Podcasts about Arabian Peninsula

In this episode of the Ephesiology Podcast, Michael T. Cooper and Andrew Johnson introduce Dr. Cooper's seminar, “Let the Stones Speak,” part of the Archaeology Meets Missiology series. The conversation explores five archaeological discoveries that preserve early memories of Jesus across Asia Minor, North Africa, Edessa, and the Arabian Peninsula. From inscriptions and graffiti to apocryphal traditions and Christograms, these discoveries reveal how the early church remembered, proclaimed, and worshiped Jesus, not only through written texts, but also through the material record left behind in stone. Along the way, Michael reflects on the difference between what Jesus did and who Jesus is, showing how archaeology can deepen our understanding of early Christology and encourage the church today. Keywords: Archaeology, Missiology, Ephesiology, Let the Stones Speak, Memory of Jesus, Early Church, Christology, Functional Christology, Ontological Christology, Abgar and Jesus, Edessa, Smyrna, Sardis, Pantokratoros Inscription, Christogram, North Africa, Thugga, Jordan, Arabian Peninsula, Crypto Portico, Archaeological Record, Material Culture, Early Christian Witness, Jesus in Archaeology, Gods Emperors Philosophers and a New Movement Key Takeaways Archaeology preserves early memories of Jesus.The episode highlights how inscriptions, graffiti, letters, and symbols offer physical evidence of how Jesus was remembered and proclaimed in the early centuries of the church. The archaeological record complements the biblical text.Michael emphasizes that while Scripture remains central, material culture provides additional historical evidence for what early Christians believed about Jesus. The early church remembered both what Jesus did and who Jesus is.The conversation introduces the distinction between functional Christology—what Jesus did—and ontological Christology—who Jesus is in his essence. Five discoveries point to the wide geographical reach of Jesus memory.The seminar focuses on evidence from places such as Edessa, Smyrna, Sardis, North Africa, and the desert of Jordan. The Abgar-Jesus tradition reflects a broad and enduring memory.Though apocryphal in nature, the Abgar tradition is significant because of its wide geographical spread across places such as Egypt, Armenia, and Turkey. The Sardis Pantokratoros inscription raises important questions.Michael notes that the inscription may contribute to broader evidence suggesting Christian use of the so-called synagogue at Sardis. The Christogram in North Africa shows how Christian symbols could be overlooked or forgotten.Michael recounts seeing a Christogram dismissed as a sundial, showing how visible Christian memory can remain unrecognized in certain contexts. The Arabian Peninsula may yield more discoveries.The Jordan inscription points toward the possibility of future finds that may further illuminate the presence and memory of Jesus in Arabia. Research continues after publication.Andrew notes that Michael's seminar includes discoveries and developments not fully represented in his book, reminding listeners that scholarship is an ongoing process. Archaeology can be faith-building and encouraging.The episode closes with the reminder that seeing the historical and physical impact of Jesus across regions and centuries can strengthen faith and deepen wonder. Connect With Us Follow Ephesiology: Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Follow Andrew Johnson @thediscfan.bsky.social If this episode encouraged you, please leave a review and share it with others exploring missional living in post-Christian contexts. Thanks for doing theology in community with us today! If you have a question or topic that you'd like to hear addressed on the Ephesiology Podcast, just send it to Andrew at thediscfan@gmail.com. Donate Find the podcast on your favorite podcast app Just search for “Ephesiology” Our Podcasters Michael CooperProfessor | Missiologist | AuthorMichael is the missiologist in residence with East West where he focuses on equipping and empowering church leaders in evangelism, discipleship, leadership, and catalyzing church planting movements in the most difficult to reach places on the planet. He is the author of Ephesiology: The Study of the Ephesian Movement as well as many other books and academic articles. He has lectured at universities around the world and serves as affiliate faculty at Kairos University where he facilitates the degree programs in partnership with Ephesiology Master Classes.Andrew JohnsonMinistry Lead, West Village ChurchAndrew is a proud husband, father and pastor who desires all to know the one true King. He is honored to serve at West Village Church in Victoria, BC. Previously, he's ministered in Houston, Chicago, Indy, Flagstaff and Tempe in a variety of church contexts. Andrew has a BA in Christian Ministry from Trinity International University and an MA from Phoenix Seminary. He is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Kairos University and is the co-host of the Ephesiology Podcast. When not at work, he's an avid disc golfing, vinyl playing, Spider-Man following/collecting fellow. Go Pacers. Pick up Dr. Cooper’s latest book Religions, politics, and education shaped the cultural world of Asia Minor where a new faith emerged that would change history. Gods, Emperors, Philosophers, and a New Movement uncovers how the earliest Christians navigated—and often disrupted and adapted—the dominant forces of their age. Drawing on decades of research, fieldwork, and teaching, Michael T. Cooper takes readers beneath the surface of Ephesos, Smyrna, Pergamon, and other cities to reveal how temples, inscriptions, and civic spaces illuminate the missionary impulse of the first Christians. Far from being silent, the archaeological record testifies to their resilience, creativity, and bold proclamation of the gospel in a world saturated with competing loyalties. This is more than history. By examining how the early church encountered powerful religious traditions, political ideologies, and systems of education, today's missionaries and church leaders gain fresh vision for gospel engagement in their own pluralistic and contested contexts. The dynamics that shaped mission in the first centuries—identity, power, worldview, and cultural disruption—remain central to how the good news advances today. This book is an invitation to rediscover the mission of God in the archaeological record and to discern its enduring relevance for faithful witness in the twenty-first century. Buy on Amazon Do you enjoy the Ephesiology Podcast? Partner with the Pod The Ephesiology Podcast comes to you from a desire to engage in community conversations about the intersection of theology and culture. We do not believe such dialogue should come with a cost so the podcast will always be free. However, if you've benefited from the Ephesiology Podcast, would you consider a nominal $5 per month donation? All proceeds from the podcast go toward helping bring needed theological education to the majority world through our Ephesiology Master Class initiative to end a theological famine. We'd be honored to partner with you to continue providing solid biblical, theological, and missiological content for listeners around the world. Donate Empowering Future Church Leaders Imagine a world where passionate, equipped Christian leaders spread God's Word in areas with the greatest need—leaders grounded in both deep theology and practical ministry skills, trained to make a lasting impact in their communities. Through your support, this vision can become a reality for students from countries like Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Nepal, and India who are eager to teach and multiply disciple-makers in their own regions. Learn More Ephesiology: A Study of the Ephesian Movement If you want to understand principles for the growth of Christianity in the first century, the place to begin is the city of Ephesus. In this winsome study, Ephesiology offers readers a comprehensive view of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the most significant city of the New Testament, and compels us to ask the question: how can we effectively connect Christ to our culture? “Masterfully handling the book of Ephesians and using its content as a definitive guide, Michael Cooper lays a theologically strong foundation that is both corrective and directive to disciple making movements. The principles he gleans from the book of Ephesians and related texts, help to ensure the on-going multiplication and maturation of a movement. Because these are supra-cultural principles, they are applicable anywhere in the world.” Marvin J. Newell, Staff Missiologist, Missio Nexus, Author of Crossing Cultures in Scripture Buy This Now! Educating to Shift the Tracks of History To shift the tracks of history requires leaders who are equipped to critically assess and engage the contours of contemporary culture. As a new initiative in collaboration with the Movement Leaders Collective, Kairos University, and Ephesiology, we deliver just-in-time theological education focused on issues important to you, mxAcademy is designed as the theological and missiological foundation to unlock your potential as a movement leader and catalytic thinker. mxAcademy is a dynamic and innovative educational experience rooted in mDNA.We dream of a church fully equipped, fully mature, fully mobilized, and fully alive. A church that lives and breathes the Good News of Jesus! Learn More Join a Community Conversation at Ephesiology Master Classes Areopagus Symposium Taking its inspiration from the historical and philosophical legacy of Athens, Greece, the Areopagus Symposium focuses on intellectual and philosophical topics related to Christology, missiology, and ecclesiology. We invite scholars, theologians, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds to engage in a profound exploration of the theological landscape at the intersection of these vital disciplines. Sign up for an Ephesiology Master Classes account and gain free access to the Areopagus Symposium. Check it out! The Ephesiology Podcast and Ephesiology Master Classes are ministries of TELOS.GO, a registered 501c3 non-profit agency committed to imaginatively missional ways of engageing culture, church planting, and theological education. Your donation to the podcast is tax deductible.

How have the wars in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza reshaped the power balance in the Middle-East? In conversation with Taghreed El-Khodary (Middle East Analyst, journalist and former reporter at the New York Times), Derk Walters (Journalist and Middle East editor NRC), Máté Szalai (Expert on gulf relations Clingendael) and Gertjan Hoetjes (Lecturer at European Studies with a background in Middle Eastern Politics and Political Science).The wars in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza have significantly upended the balance of power in the Middle East. Israel has strengthened its position as a regional power. Iran has taken heavy blows, but the regime remains firmly in power (and now controls the Strait of Hormuz). Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are meanwhile engaged in their own power struggle over who will become the leading power on the Arabian Peninsula.Especially for the latter two countries, the Iran war may have major consequences. Now that Iranian missiles have threatened skyscrapers in Dubai and Riyadh, the illusion of a safe haven for investors and expats has been shattered, thereby severely endangering their economic model.During this program, we examine the new balance of power in the Middle East. Who will emerge stronger from the recent wars? And what does that mean for the proxy conflicts in places such as Sudan and Yemen?Moderator: Nadia MoussaidProgramme editor: Senna FeliusSupported by: VfondsZie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

fWotD Episode 3291: The Great Mecca Feast Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 9 May 2026, is The Great Mecca Feast.The Great Mecca Feast (Dutch: Het Groote Mekka-Feest) is a 1928 documentary film by George Krugers. Divided into four acts, it opens with a group of Muslim men from the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) beginning the hajj pilgrimage, then showcases elements of everyday life and worship in the Hejaz region of the Arabian Peninsula – including the hajj itself. As Mecca had long been closed to non-Muslims, Krugers passed as a Muslim and recorded film and still-photographic documentation of the pilgrimage. In this endeavour, he was supported by people in both the Dutch East Indies and the Hejaz.Krugers intended for The Great Mecca Feast to be screened at the Paris Colonial Exposition. Although it was well-received upon its Dutch première on 9 November 1928, subsequent showings were rare and the film faded into obscurity. Described as the first documentary about the hajj, the film is the only one of Krugers's works known to have survived. The Great Mecca Feast began receiving scholarly interest in the 2010s. Since then, it has been analysed within the context of colonial networks and control over the hajj process, as well as a primary document providing insight into the experiences of contemporary pilgrims.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:32 UTC on Saturday, 9 May 2026.For the full current version of the article, see The Great Mecca Feast on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Emma.

