ben Mbarek talks about her student activism, Tunisian democracy, Nourredine Bhiri and Fathi Baldi's arrests, Ennahda, Kaes Saed's 25th of July measures, and much more. Ben Mbarek's Twitter (@Ghaya_BM): https://twitter.com/Ghaya_BM Ben Mbarek's bylines (@Meshkal_TN): https://meshkal.org/ Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Laura Kasinof was one of the few foreign journalists in Yemen as the Arab Spring started to unfold there. From Yemen, she reported for the New York Times. Kasinof is also the author of "Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen." In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, she talks about how she met Nobel peace prize winner Tawakkol Karman, how Abdurrabuh Mansur Hadi--current Yemeni President-- called her so she could hand the phone over to Karman so he could congratulate her, and much more. Kasinof's book "Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen." : https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Afraid-Bullets-Accidental-Correspondent/dp/1628726482 Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Laura Kasinof was one of the few foreign journalists in Yemen as the Arab Spring started to unfold there. From Yemen, she reported for the New York Times. Kasinof is also the author of "Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen." In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, she talks about how she ended up in Yemen, how that was motivated by a conversation she had at a DC party, and why Yemenis aren't afraid of bullets (and RPGs).  Kasinof's book: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Afraid-Bullets-Accidental-Correspondent/dp/1628726482  Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Dr. Ronnie Close is a filmmaker, author, and assistant professor of visual media at the American University in Cairo. His most recent publication, "Cairo's Ultras: Resistance and Revolution in Egypt's Football Culture," looks at Cairo's football communities, their cultural practices, the role they played in Egypt's 2011 revolution, and their fan base. Egypt's biggest Ultras groups have been outlawed in 2018, scrambled, and declared terrorist organizations. Cairo's Ultras book (Egypt): https://aucpress.com/product/cairos-ultras/ Cairo's Ultras book (Outside of Egypt): https://www.amazon.com/Cairos-Ultras-Resistance-Revolution-Football/dp/9774169212 Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon (use VPN if in Egypt): https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Hollie S. McKay is a foreign policy expert and war crimes investigator. McKay has worked on the frontlines of several major warzones and covered humanitarian and diplomatic crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Russia, Africa, Latin America, and other areas. Her most recent work is the Amazon best-seller "Only Cry For the Living: Memos from Inside the ISIS Battlefield," where she offers a raw, chronological construction, through her memos, of the historical impact of ISIS across Iraq and Syria as seen through the eyes of sex slaves, internally displaced people, persecuted minorities, humanitarian workers, religious leaders, military commanders and even the terrorists themselves. McKay joins us from Kabul, Afghanistan.  Only Cry for the Living: Memos from the ISIS Battlefield book: https://www.amazon.com/Only-Cry-Living-Battlefield-Foreword/dp/1942549636 Hollie McKay: http://holliemckay.com/  Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com  Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast  Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast 

A staunch Egyptian communist, Ahmed Nada speaks on the role Egyptian Anarchists and Communists played during the revolution, showcasing the similarities between what happened in 1952, 1956, 1977, 2011, 2015. Nada has been a member of the Egyptian Communist Party for nearly six consecutive years. He had also participated in the Egyptian Revolution, and for the 7 years to follow, had been getting treatment for the PTSD it caused. Did you know Egypt's current PM is a former Communist? Listen to the episode. The episode is now out on all podcast streaming platforms—YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, etc. Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Born and raised in LA, Michael Roque was traveling around in 2011, where he happened to find himself in Egypt as the Arab Spring unfolded. In this episode of the Tahrir Podcast, Roque talks about his experience and how it had impacted and remains to impact him. Reach out! Email: TahrirPodcast@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tahrirpodcast/ Streaming everywhere: https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Ryan Klawitter had visited Egypt in 2010 for a summer program at the American University in Cairo, and two years later decided to pursue his graduate studies, also at the American University in Cairo, during the Arab Spring's unfolding. In this episode, we dive deep into some of the crazy situations he's been in. From why he decided to set foot in Cairo in 2010, to witnessing protests, and eventually being taken in custody for a couple of hours while jokingly taking some pictures for friends and family, to random music gigs at different Cairo coffeeshops. Email: TheEgyptianHulkPodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTe1kPcCH7GpI-bq2kvDqqQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheEgyptianHulkPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/eg/podcast/theegyptianhulk/id1554680414 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80Y2QxMTI5OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Anchor: https://anchor.fm/theegyptianhulk Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NwI9T8fkt6GWhvOguwdtm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theegyptianhulkpodcast/

Ameen is a Syrian artist and a student at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts. Ameen lives in Damascus, Syria. In this episode, he takes us on a journey into how life in Damascus, Syria, is like in 2021. He also goes into depth about his art, photography, and future projects he's working on. The episode is out on all podcast streaming platforms—YouTube, Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, PocketCast, etc. Ameen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ameenakaseem/ Podcast Email: TheEgyptianHulkPodcast@gmail.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheEgyptianHulkPodcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTe1kPcCH7GpI-bq2kvDqqQ

Jonathan Pye is an Archaeologist and a Swedish national that happened to be in Tahrir Square during the 7 days of the Egyptian revolution. During this time, he's had multiple extraordinary approaches and experiences in the middle of where the Arab Spring was brewing. Pye also had been picking olives in Palestine in 2009. In this episode of the Egyptian Hulk Podcast, we get into his time in Palestine, and most importantly, his time in Cairo, Tahrir Square, during the Egyptian revolution. YouTube Full Episode: https://youtu.be/qN8zG4Api_c Email: TheEgyptianHulkPodcast@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theegyptianhulkpodcast/