Rune Lykkeberg har i denne uge talt med den iranskfødte forsker og forfatter Laleh Khalili om bagtæppet for den aktuelle konflikt mellem Israel, USA og Iran. --- Ugens gæst i Langsomme samtaler er den iranskfødte forsker og professor ved University of Exeter, Laleh Khalili, der er en af sin generations mest skarpsindige tænkere inden for global handel og geopolitik.  Laleh Khalili er født og opvokset i Iran og med egne ord 'et barn af olie' – hendes far arbejdede med olie, og hun oplevede oliens betydning gennem hele sin opvækst. Siden har hun bl.a. studeret i USA på University of Texas og skrevet ph.d.-afhandling ved Columbia University i New York. Laleh Khalili er en af de sjældne forfattere, som både går op i geopolitik, kapitalisme, shippingindustrien, maritime regler og den kolonialistiske arv. Alt det, som er på spil i den aktuelle konflikt mellem Israel, USA og Iran, har Laleh Khalili altså beskæftiget sig med. Hun markerede sig for alvor, da hun i 2020 udgav det anmelderroste værk Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula, der på én gang er en rejse ind i den maritime kapitalisme og en afslørende analyse af, hvordan magten på verdenshavene definerer vores moderne økonomi. Dén bog, altså fortællingen om livet på de enorme containerskibe og det uregulerede forretningsliv til søs, har vi tidligere talt med hende om her i podcasten. Men i denne her uge gælder det Laleh Khalilis seneste forskning. Hendes nye bog, der udkom i slutningen af sidste år, hedder Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy. Her undersøger Khalili, hvad olien har betydet for Mellemøsten, og hvordan olien var en del af imperialismen, men også en del af opgøret med imperialismen. Hun ser på, hvordan kontrollen med naturressourcerne i Mellemøsten altid har været en fuldstændig integreret del af en lokal magtkamp, der også betjener en magtkamp i hele verden. Hvis man vil vide, hvad der egentlig foregår nedenunder de aktuelle konflikter i Mellemøsten; hvis man interesserer sig for, hvordan shippingruter, råstofudvinding og kolonial arv hænger uløseligt sammen med moderne storpolitik, og hvis man vil forstå det store bagtæppe af magtkampe, der udspiller sig mellem USA, Iran og resten af verden – ja, så er denne uges afsnit med Laleh Khalili et godt sted at starte.

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 4-20-26.1689 ARABIAN PENINSULAThe Fog of Peace and the Strait of Hormuz: The US and Iran are currently in a "fog of peace," where a ceasefire is complicated by a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated after the US seized an Iranian cargo ship attempting to run the blockade. Negotiations in Islamabad face a massive diplomatic chasm regarding nuclear and missile programs. Bill Roggio (1)The Persistence of Iranian Proxies: Iran has not "turned off" proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, despite ongoing ceasefire talks. Bill Roggio argues that assassinating leaders is ineffective, as Hezbollah maintains significant power and a plurality in the Lebanese parliament. These groups continue to operate independently to provoke Israel and the surrounding neighborhood. Bill Roggio (2)Navigating Iran's Fractured Leadership: Iran's leadership is currently a faceless structure of five major figures, following the supreme leader's absence. This complicates diplomacy because no single person has decisive say. The regime remains paranoid about appearing weak and is unlikely to make concessions on its nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Jonathan Sayeh (3)Internal Unrest and Chemical WMD Threats: Iran is attempting to incorporate its proxies into diplomatic deals with Washington. Internally, the regime faces unrest in Baluch majority areas and economic grievances. There are alarming reports that the regime has developed aerosolized fentanyl, a chemical weapon intended to suppress domestic protesters with lethal force. Jonathan Sayeh (4)Memorial Day and Iran's Economic Ruin: Israel observes Memorial Day for 27,000 fallen soldiers amid a seven-sided war. In Iran, the economy is collapsing as the IRGC takes control. Despite heavy bombing, the IRGC has reportedly reawakened its missile arsenal to 70% capacity, utilizing underground storage to protect launchers from past Israeli and US strikes. Malcolm Hoenlein (5)Global Terror Cells and the Isaac Accords: Iranian-backed terror cells were discovered in Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Europe targeting synagogues and government facilities. Meanwhile, the "Isaac Accords" between Israel and Argentina, led by Javier Milei, seek to deepen ties in Latin America. Additionally, Turkey is proposing new rail links to bypass strategic maritime choke points. Malcolm Hoenlein (6)The Anti-American Shift in South Korea: South Korea's administration is described as an illegitimate, pro-North Korean regime. President Lee Jae-myung has allegedly bribed North Korea and moved to disarm South Koreansoldiers. Experts suggest the US should utilize UN Central Command to restore legitimate leadership and prevent the alliance from further deteriorating. Morse Tan (7)Defense Partnerships in Southeast Asia: The US and Indonesia have formed a major defense partnership, providing a critical counterweight to Chinese influence. Indonesia is seeking private capital for high-tech and extractive projects. Security remains a concern as Chinese drones have been found in Indonesian waters and fishing fleets frequently violate maritime boundaries. Charles Ortell (8)Toughening the Non-Proliferation Treaty: Henry Sokolski argues the NPT needs updating to deny states the "right" to make nuclear fuel. He highlights that the Bushehr reactor contains spent fuel rods capable of producing 200 plutonium bombs. He recommends that Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states pay to return this dangerous material to Russia. Henry Sokolski (9)Weaponizing Space and the Golden Dome: The IRGC used a commercial satellite to target US bases, resulting in an attack in Kuwait. The Pentagon is struggling with jamming and shutter control issues regarding commercial systems like Starlink. Oversight is requested for the "Golden Dome" defense program due to its high costs and limited information sharing. Henry Sokolski (10)Election Fraud and Global Progressivism: Peru faces a crisis over alleged electoral fraud following irregularities in the presidential count. In Barcelona, a "Global Progressivism" meeting led by Pedro Sanchez gathered leftist leaders to counter the "global right." Critics argue these leftist movements are increasingly intertwined with organized crime and drug trafficking. Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo (11)The Rise of Flavio Bolsonaro and Venezuela's Fate: Flavio Bolsonaro is leading polls in Brazil, representing a hope for clean governance against Lula's corruption-prone administration. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan regime has halted compliance with political reforms, making it dangerous for Maria Corina Machado to return. Brazil remains the "big one" for the region's political balance. Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo (12)The Restrictive Ceasefire in Lebanon: A new ceasefire in Lebanon is highly restrictive, limiting Israeli self-defense to "imminent" or "ongoing" attacks. President Trump reportedly strong-armed Israel into this stand-down to facilitate maritime negotiations with Iran. Consequently, Hezbollah is expected to use this period to regenerate its forces and rebuild its infrastructure. David Daoud (13)Hezbollah's Victory Narrative and Bint Jbeil: Hezbollah continues to attack Israeli convoys and refuses to surrender its arsenal, claiming the ceasefire as a victory. The town of Bint Jbeil remains a critical symbolic and military prize for the group. The Lebanese government shows no determination to disarm Hezbollah or enforce sovereignty in the southern region. David Daoud (14)The Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed as a standoff persists between the US blockade and Iranian vessels. While Iran has the patience for a long conflict, the US is pressured by midterm elections and oil prices. Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, are increasingly hawkish, urging the US to finish the job. Edmund Fitton Brown (15)Iran's Agile Diplomacy and the Five Files: Iran is "moving the goalposts" by linking the Lebanon ceasefire to maritime negotiations. Success requires progress on five files: the Strait, nuclear program, ballistic missiles, proxies, and human rights. Some Gulf autocracies may prefer a weakened Iran over a successful democratic regime change that could threaten their own prestige. Edmund Fitton Brown (16)

Our changing climate is accelerating conflict and migration, with the potential to drive political instability from the Sahel to Saudi Arabia to Siberia. From the water-stressed mountains of the Arabian Peninsula to the wildfires raging through America's most populated regions, the climate crisis is already affecting the lives of millions.  In a new book, Elemental, former diplomat Arthur Snell explores how global powers must adapt to new vulnerabilities, the risk of future conflicts over natural resources, and the links between the climate crisis and the rise of populism in Europe and the United States. In this episode, he speaks to journalist Adam McCauley about our rapidly changing geopolitics, the technologies available to help us adapt to a heating planet, the potential for new forms of political cooperation and the choices we need to make to avert disaster. Arthur Snell is a former British diplomat who has worked in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. His new book is Elemental: The New Geography of Climate Change and How We Survive It.  If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Delta is raising fees for checked luggage this week, according to a statement from the company sent to Forbes on Tuesday—as it seeks to cover the increase in jet fuel prices driven by the U.S. war in Iran. Key Facts Delta will increase the fees for a first and second item of checked baggage by $10, pushing prices to $45 and $55, respectively. The airline is also planning to hike the fees for a third item by $50, meaning customers will pay $200 if they take three bags. The new prices “reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” Delta spokesperson Chelsea Wollerson said in a statement sent to Forbes on Tuesday. The price increases will begin for tickets purchased on or after Wednesday. The pricing changes only apply to domestic flights and some select short-haul international flights, according to the company. Other Airlines Raise Luggage Fees Delta is the third U.S. airline to announce price increases for baggage as oil disruptions related to the Iran war continue to impact air travel. United announced a similar price hike last week, also raising prices for checked bags by $10. JetBlue also announced changes to their checked baggage fees last week, raising fees for off-peak travel by $4 and peak travel by $9. Key Background Jet fuel prices have skyrocketed in the last few weeks due to the ongoing war in Iran. After the U.S. and Israel began a campaign of air strikes against the country on Feb. 28, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that separates it from the Arabian Peninsula. About 20 million barrels of oil per day passed through the strait in 2025, according to the International Energy Association, or about 25% of the world's oil transported by sea. The closure has caused prices for oil and petroleum products like jet fuel to spike. The average price of jet fuel reached $4.69 per gallon on Monday, according to data compiled by aviation trade group Airlines for America—up from $2.50 per gallon on Feb. 27, one day before the war began. Read the full story on Forbes: By Zachary Folk https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2026/04/07/delta-raises-fees-for-checked-bags-as-iran-war-spikes-jet-fuel-prices/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever considered how you can give to God's passion? In this episode, Jeff and Paul discuss:  The power of building and maintaining relationships. Spreading the gospel and accepting the great commission. Viewing your business as a mission field. Laying aside your bias to listen and give better.    Key Takeaways:  When sharing the gospel, you need to understand your audience - it isn't about you. God is raising up people in every country. By working together, the Kindom will grow that much faster and stronger. Prayer is as much listening as it is speaking. Start your giving by listening to Him with intention. You don't have to be passionate about one cause or another before you start giving. Let God lead, and your heart will follow where He leads.    "When you give to something, your passion will follow." —  Paul Schultheis   Episode References:  The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn   About Paul Schultheis: Paul is SRG's founder and managing partner for Strategic Initiatives. His vision is to position SRG to strategically mobilize and direct people, prayer, and financial resources into partnerships with churches and key ministries in the Middle East, North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Additionally, Paul is a general partner and CEO of Real Property Investment Services, Inc., and a managing partner of numerous real estate investment and development partnerships that own apartment complexes and build single-family home developments in northern Arizona.  Prior to entering the real estate field in 1976, Paul spent 10 years in the electric utility industry, working in various corporate staff positions at Southern California Edison, where his final position as manager of corporate planning provided him with considerable experience in long-range planning and economic forecasting. He has served on the boards of Interdev, Apartment Life, and the English Language Institute in China. Paul served for years on the ministry council at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena. He founded SRG under the name MENA Partners in 1997.  Paul has a BS in management science from California State University, Los Angeles, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. He also completed several graduate and management courses at California State University, Caltech Industrial Relations Institute, and the University of Michigan. He taught business management courses at Caltech and Pepperdine University Graduate School of Business. Paul lives in Newport Beach, California, and has three adult daughters and six grandchildren. His wife, Linda, partnered with him in ministry until her passing in February 2024.   Connect with Paul Schultheis: Website: https://srgweb.org/    Connect with Jeff Thomas:  Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/ Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/ Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

The Middle East conflict has entered its 5th week, and the stakes just hit a new high. From the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula, shipping routes are under threat, pushing oil toward a breaking point. Sanket Bendre analyzes the 440-point Nifty slide and the RBI's move to tighten onshore exposure limits. We discuss why banking stocks are the biggest laggards and how Pakistan's "Peace Talks" could be the only wildcard left for the bulls.

The Middle East conflict has entered its 5th week, and the stakes just hit a new high. From the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula, shipping routes are under threat, pushing oil toward a breaking point. Sanket Bendre analyzes the 440-point Nifty slide and the RBI's move to tighten onshore exposure limits. We discuss why banking stocks are the biggest laggards and how Pakistan's "Peace Talks" could be the only wildcard left for the bulls.

The Middle East conflict has entered its 5th week, and the stakes just hit a new high. From the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula, shipping routes are under threat, pushing oil toward a breaking point. Sanket Bendre analyzes the 440-point Nifty slide and the RBI's move to tighten onshore exposure limits. We discuss why banking stocks are the biggest laggards and how Pakistan's "Peace Talks" could be the only wildcard left for the bulls.

The conversation covers a wide range of topics, from weather chit-chat to geopolitical discussions, literary debates, and the fabled lost city of Atlantis. It delves into the influence of the Strange Stuff Podcast, the impact of social media, and the political landscape, offering insights into Plato's allegorical tale of Atlantis and its connection to his political and moral ideas. The conversation delves into the legends and mysteries surrounding lost cities such as Atlantis, El Dorado, Zed, and Iram. It explores the historical and archaeological evidence supporting the existence of these cities, captivating the audience with tales of ancient civilizations and their enigmatic disappearances. The conversation delves into the captivating allure of lost cities and ancient legends, exploring the mysteries of Iram, Thule, Russia's underwater holy city, and the lost city of Zerzura. Each chapter uncovers the fascination with these ancient tales and the enduring quest to uncover their secrets.TakeawaysAtlantis as an allegoryPlato's political and moral ideas Lost cities and their legends have captivated popular interest for centuries.Modern archaeology has provided evidence to support the existence of advanced settlements in the Amazon and the Arabian Peninsula. Lost cities and ancient legends continue to captivate the imagination of explorers and scholars.The search for lost cities is often driven by the allure of treasure and the mystery of ancient civilizations.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Weather Chit-Chat05:02 Capital Markets and Trump's Inconsistency25:02 Atlantis: A Philosophical Allegory30:34 The Search for El Dorado44:42 The Mystery of Zed57:41 The Lost City of Iram01:05:23 Thule and the Edge of the Ancient World01:14:41 Russia's Underwater Holy City01:23:16 The Lost City of Zerzura

On today's episode, Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson sits down with two veterans of the intelligence community to get their take on the ongoing Iran conflict.Before leaving government last year, Aaron Faust was a senior official in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), where he had previously served as Division Chief for Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula. William "Chip" Usher, meanwhile, is the Senior Director for Intelligence at the Special Competitiveness Studies Project and a professor of practice at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He previously spent 32 years with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), much of it focused on the Middle East.Together, Scott, Aaron, and Chip discuss the national security threats that Iran presents, the challenges that large-scale military operations against Iran were expected to present, and where the Trump administration—and Iran—may take the conflict from here.For more of Chip's analysis, read his newsletter "Fault Lines" and check out his podcast, "Intel at the Edge.” You can also find Aaron's satirical takes on current affairs on his Substack, Ridiculocracy.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To understand what is currently happening in the Middle East, particularly as concerns U.S., you need to understand three things: The cudgel of Political Zionism Luring ‘Christian Zionists’ (oxymoron) to do the fighting (dying) As limited hangout, drawing attention away from Ben Gurion Canal Project Israel, so-called as central Command Node The Beast / ten horns (Commercial Babylon) will destroy the great whore (Religious Babylon) When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers[1] “Nothing personal, it’s just business.” – Otto Berman Links Headlines Maddow connects the dots as Trump boosts Russia while Putin helps Iran target Americans | Raw Story “I’m F–cking DONE”: The Internet Is Losing Its Absolute Mind Over Karoline Leavitt’s Draft Comments | Buzzfeed Lindsey Graham asks Americans to 'send their sons and daughters to the Middle East' to fight Iran | The Mirror Trump’s new DHS pick can’t stop embarrassing himself — and he hasn’t even started | Opinion | Raw Story Pete Hegseth Outright Quotes Scripture in Iran War Briefing | The New Republic Trump targeted by four FBI code-named counterintel probes that ensnared hundreds of Americans | Just The News Canadian police investigate reports of gunfire at US consulate in Toronto | AP News Trump's ‘free flow of energy' vow fails to restart shipping in strait of Hormuz | The Guardian Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN White House Forced to Walk Back Trump’s Brazen Threat | The Daily Beast Discussed United States of LARPing On the dangers of cosplay – by Alex Berenson The Cudgel of Political Zionism Benjamin Netanyahu – Wikipedia Netanyahu’s government has been orchestrating the genocide in Gaza, culminating in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine. Netanyahu was born in 1949 in Tel Aviv. His mother, Tzila Segal, was born in Petah Tikva in the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem—her family had migrated from Minneapolis in 1911, having relocated there from Lithuania in the 1870s—and studied law at Gray’s Inn, London. His father, Warsaw-born Benzion Netanyahu (né Mileikowsky), was a historian specializing in the Jewish Golden Age of Spain. His paternal grandfather, Nathan Mileikowsky, was a rabbi and Zionist writer. When Netanyahu’s father immigrated to Mandatory Palestine, he adopted a Hebrew surname of “Netanyahu”, meaning “God has given.” While his family is predominantly Ashkenazi, he has said that a DNA test revealed some Sephardic ancestry. He claims descent from the Vilna Gaon. At MIT, Netanyahu studied a double-load while taking courses at Harvard University, completing his bachelor’s degree in architecture in two and a half years, despite taking a break to fight in the Yom Kippur War. Professor Leon B. Groisser at MIT recalled: “He did superbly. He was very bright. Organized. Strong. Powerful. He knew what he wanted to do and how to get it done.” At that time he changed his name to Benjamin “Ben” Nitai (Nitai, a reference to both Mount Nitai and to the eponymous Jewish sage Nittai of Arbela, was a pen name often used by his father for articles). Years later, in an interview with the media, Netanyahu clarified that he decided to do so to make it easier for Americans to pronounce his name. This fact has been used by his political rivals to accuse him indirectly of a lack of Israeli national identity and loyalty. Netanyahu worked as an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group… Revisionist Zionism – Wikipedia Lebensraum – Wikipedia Greater Israel – Wikipedia Pastor Adam Fannin, Law of Liberty Baptist Church: Who is the Synagogue of Satan? – YouTube Mentioned Genesis 9 (KJV) – God shall enlarge Japheth, and Genesis 10 (KJV) – And the sons of Gomer; Japheth – Wikipedia Linked END TIMES Prophecy – YouTube Romans 11 Israel was Cast Away, Not God’s People – YouTube Who is the Israel of God? – Pastor Tim DeVries – YouTube American civil religion – Wikipedia Ceremonial deism – Wikipedia The Apotheosis of Washington – Wikipedia Biblical Religion and Civil Religion in America by Robert N. Bellah Thom Hartmann, Jared Kushner has some explaining to do – Alternet.org Israel as Central Command Node You Can't Understand Israel Until You See This || Prof Jiang Xueqin #profjiangstyle – YouTube Ben Gurion Canal Project The Blogs: The Ben Gurion Canal: Vision Amidst Upheaval | Bepi Pezzulli | The Times of Israel What is Israel’s Ben Gurion canal plan and why Gaza matters Gaza's genocide, the Ben-Gurion canal, and the politics of reconstruction – erasure by design – Middle East Monitor Ben Gurion Canal will Reshape Regional Power Dynamics Israel's $55 Billion Canal to Rival Suez | A Project That Could Change Global Trade – YouTube How is the Proposed Ben Gurion Canal Tied to Israel’s Gaza Invasion? – CounterPunch.org At the September 2023 G20 meeting shortly before the Hamas attack, the India-Middle East Corridor was announced. It would create a transportation link from India to Europe across the Arabian Peninsula via Dubai in the UAE to the Israeli port of Haifa. In December 2023, even after Israel launched its invasion of Gaza, UAE and Israeli interests made a deal to create a land bridge between Dubai and Haifa. The Geopolitics of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor US, India, Saudi, EU unveil rail, ports deal on G20 sidelines | Reuters ‘Israel’,UAE to establish land bridge between ports: Israeli media | Al Mayadeen English The £77 Billion Canal To Rival Suez Canal And Connect The Red And Mediterranean Seas – 2oceansvibe News | South African and international news Mystery Babylon: Commercial Babylon Destroys Religious Babylon Revelation 17 (KJV) – And there came one of Revelation 18 (KJV) – And after these things I WWIII WW3 – Albert Pike and the Three World Wars The Third World War must be fomented by taking advantage of the differences caused by the ‘agentur’ of the ‘Illuminati’ between the political Zionists and the leaders of Islamic World. The war must be conducted in such a way that Islam (the Moslem Arabic World) and political Zionism (the State of Israel) mutually destroy each other. Meanwhile the other nations, once more divided on this issue will be constrained to fight to the point of complete physical, moral, spiritual and economical exhaustion… We shall unleash the Nihilists and the atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment be without compass or direction, anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view. This manifestation will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time. Col Doug Macgregor: We’re in a Run Up to WW3 – YouTube Iran’s Missiles DEVASTATE Haifa Port & Tel Aviv, Trump Eyes Ground War | Elijah Magnier – YouTube John Mearsheimer: No Winning in Iran for the U.S. – YouTube Jeffrey Sachs Warns US Militarism Risks Wider War Over Iran – YouTube Industrial Complex Apex The Anglo-American Establishment Quigley exposes the secret society’s established in London in 1891, by Cecil Rhodes. Quigley explains how these men worked in union to begin their society to control the world. He explains how all the wars from that time were deliberately created to control the economies of all the nations. Audience Contributed Who Will Replace the American Empire? Simon Dixon vs Professor Jiang (Official Re-upload) – YouTube On This Day On This Day – What Happened on March 10 Today in History: March 10, the Tibetan uprising of 1959 | AP News What Happened on March 10 – On This Day What Happened on March 10 | HISTORY March 10 – Wikipedia Holidays Harriet Tubman Day in some parts of the United States Historical Events 2023 – Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapses due to a run on its deposits, in the second largest bank failure in US history. Its operations are taken over by the FDIC. 2008 – The New York Times revealed that Eliot Spitzer, Governor of New York, had patronized a prostitution ring. 2000 – Dot-Bomb: NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5,048.62 (or was it 5,132.52?): The dotcom boom, which started in 1997, accompanied the advent of countless new Internet-based companies. When the speculative bubble burst, many small investors were affected. 1982 – Syzygy: All nine planets recognized at this time — Mercury to Pluto — align on the same side of the Sun. 1979 – 1979 International Women’s Day protests in Tehran: Protestor involvement peaks with 15,000 Iranian women and girls performing a three‐hour-long sit‐in at the Courthouse of Tehran. 1977 – Astronomers discover the rings of Uranus. 1975 – Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnamese troops attack Ban Mê Thuột in the South on their way to capturing Saigon in the final push for victory over South Vietnam. 1970 – Vietnam War: My Lai war crimes: The U.S. Army accuses Capt. Ernest Medina and four other soldiers of committing crimes at My Lai (also known as Songmy) 1969 – James Earl Ray pleaded guilty – on his 41st birthday! – in Memphis, Tennessee, to assassinating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (Ray later repudiated that plea, maintaining his innocence until his death.) 1959 – Tibetan uprising: thousands of Tibetans rebelled against occupying Chinese forces, surrounding the Dalai Lama's palace to protect him from potential harm. Fierce fighting between Tibetans and Chinese forces ensued in the following days, causing the Dalai Lama to flee Tibet for India, where he remains in exile today. 1945 – WWII: Deadliest air raid of World War II sets Tokyo on fire after nighttime B-29 bombings; more than 100,000 people die, mostly civilians 1933 – The Long Beach earthquake affects the Greater Los Angeles Area, leaving around 108 people dead. 1922 – Mohandas Gandhi is arrested in India, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years in prison, only to be released after nearly two years for an appendicitis operation. 1876 – The first telephone call is made: Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the words “Mr. Watson, come here – I want to see you” to his assistant, Thomas A. Watson, who was in the next-door room. 1864 – President Lincoln signs Ulysses S. Grant's commission to command the U.S. Army: President Abraham Lincoln assigned Ulysses S. Grant, who had just received his commission as lieutenant-general, to the command of the Armies of the United States. 1848 – The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican–American War. 1496 – Christopher Columbus concluded his second visit to the Western Hemisphere as he left Hispaniola for Spain. Births 1994 – Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and wrestler 1992 – Emily Osment, American actress and singer-songwriter 1984 – Olivia Wilde, American actress and director 1983 – Carrie Underwood, American singer-songwriter 1971 – Jon Hamm, American actor and director 1958 – Sharon Stone, American actress, producer 1957 – Osama bin Laden, Saudi Arabian terrorist, founded al-Qaeda 1940 – Chuck Norris, American actor, martial artist 1928 – James Earl Ray, accused assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. (died 1998) Deaths 2018 – Hubert de Givenchy, French fashion designer, founded luxury fashion and perfume house of Givenchy in 1952 2012 – Jean Giraud, French author, illustrator 1988 – Andy Gibb, English/Australian singer 1948 – Zelda Fitzgerald, American author 1913 – Harriet Tubman, American nurse, activist, abolitionist, Underground Railroad “conductor” Footnotes The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. 2008. Edited by John Simpson and Jennifer Speake, 5th ed., Oxford University Press, 2009, www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199539536.001.0001/acref-9780199539536-e-650. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026. African proverb, meaning that the weak get hurt in conflicts between the powerful. 1936 New York Times 26 Mar. ︎

Middle East countries are intercepting strikes as dawn breaks on the war's seventh day. Iran is seeking to degrade air defenses by destroying US-made radars that detect missiles and drones, satellite images in the Arabian Peninsula suggest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comAllah does not leave us alone on this earth.After Adam's descent, after the warnings about Shaitan's tactics, after the long passage of advice to the children of Adam — Allah makes a promise. Ya Bani Adam, imma ya'tiyannakum rusulum minkum. O children of Adam, surely a messenger from amongst you will come to you.That word surely is embedded in the Arabic itself. The verb does not simply say ya'tikum — he will come. It says ya'tiyannakum — with a heavy nun at the end, what grammarians call nun thaqilah. In Arabic, sound carries meaning. That heaviness is emphasis. That emphasis is a promise. Allah will not send you into this world and abandon you without guidance.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.A Prophet From Among YouThe first audience of this ayat was the Quraysh. And the message to them was pointed: this messenger is from amongst you. He is Arab. He is Qurayshi. If he succeeds, it is your success. If his message spreads, it is the Arabs who are elevated.Consider their situation. The Arabian Peninsula sat sandwiched between two of the greatest empires in human history — the Sassanid Persian Empire to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. Alexander the Great had swept across the known world but did not even bother to venture south into Arabia. Rocks and camels, they said. The Arabs had no comparable civilisation, no unified identity, no place in the story of the great powers.And here was a prophet — from among them — carrying a message that would unite them, give them identity, and ultimately make them the inheritors of both those empires within a generation.Even some of the Quraysh leaders who resisted Islam quietly acknowledged this. Why should we fight him, they reasoned. If he wins, the victory belongs to us. If he loses, the Romans or the Persians will deal with him. Why are Arabs fighting Arabs?Allah was asking the same question. Why are you against this?

In this special episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group's Iran director Ali Vaez and Gulf and Arabian Peninsula director Yasmin Farouk to discuss the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, the regional fallout, and what could come next. Richard first speaks with Ali about the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what it means for Tehran's leadership and decision-making. They assess the damage to Iran's missile capabilities, the risks posed by its remaining nuclear stockpile, and escalation dynamics as Iran retaliates against Israel and countries in the Gulf. Richard then speaks with Yasmine about how Gulf states are responding, their concerns about escalation and the “day after” in Iran, and their anger at Iran's barrage of missiles and drones.Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.For more, check out our Iran page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Middle East is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, the Levant, and Turkey.The term came into widespread usage by Western European nations in the early 20th century as a replacement of the term Near East (both were in contrast to the Far East). The term "Middle East" has led to some confusion over its changing definitions. Since the late 20th century, it has been criticized as being too Eurocentric. Furthermore, the term has no ability to identify the ethnicity of any individual or individual people and is in fact ineligible for such use. This clip is just an intro to the subject matter that will be discussed in the near future concerning the pseudo-Israelites who's origins are opposite that of the ancient Hebrews of antiquity.For those who would like to financially support and contribute to the enhancement of this podcast show its Research and Educational Programmes, please send all funds and gifts to:[$aigner2019 (cashapp)] or [https://www.paypal.me/Aigner2019] or [Zelle (1-617-821-3168).]Shalom Aleikhem!

Sri Lanka has long sat astride the monsoon winds between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea – a small island at the centre of a very big story. For over a thousand years, Muslim pilgrims, merchants, scholars, and soldiers have passed through “Lanka” or “Sarandib”, leaving traces in Arabic, Tamil, Persian, Malay, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Dhivehi, and Sinhala. Serendipitous Translations: A Sourcebook on Sri Lanka in the Islamic Indian Ocean (University of Texas Press, 2026) brings together many of those voices for the first time in English. From medieval travellers marvelling at Adam's Peak to modern novelists and newspaper editors wrestling with reform, nationalism, and civil conflict. Dr. Nile Green holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at UCLA. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he is the celebrated author of ten monographs and the editor of seven books and several journal issues, with a particular focus on Islam and the Indian Ocean world. He also hosts the excellent podcast Akbar's Chamber: Experts Talk Islam. Dr. Ahmed AlMaazmi is Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University. His research explores the intersections of empire, occult sciences, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Sri Lanka has long sat astride the monsoon winds between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea – a small island at the centre of a very big story. For over a thousand years, Muslim pilgrims, merchants, scholars, and soldiers have passed through “Lanka” or “Sarandib”, leaving traces in Arabic, Tamil, Persian, Malay, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Dhivehi, and Sinhala. Serendipitous Translations: A Sourcebook on Sri Lanka in the Islamic Indian Ocean (University of Texas Press, 2026) brings together many of those voices for the first time in English. From medieval travellers marvelling at Adam's Peak to modern novelists and newspaper editors wrestling with reform, nationalism, and civil conflict. Dr. Nile Green holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at UCLA. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he is the celebrated author of ten monographs and the editor of seven books and several journal issues, with a particular focus on Islam and the Indian Ocean world. He also hosts the excellent podcast Akbar's Chamber: Experts Talk Islam. Dr. Ahmed AlMaazmi is Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University. His research explores the intersections of empire, occult sciences, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

Sri Lanka has long sat astride the monsoon winds between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea – a small island at the centre of a very big story. For over a thousand years, Muslim pilgrims, merchants, scholars, and soldiers have passed through “Lanka” or “Sarandib”, leaving traces in Arabic, Tamil, Persian, Malay, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Dhivehi, and Sinhala. Serendipitous Translations: A Sourcebook on Sri Lanka in the Islamic Indian Ocean (University of Texas Press, 2026) brings together many of those voices for the first time in English. From medieval travellers marvelling at Adam's Peak to modern novelists and newspaper editors wrestling with reform, nationalism, and civil conflict. Dr. Nile Green holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at UCLA. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he is the celebrated author of ten monographs and the editor of seven books and several journal issues, with a particular focus on Islam and the Indian Ocean world. He also hosts the excellent podcast Akbar's Chamber: Experts Talk Islam. Dr. Ahmed AlMaazmi is Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University. His research explores the intersections of empire, occult sciences, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Sri Lanka has long sat astride the monsoon winds between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea – a small island at the centre of a very big story. For over a thousand years, Muslim pilgrims, merchants, scholars, and soldiers have passed through “Lanka” or “Sarandib”, leaving traces in Arabic, Tamil, Persian, Malay, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Dhivehi, and Sinhala. Serendipitous Translations: A Sourcebook on Sri Lanka in the Islamic Indian Ocean (University of Texas Press, 2026) brings together many of those voices for the first time in English. From medieval travellers marvelling at Adam's Peak to modern novelists and newspaper editors wrestling with reform, nationalism, and civil conflict. Dr. Nile Green holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at UCLA. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he is the celebrated author of ten monographs and the editor of seven books and several journal issues, with a particular focus on Islam and the Indian Ocean world. He also hosts the excellent podcast Akbar's Chamber: Experts Talk Islam. Dr. Ahmed AlMaazmi is Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University. His research explores the intersections of empire, occult sciences, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Sri Lanka has long sat astride the monsoon winds between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea – a small island at the centre of a very big story. For over a thousand years, Muslim pilgrims, merchants, scholars, and soldiers have passed through “Lanka” or “Sarandib”, leaving traces in Arabic, Tamil, Persian, Malay, Ottoman Turkish, Urdu, Dhivehi, and Sinhala. Serendipitous Translations: A Sourcebook on Sri Lanka in the Islamic Indian Ocean (University of Texas Press, 2026) brings together many of those voices for the first time in English. From medieval travellers marvelling at Adam's Peak to modern novelists and newspaper editors wrestling with reform, nationalism, and civil conflict. Dr. Nile Green holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at UCLA. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he is the celebrated author of ten monographs and the editor of seven books and several journal issues, with a particular focus on Islam and the Indian Ocean world. He also hosts the excellent podcast Akbar's Chamber: Experts Talk Islam. Dr. Ahmed AlMaazmi is Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University. His research explores the intersections of empire, occult sciences, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

One of the most significant and long-lasting outcomes of World War I didn't take place in Europe. It was a reshuffling of the political order in the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant.  During the war, various Arab tribes joined together to free themselves from centuries of Ottoman Rule.  The legacy of the rebellion can still be seen in the map of the Middle East today.  Learn more about the Great Arab Revolt on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Get your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Chubbies Get 20% off your purchase at Chubbies with the promo code DAILY at checkout! Aura Frames Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/DAILY. Promo Code DAILY DripDrop Go to dripdrop.com and use promo code EVERYTHING for 20% off your first order. Uncommon Goods Go to uncommongoods.com/DAILY for 15% off! Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken tells Charley about the top 6 experiences of his recent trip to the Arabian Peninsula country of Oman. CORRECTION / CLARIFICATION: Regarding Silverbills, the country of Saudi Arabia also has both Indian and African Silverbills, and of course much of East Africa has two species, though the Gray-headed Silverbill is in a different genus, and is quite unlike the African / Indian. Please check out the website of our sponsor Tropical Birding: https://www.tropicalbirding.com/If you wish to support this podcast, please visit our Patreon page: https://patreon.com/naturallyadventurous?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Intro by Jenna Pinchbeck https://www.jennapinchbeck.com/ Jennapinchbeck@gmail.com. Theme music by John Behrens https://nashvilleaudioproductions.com/Feel free to contact us at: ken.behrens@gmail.com &/or cfchesse@gmail.comNaturally Adventurous Podcast Nature - Travel - Adventure

In 1924, the Al-A‘waj, also known as the Crooked, set sail from Kuwait on a trading journey around the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz, to Western India and, eventually, back to the Gulf. Dhows had sailed this route for centuries—and would continue to sail it for a few more decades still. Fahad Ahmad Bishara talks about this specific 1924 journey in his book Monsoon Voyagers: An Indian Ocean History (U California Press, 2025). As the Crooked travels the waters of the Indian Ocean, Fahad covers topics like international law, the importance of debt, piracy, how information spread from port to port, and the Arab diaspora (among many other topics) Fahad is Associate Professor of History and Rouhollah Ramazani Professor of Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780–1950. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Monsoon Voyagers. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 1924, the Al-A‘waj, also known as the Crooked, set sail from Kuwait on a trading journey around the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz, to Western India and, eventually, back to the Gulf. Dhows had sailed this route for centuries—and would continue to sail it for a few more decades still. Fahad Ahmad Bishara talks about this specific 1924 journey in his book Monsoon Voyagers: An Indian Ocean History (U California Press, 2025). As the Crooked travels the waters of the Indian Ocean, Fahad covers topics like international law, the importance of debt, piracy, how information spread from port to port, and the Arab diaspora (among many other topics) Fahad is Associate Professor of History and Rouhollah Ramazani Professor of Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780–1950. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Monsoon Voyagers. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In 1924, the Al-A‘waj, also known as the Crooked, set sail from Kuwait on a trading journey around the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz, to Western India and, eventually, back to the Gulf. Dhows had sailed this route for centuries—and would continue to sail it for a few more decades still. Fahad Ahmad Bishara talks about this specific 1924 journey in his book Monsoon Voyagers: An Indian Ocean History (U California Press, 2025). As the Crooked travels the waters of the Indian Ocean, Fahad covers topics like international law, the importance of debt, piracy, how information spread from port to port, and the Arab diaspora (among many other topics) Fahad is Associate Professor of History and Rouhollah Ramazani Professor of Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780–1950. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Monsoon Voyagers. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

In 1924, the Al-A‘waj, also known as the Crooked, set sail from Kuwait on a trading journey around the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz, to Western India and, eventually, back to the Gulf. Dhows had sailed this route for centuries—and would continue to sail it for a few more decades still. Fahad Ahmad Bishara talks about this specific 1924 journey in his book Monsoon Voyagers: An Indian Ocean History (U California Press, 2025). As the Crooked travels the waters of the Indian Ocean, Fahad covers topics like international law, the importance of debt, piracy, how information spread from port to port, and the Arab diaspora (among many other topics) Fahad is Associate Professor of History and Rouhollah Ramazani Professor of Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780–1950. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Monsoon Voyagers. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-review

In 1924, the Al-A‘waj, also known as the Crooked, set sail from Kuwait on a trading journey around the Persian Gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz, to Western India and, eventually, back to the Gulf. Dhows had sailed this route for centuries—and would continue to sail it for a few more decades still. Fahad Ahmad Bishara talks about this specific 1924 journey in his book Monsoon Voyagers: An Indian Ocean History (U California Press, 2025). As the Crooked travels the waters of the Indian Ocean, Fahad covers topics like international law, the importance of debt, piracy, how information spread from port to port, and the Arab diaspora (among many other topics) Fahad is Associate Professor of History and Rouhollah Ramazani Professor of Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780–1950. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Monsoon Voyagers. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Required Reading, we dive into Edgar Allan Poe's haunting short story, The Tell-Tale Heart. Through the fevered confession of an unreliable narrator, Poe explores the thin line between sanity and madness, guilt and obsession. We discuss how Poe uses rhythm, repetition, and symbolism to capture the relentless beat of a guilty conscience — and why this tale still makes hearts race nearly two centuries later. Co-hosted with Dr. Nic Hoffmann, Mike Burns, and Mike Carroll Check us out!  Shifting My Thinking about AI in the Classroom by Mike Burns Women, Reform, and War by Nic Hoffmann Comedy on the Arabian Peninsula by Nic Hoffmann The Last Time I Rewound: VHS, Star Wars, and the Freedom to Remember by Nic Hoffmann Follow the ongoing publication process with Mike Carroll

In this episode of Required Reading, we explore Edgar Allan Poe's chilling masterpiece, The Cask of Amontillado. Set in the eerie catacombs beneath an Italian palazzo, the story follows Montresor's calculated revenge against Fortunato—an act cloaked in deception, wine, and madness. The episode unpacks themes of pride, guilt, and psychological horror, showing how Poe turns a simple act of vengeance into a timeless study of the human mind's darkest corners. This includes a reading of the audiobook from flansburgh38 from Librivox.  Co-hosted with Dr. Nic Hoffmann, Mike Burns, and Mike Carroll Check us out!  Shifting My Thinking about AI in the Classroom by Mike Burns Women, Reform, and War by Nic Hoffmann Comedy on the Arabian Peninsula by Nic Hoffmann The Last Time I Rewound: VHS, Star Wars, and the Freedom to Remember by Nic Hoffmann Follow the ongoing publication process with Mike Carroll

Houthi Cooperation with Al-Qaeda and ISIS in Regional Destabilization Bill Roggio Bill Raggio of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies discusses the disturbing cooperation between the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The Houthis, who have successfully blockaded the Red Sea and effectively closed the Suez Canal to world traffic, rely on Al-Qaeda networks to smuggle supplies and weapons into their firing range. This collaboration extends to supplying Al-Qaeda cells in Somalia and Islamic State operatives, representing a dangerous convergence of extremist groups. Raja characterizes this cooperation as part of Iran's broader strategy to destabilize the region, keep the United States militarily engaged, and force an eventual American withdrawal from the Middle East.

Today we're bringing you a bonus episode on Sudan from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard talks with Crisis Group's Sudan expert Shewit Woldemichael, Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell and Gulf & Arabian Peninsula director Yasmine Farouk about the latest shifts in Sudan's war and recent diplomatic efforts. They chart recent battlefield developments, including the situation in El Fasher in northern Darfur, where fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is particularly intense amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. They examine how the balance of power between the warring parties is evolving, the interests of outside actors supplying arms, and the RSF's push to establish a parallel government. They also look at diplomatic efforts to end the war, including the recent announcement by the U.S., Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, known as the Quad, outlining a roadmap for peace in Sudan, how the RSF and the Sudanese army are responding, and what the initiative can realistically achieve.For more, check out our recent Q&A “All Eyes on the Quad: How the U.S. and Its Partners Can Push for Peace in Sudan”, Alan's Foreign Affairs piece “Sudan's War Is the Shape of Things to Come” and our Sudan page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard talks with Crisis Group's Sudan expert Shewit Woldemichael, Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell and Gulf & Arabian Peninsula director Yasmine Farouk about the latest shifts in Sudan's war and recent diplomatic efforts. They chart recent battlefield developments, including the situation in El Fasher in northern Darfur, where fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is particularly intense amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. They examine how the balance of power between the warring parties is evolving, the interests of outside actors supplying arms, and the RSF's push to establish a parallel government. They also look at diplomatic efforts to end the war, including the recent announcement by the U.S., Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, known as the Quad, outlining a roadmap for peace in Sudan, how the RSF and the Sudanese army are responding, and what the initiative can realistically achieve.Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more, check out our recent Q&A “All Eyes on the Quad: How the U.S. and Its Partners Can Push for Peace in Sudan”, Alan's Foreign Affairs piece “Sudan's War Is the Shape of Things to Come” and our Sudan page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We challenge contemporary perceptions of Yemen as a "backwater" by revealing the pivotal role of its port city, Mocha, in the making of our modern world. Historian Nancy Um delves into the fascinating history of coffee, from its origins in 15th-century Yemen to its global spread and the economic transformations it spurred. She explores the rich maritime trade routes of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Yemen's centrality as a crossroads for goods, ideas, and people long before European influence. Um discusses the Ottoman Empire's cultivation of coffee in Yemen, the rise and decline of Mocha as a trade hub, and the unique cultural adaptations of coffee consumption within Yemen itself, such as the popular Qishr drink. We also touch upon the broader impact of hot beverages and porcelain on global social and consumption patterns, revealing how these everyday items were once revolutionary technologies. Um shares insights into the ongoing efforts to revive Yemen's coffee industry and offers recommendations for further reading on Yemen's vibrant history. 0:00 Mocha: A Bustling 17th-18th Century Trade Center0:50 Yemen's Monopoly on Coffee2:46 Nancy Um's Interest in Maritime Trade and Yemen3:40 Yemen's Historical Significance Beyond Recent Decades5:51 What Made Mocha a Prime Trade Hub?7:58 Mocha's Rival: Aden8:11 The History of Coffee as a Drink10:01 Debunking Coffee Origin Myths: The Story of Kaldi and the Goats12:20 Coffee as a Hot Brewed Beverage from Yemen12:32 The Evolution of Coffee as a Commodity and Social Habit13:21 Early Suspicion and Prohibitions Against Coffee14:41 The Global Journey of the Coffee Plant15:57 The Dutch and Coffee Cultivation in Java17:22 Yemen's Shifting Coffee Fortunes18:14 The Ottomans and Yemen's Coffee Cultivation19:06 Ottoman Control of the Red Sea Trade20:37 Diversification of Trade Beyond Coffee21:37 European Influence on Mocha's Popularity22:21 Qishr: Yemen's Unique Coffee Husk Drink (aka Cascara)24:19 Efforts to Rebuild Yemen's Coffee Industry26:01 The Red Sea Trade Route's Enduring Importance29:02 The Indian Ocean: A Space of Exchange and Imagination30:51 Reconsidering Land-Based vs. Water-Based Cultural Identities33:20 Nationalizing Watery Metaphors and Icons35:10 Historical Naming Conventions and Cultural Continuities37:39 Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate: Technologies Reshaping Society40:30 The Coffee House and the Enlightenment42:07 The Decline of Mocha as an Economic Hub43:10 Beneficiaries of Mocha's Decline44:58 Challenge of Contradictory Stories in Historical Narratives47:20 Disproving Coffee Plant Smuggling Myths50:27 Misunderstandings About Yemen's History51:34 Book Recommendations on Yemen53:56 Access to Local Historical Documents in Yemen Nancy Um is Associate Director for Research and Knowledge Creation at the Getty Research Institute. Her research program explores art, architecture, and material culture around the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Peninsula, with a focus on trade and cross-cultural exchange in the early modern era. She is also the author of "The Merchant Houses of Mocha: Trade and Architecture in an Indian Ocean Port," and "Shipped but Not Sold: Material Culture and the Social Protocols of Trade during Yemen's Age of Coffee."Connect with Nancy Um

News headlines from around the nation and around the globe. It's the Friday News Round-Up & Comment broadcast. Here's a sample of stories presented during the first quarter hour: --President Trump communicated that he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. --Delegates at the U.N General Assembly stormed out as Netanyahu took the stage to speak. --President Trump's 21 point plan is a framework envisioning a multi-week cease-fire during which all 48 remaining hostages would be released, followed by a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. --Iran has likely carried out an undeclared missile test at its Imam Khomeini Spaceport according to satellite photos analyzed by the Associated Press. --Israeli police arrested a man for threatening to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. --Israeli Defense Forces have completed the encirclement of Gaza City. --Hamas declared the UK's decision on Sunday to recognize a Palestinian state was a victory and justice for their cause. --The Egyptian government sympathizes with the people of Gaza and is determined to keep those who wish to leave that war zone bottled up in the strip. --Europe will pay for the reconstruction of Gaza--Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Commission is creating a donor group for Palestine. --UNICEF admitted this week that armed men stole food meant for 2,700 children in Gaza. --The National Counterterrorism Center issued a sobering memo warning that the U.S. designated terrorist group al-Qaida and its Yemen-based affiliate, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, remain intent on striking America.

News headlines from around the nation and around the globe. It's the Friday News Round-Up & Comment broadcast. Here's a sample of stories presented during the first quarter hour: --President Trump communicated that he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. --Delegates at the U.N General Assembly stormed out as Netanyahu took the stage to speak. --President Trump's 21 point plan is a framework envisioning a multi-week cease-fire during which all 48 remaining hostages would be released, followed by a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. --Iran has likely carried out an undeclared missile test at its Imam Khomeini Spaceport according to satellite photos analyzed by the Associated Press. --Israeli police arrested a man for threatening to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. --Israeli Defense Forces have completed the encirclement of Gaza City. --Hamas declared the UK's decision on Sunday to recognize a Palestinian state was a victory and justice for their cause. --The Egyptian government sympathizes with the people of Gaza and is determined to keep those who wish to leave that war zone bottled up in the strip. --Europe will pay for the reconstruction of Gaza--Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Commission is creating a donor group for Palestine. --UNICEF admitted this week that armed men stole food meant for 2,700 children in Gaza. --The National Counterterrorism Center issued a sobering memo warning that the U.S. designated terrorist group al-Qaida and its Yemen-based affiliate, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, remain intent on striking America.

Multipolarity Dialogues is a new series of interviews that scan the geopolitical horizon. We'll be talking to some of the sharpest analysts, thinkers, experts, about how they see the world beyond the visible edge of the geopolitical now. This week: Carlos Roa is the Director of Research at the Washington DC Danube Institute. He was formerly the executive editor of National Interest magazine. Last time on the show – an episode well worth seeking out – he offered us a DC Rake's Progress, sketching the shape of the technocrat class who run Washington, from first infant mewling as a Pentagon intern, to final wrinkled Cruise strike on a Middle Eastern country. This time, he's got his eyes on something more global. The New Golden Road – and its rivals. There is the Silk Road, there is the Belt-and Road, but there is also a third way to move goods from East to West overland. It is this that Roa has been studying in his recent paper, also titled The New Golden Road. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, quietly unveiled at a G20 summit in 2023, is designed to link India with Europe via the Arabian Peninsula, stitching together ports, railways, energy pipelines, and digital cables. In this episode Andrew Collingwood talks to Carlos about the deep mechanics, the economics, and the distortions of geopolitical gravity that this grand new interconnector will bring.You can get special paywalled premium episodes of Multipolarity every month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/multipolarity

The author of "Sustainable Qatar: Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives" delves into the multifaceted meaning of sustainability, especially within the context of the Arabian Peninsula. Our guest unpacks the region's unique environmental challenges, including sea level rise, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss, and explores the innovative strategies being implemented to build a more resilient future. An Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Logan Cochrane, also critically examines the concept of "greenwashing," the complexities of global sustainability metrics, and the challenges of policy making.  0:00:00 The Nuance of Sustainability0:03:05 Environmental Challenges in the GCC0:06:08 Time Scale of Environmental Issues0:09:42 Food Security in the Arabian Peninsula0:17:40 Water Sources and Challenges in Qatar0:20:25 Future Challenges and Adaptation in Arid Environments0:22:53 Skepticism Towards Energy Transitions0:24:50 Defining Greenwashing0:31:11 The Politics of Sustainability Metrics0:38:10 Global Leaders in Sustainability0:41:09 The Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles0:48:10 The "Game of Telephone" in Policy Making0:51:30 Non-Governmental Efforts in Sustainability Logan Cochrane is an Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy at Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU). His research includes diverse geographic and disciplinary foci, covering broad thematic areas of food security, climate change, social justice and governance. For the last 15 years, he has worked in non-governmental organizations internationally, including in Afghanistan, Benin, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Logan has served as a director for two non-governmental organizations, and worked as a consultant with clients such as Global Affairs Canada, International Development Research Centre, Save the Children, Management Sciences for Health, the Liaison Office, UNICEF and UNAIDS. Connect with Logan Cochrane

Partition—the rapid, uncoordinated, and bloody split between India and Pakistan after the Second World War—remains the central event of South Asian history. But 1947 wasn't the only partition, according to historian and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple. Sam, in his book Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (William Collins, 2025), notes that “British India” once spanned all the way from the Arabian Peninsula to the border with Thailand, covering South Arabia, South Asia and Burma. Yet between 1937 and 1971, the region split into various different national entities, creating the countries and borders we see today. Sam is a historian, filmmaker, and cofounder of Project Dastaan, a peacebuilding initiative that reconnects refugees displaced by the 1947 partition of India. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Shattered Lands. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Partition—the rapid, uncoordinated, and bloody split between India and Pakistan after the Second World War—remains the central event of South Asian history. But 1947 wasn't the only partition, according to historian and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple. Sam, in his book Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (William Collins, 2025), notes that “British India” once spanned all the way from the Arabian Peninsula to the border with Thailand, covering South Arabia, South Asia and Burma. Yet between 1937 and 1971, the region split into various different national entities, creating the countries and borders we see today. Sam is a historian, filmmaker, and cofounder of Project Dastaan, a peacebuilding initiative that reconnects refugees displaced by the 1947 partition of India. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Shattered Lands. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Partition—the rapid, uncoordinated, and bloody split between India and Pakistan after the Second World War—remains the central event of South Asian history. But 1947 wasn't the only partition, according to historian and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple. Sam, in his book Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (William Collins, 2025), notes that “British India” once spanned all the way from the Arabian Peninsula to the border with Thailand, covering South Arabia, South Asia and Burma. Yet between 1937 and 1971, the region split into various different national entities, creating the countries and borders we see today. Sam is a historian, filmmaker, and cofounder of Project Dastaan, a peacebuilding initiative that reconnects refugees displaced by the 1947 partition of India. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Shattered Lands. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

Partition—the rapid, uncoordinated, and bloody split between India and Pakistan after the Second World War—remains the central event of South Asian history. But 1947 wasn't the only partition, according to historian and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple. Sam, in his book Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (William Collins, 2025), notes that “British India” once spanned all the way from the Arabian Peninsula to the border with Thailand, covering South Arabia, South Asia and Burma. Yet between 1937 and 1971, the region split into various different national entities, creating the countries and borders we see today. Sam is a historian, filmmaker, and cofounder of Project Dastaan, a peacebuilding initiative that reconnects refugees displaced by the 1947 partition of India. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Shattered Lands. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/central-asian-studies

Listen to the first episode of AJC's new limited podcast series, Architects of Peace. Go behind the scenes of the decades-long diplomacy and quiet negotiations that made the Abraham Accords possible, bringing Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and later Morocco, together in historic peace agreements.   Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief of Policy and Political Affairs, explains the complex Middle East landscape before the Accords and how behind-the-scenes efforts helped foster the dialogue that continues to shape the region today. Resources: Episode Transcript AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace - Tune in weekly for new episodes. The Abraham Accords, Explained AJC.org/CNME - Find more on AJC's Center for a New Middle East Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus People of the Pod Follow Architects of Peace on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace You can reach us at: podcasts@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript: Jason Isaacson: It has become clear to me in my travels in the region over the decades that more and more people across the Arab world understood the game, and they knew that this false narrative – that Jews are not legitimately there, and that somehow we have to focus all of our energy in the Arab world on combating this evil interloper – it's nonsense. And it's becoming increasingly clear that, in fact, Israel can be a partner. Manya Brachear Pashman: In September 2020, the world saw what had been years – decades – in the making: landmark peace agreements dubbed the Abraham Accords -- normalizing relations between Israel and two Arabian Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain.  Later in December, they were joined by the Kingdom of Morocco. Five years later, AJC is pulling back the curtain to meet key individuals who built the trust that led to these breakthroughs. Introducing: the Architects of Peace. Manya Brachear Pashman: On the eve of the signing of the Abraham Accords, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson found himself traveling to the end of a tree filled winding road in McLean, Virginia, to sip tea on the back terrace with Bahraini Ambassador Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa and Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. Jason Isaacson: Sitting in the backyard of the Bahraini ambassador's house with Dr. Al Zayani, the Foreign Minister of Bahrain and with Shaikh Abdulla, the ambassador, and hearing what was about to happen the next day on the South Lawn of the White House was a thrilling moment. And really, in many ways, just a validation of the work that AJC has been doing for many years–before I came to the organization, and the time that I've spent with AJC since the early 90s.  This possibility of Israel's true integration in the region, Israel's cooperation and peace with its neighbors, with all of its neighbors – this was clearly the threshold that we were standing on. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you're wondering how Jason ended up sipping tea in such esteemed company the night before his hosts made history, wonder no more. Here's the story. Yitzchak Shamir: The people of Israel look to this palace with great anticipation and expectation. We pray that this meeting will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Middle East; that it will signal the end of hostility, violence, terror, and war; that it will bring dialogue, accommodation, co-existence, and above all, peace. Manya Brachear Pashman: That was Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir speaking in October 1991 at the historic Madrid Peace Conference -- the first time Israel and Arab delegations engaged in direct talks toward peace. It had taken 43 years to reach this point – 43 years since the historic United Nations Resolution that created separate Jewish and Arab states – a resolution Jewish leaders accepted, but Arab states scorned. Not even 24 hours after Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, the armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria attacked the new Jewish state, which fought back mightily and expanded its territory. The result? A deep-seated distrust among Israel, its neighboring nations, and some of the Arab residents living within Israel's newly formed borders. Though many Palestinian Arabs stayed, comprising over 20 percent of Israel's population today, hundreds of thousands of others left or were displaced. Meanwhile, in reaction to the rebirth of the Jewish state, and over the following two decades, Jewish communities long established in Arab states faced hardship and attacks, forcing Jews by the hundreds of thousands to flee. Israel's War of Independence set off a series of wars with neighboring nations, terrorist attacks, and massacres. Peace in the region saw more than a few false starts, with one rare exception.  In 1979, after the historic visit to Israel by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, he and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin joined President Jimmy Carter for negotiations at Camp David and signed a peace treaty that for the next 15 years, remained the only formal agreement between Israel and an Arab state. In fact, it was denounced uniformly across the Arab world.  But 1991 introduced dramatic geopolitical shifts. The collapse of the Soviet Union, which had severed relations with Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967, diminished its ability to back Syria, Iraq, and Libya. In the USSR's final months, it re-established diplomatic relations with Israel but left behind a regional power vacuum that extremists started to fill. Meanwhile, most Arab states, including Syria, joined the successful U.S.-led coalition against Saddam Hussein that liberated Kuwait, solidifying American supremacy in the region and around the world. The Palestine Liberation Organization, which claimed to represent the world's Palestinians, supported Iraq and Libya.  Seizing an opportunity, the U.S. and the enfeebled but still relevant Soviet Union invited to Madrid a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation, along with delegations from Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Israel. Just four months before that Madrid meeting, Jason Isaacson had left his job on Capitol Hill to work for the American Jewish Committee. At that time, AJC published a magazine titled Commentary, enabling Jason to travel to the historic summit with media credentials and hang out with the press pool. Jason Isaacson: It was very clear in just normal conversations with these young Arab journalists who I was spending some time with, that there was the possibility of an openness that I had not realized existed. There was a possibility of kind of a sense of common concerns about the region, that was kind of refreshing and was sort of running counter to the narratives that have dominated conversations in that part of the world for so long.  And it gave me the sense that by expanding the circle of relationships that I was just starting with in Madrid, we might be able to make some progress. We might be able to find some partners with whom AJC could develop a real relationship. Manya Brachear Pashman: AJC had already begun to build ties in the region in the 1950s, visiting Arab countries like Morocco and Tunisia, which had sizable Jewish populations. The rise in Arab nationalism in Tunisia and rebirth of Israel eventually led to an exodus that depleted the Jewish community there. Emigration depleted Morocco's Jewish community as well.  Jason Isaacson: To say that somehow this is not the native land of the Jewish people is just flying in the face of the reality. And yet, that was the propaganda line that was pushed out across the region. Of course, Madrid opened a lot of people's eyes. But that wasn't enough. More had to be done. There were very serious efforts made by the U.S. government, Israeli diplomats, Israeli businesspeople, and my organization, which played a very active role in trying to introduce people to the reality that they would benefit from this relationship with Israel.  So it was pushing back against decades of propaganda and lies. And that was one of the roles that we assigned to ourselves and have continued to play. Manya Brachear Pashman: No real negotiations took place at the Madrid Conference, rather it opened conversations that unfolded in Moscow, in Washington, and behind closed doors in secret locations around the world. Progress quickened under Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. In addition to a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, reached in 1994, secret talks in Norway between Israel and PLO resulted in the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements signed in 1993 and 1995 that ended the First Intifada after six years of violence, and laid out a five-year timeline for achieving a two-state solution. Extremists tried to derail the process. A Jewish extremist assassinated Rabin in 1995. And a new terror group  launched a series of suicide attacks against Israeli civilians. Formed during the First Intifada, these terrorists became stars of the Second. They called themselves Hamas. AP News Report: [sirens] [in Hebrew] Don't linger, don't linger. Manya Brachear Pashman: On March 27, 2002, Hamas sent a suicide bomber into an Israeli hotel where 250 guests had just been seated for a Passover Seder. He killed 30 people and injured 140 more. The day after the deadliest suicide attack in Israel's history, the Arab League, a coalition of 22 Arab nations in the Middle East and Africa, unveiled what it called the Arab Peace Initiative – a road map offering wide scale normalization of relations with Israel, but with an ultimatum: No expansion of Arab-Israeli relations until the establishment of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 armistice lines and a so-called right of return for Palestinians who left and their descendants.   As the Second Intifada continued to take civilian lives, the Israeli army soon launched Operation Defensive Shield to secure the West Bank and parts of Gaza. It was a period of high tension, conflict, and distrust. But behind the scenes, Jason and AJC were forging ahead, building bridges, and encountering an openness in Arab capitals that belied the ultimatum.  Jason Isaacson: It has become clear to me in my travels in the region over the decades that more and more people across the Arab world understood the game, and they knew that that this false narrative that Jews are not legitimately there, and that somehow we have to focus all of our energy in the Arab world on combating this evil interloper – it's nonsense. And it's becoming increasingly clear that, in fact, Israel can be a partner of Arab countries. Manya Brachear Pashman: Jason led delegations of Jewish leaders to Arab capitals, oversaw visits by Arab leaders to Israel, and cultivated relationships of strategic and political consequence with governments and civil society leaders across North Africa, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. In 2009, King Mohammed VI of Morocco bestowed on him the honor of Chevalier of the Order of the Throne of the Kingdom of Morocco. Jason's priority was nurturing one key element missing from Arab-Israeli relations. An element that for decades had been absent in most Middle East peace negotiations: trust.   Jason Isaacson: Nothing is more important than developing trust. Trust and goodwill are, if not synonymous, are so closely linked. Yes, a lot of these discussions that AJC's been engaged in over many years have been all about, not only developing a set of contacts we can turn to when there's a crisis or when we need answers to questions or when we need to pass a message along to a government. But also, develop a sense that we all want the same thing and we trust each other. That if someone is prepared to take certain risks to advance the prospect of peace, which will involve risk, which will involve vulnerability. That a neighbor who might have demonstrated in not-so-distant past animosity and hostility toward Israel can be trusted to take a different course. Manya Brachear Pashman: A number of Israeli diplomats and businesspeople also worked toward that goal. While certain diplomatic channels in the intelligence and security spheres stayed open out of necessity – other diplomats and businesspeople with dual citizenship traveled across the region, quietly breaking down barriers, starting conversations, and building trust.  Jason Isaacson: I would run into people in Arab capitals from time to time, who were fulfilling that function, and traveling with different passports that they had legitimately, because they were from those countries. It was just a handful of people in governments that would necessarily know that they were there. So yes, if that sounds like cloak and dagger, it's kind of a cloak and dagger operation, a way for people to maintain a relationship and build a relationship until the society is ready to accept the reality that it will be in their country's best interest to have that relationship. Manya Brachear Pashman: Privately, behind the scenes, signs emerged that some Arab leaders understood the role that Jews have played in the region's history for millennia and the possibilities that would exist if Muslims and Jews could restore some of the faith and friendship of bygone years.  Jason Isaacson: I remember sitting with King Mohammed the VI of Morocco just weeks after his ascension to the throne, so going back more than a quarter century, and hearing him talk with me and AJC colleagues about the 600,000 subjects that he had in Israel. Of course, these were Jews, Israelis of Moroccan descent, who are in the hundreds of thousands. But the sense that these countries really have a common history. Manya Brachear Pashman: Common history, yes. Common goals, too. And not for nothing, a common enemy. The same extremist forces that have been bent on Israel's destruction have not only disrupted Israeli-Arab peace, they've prevented the Palestinian people from thriving in a state of their own and now threaten the security and stability of the entire region. Jason Isaacson:  We are hopeful that in partnership with those in the Arab world who feel the same way about the need to push back against extremism, including the extremism promoted, promulgated, funded, armed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, that we can have enough of a network of supportive players in the Arab world, in the West. Working with Israel and working with Palestinian partners who are interested in the same future. A real future, a politically free future, where we can actually make some progress. And that's an ongoing effort. This is a point that we made consistently over many years: if you want to help the Palestinian people–and we want to help the Palestinian people–but if you, fill in the blank Arab government official, your country wants to help the Palestinian people, you're not helping them by pretending that Israel doesn't exist.  You're not helping them by isolating Israel, by making Israel a pariah in the minds of your people. You will actually have leverage with Israel, and you'll help the Palestinians when they're sitting at a negotiating table across from the Israelis. If you engage Israel, if you have access to the Israeli officials and they have a stake in your being on their side on certain things and working together on certain common issues. Manya Brachear Pashman: Jason says more and more Arab leaders are realizing, with some frustration, that isolating Israel is a losing proposition for all the parties involved. It has not helped the Palestinian people. It has not kept extremism at bay. And it has not helped their own countries and their own citizens prosper. In fact, the limitations that isolating Israel imposes have caused many countries to lag behind the tiny Jewish state. Jason Isaacson: I think there was just this sense of how far back we have fallen, how much ground we have to make up. We need to break out of the old mindset and try something different. But that before the Abraham Accords, they were saying it in the years leading up to the Abraham Accords, with increasing frustration for the failure of Palestinian leadership to seize opportunities that had been held out to them. But frankly, also contributing, I think, to this was this insistence on isolating themselves from a naturally synergistic relationship with a neighboring state right next door that could contribute to the welfare of their societies. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense, and it denied them the ability to move forward. Manya Brachear Pashman: Jason remembers the first time he heard an Arab official utter the words out loud – expressing a willingness, daresay desire, to partner with Israel. Jason Isaacson: It took a long time, but I could see in 2016, 17, 18, 19, this growing awareness, and finally hearing it actually spoken out loud in one particular conference that I remember going to in 2018 in Bahrain, by a senior official from an Arab country. It took a long time for that lesson to penetrate, but it's absolutely the case. Manya Brachear Pashman: In 2019, Bahrain hosted an economic summit where the Trump administration presented its "Peace to Prosperity" plan, a $50 billion investment proposal to create jobs and improve the lives of Palestinians while also promoting regional peace and security. Palestinians rejected the plan outright and refused to attend. Bahrain invited Israeli media to cover the summit. That September, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, AJC presented its inaugural Architect of Peace Award to the Kingdom of Bahrain's chief diplomat for nearly 20 years. Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, told Jason that it was important to learn the lessons of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and late Jordanian King Hussein, both of whom signed peace treaties with Israel. He also explained the reason why Bahrain invited Israeli media.  Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa: President Anwar Sadat did it, he broke a huge barrier. He was a man of war, he was the leader of a country that went to war or two with Israel. But then he knew that at the right moment he would want to go straight to Israeli and talk to them. We fulfilled also something that we've always wanted to do, we've discussed it many times: talking to the Israeli public through the Israeli media.  Why not talk to the people? They wake up every day, they have their breakfast watching their own TV channels, they read their own papers, they read their own media, they form their own opinion.    Absolutely nobody should shy away from talking to the media. We are trying to get our point across. In order to convince. How will you do it? There is no language of silence. You'll have to talk and you'll have to remove all those barriers and with that, trust can be built. Manya Brachear Pashman: Jason had spent decades building that trust and the year to come yielded clear results. In May and June 2020, UAE Ambassador to the UN Lana Nusseibeh and UAE Minister of State Dr. Anwar Gargash both participated in AJC webinars to openly discuss cooperation with Israel – a topic once considered taboo.  So when the Abraham Accords were signed a few months later, for Jason and AJC colleagues who had been on this long journey for peace, it was a natural progression. Though no less dramatic.  Sitting with Minister Al Khalifa's successor, Dr. Al Zayani, and the Bahraini ambassador on the evening before the White House ceremony, it was time to drink a toast to a new chapter of history in the region. Jason Isaacson: I don't think that that would have been possible had there not been decades of contacts that had been made by many people. Roving Israeli diplomats and Israeli business people, usually operating, in fact, maybe always operating with passports from other countries, traveling across the region. And frankly, our work and the work of a limited number of other people who were in non-governmental positions. Some journalists, authors, scholars, business people, and we certainly did a great deal of this over decades, would speak with leaders in these countries and influential people who are not government officials. And opening up their minds to the possibility of the advantages that would accrue to their societies by engaging Israel and by better understanding the Jewish people and who we are, what we care about, who we are not.  Because there was, of course, a great deal of decades, I should say, centuries and millennia, of misapprehensions and lies about the Jewish people. So clearing away that baggage was a very important part of the work that we did, and I believe that others did as well. We weren't surprised. We were pleased. We applauded the Trump administration, the President and his team, for making this enormous progress on advancing regional security and peace, prosperity. We are now hoping that we can build on those achievements of 2020 going forward and expanding fully the integration of Israel into its neighborhood. Manya Brachear Pashman: Next episode, we hear how the first Trump administration developed its Middle East policy and take listeners behind the scenes of the high stakes negotiations that yielded the Abraham Accords.  Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jason Isaacson, Jon Schweitzer, Sean Savage, and the entire AJC team for making this series possible.  You can subscribe to Architects of Peace on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace.  The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC.  You can reach us at podcasts@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us. ___ Music Credits: Middle East : ID: 279780040; Composer: Eric Sutherland Middle East Violin: ID: 277189507; Composer: Andy Warner Frontiers: ID: 183925100; Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI); Composer: Pete Checkley (BMI) Middle East Tension: ID: 45925627 Arabic Ambient: ID: 186923328; Publisher: Victor Romanov; Composer: Victor Romanov Arabian Strings: ID: 72249988; Publisher: EITAN EPSTEIN; Composer: EITAN EPSTEIN Inspired Middle East: ID: 241884108; Composer: iCENTURY Middle East Dramatic Intense: ID: 23619101; Publisher: GRS Records; Composer: Satria Petir Mystical Middle East: ID: 212471911; Composer: Vicher    

A Sea of Wealth: The Omani Empire and the Making of an Oceanic Marketplace (U California Press, 2025) is a sweeping retelling of the Omani position in the Indian Ocean. Here the reign of Oman's longest-serving ruler, Saʿid bin Sultan, offers a keyhole through which we can peer to see the entangled histories of Arabia and the Gulf, South Asia, and East Africa in the Omani Empire. In centering this empire, Nicholas P. Roberts shows how Arabs, Africans, and Asians actively shaped the conditions of commercial engagement in the Western Indian Ocean, uniting the empire's domains into a single oceanic marketplace in which Europeans and Americans had to accede if they wished to succeed. Drawing upon sources in three languages from four continents, A Sea of Wealth is a vivid narrative full of colorful characters that upturns many conventional understandings of our modern world. Nicholas P. Roberts was formerly Assistant Professor of History at Norwich University and the Howell Fellow for Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies at the University of Virginia. He is currently earning a JD at Case Western Reserve University. Ahmed Yaqouob AlMaazmi is an Assistant Professor of History at the United Arab Emirates University, with interests in the intersections of empire, science, slavery, law, environmental infrastructures, and material culture in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A professor of anthropology at the American University of Sharjah and the author of "Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora" and "Teach for Arabia: American Universities, Liberalism, and Transnational Qatar," Neha Vora talks about her experience living in the United Arab Emirates, the influence of South Asian communities in Dubai, the concept of citizenship beyond legal definitions, and the evolving diaspora dynamics in the Gulf. The conversation touches on the impact of American university branch campuses in the region and their long-term effects on citizenship and community. 00:00 Introduction00:30 Living in the UAE: An Anthropologist's Perspective01:31 Exploring the Book "Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora" 01:52 Dubai: A South Asian City?03:39 Community vs. Citizenship in the Gulf06:39 Expat vs. Migrant Worker: Defining Terms11:24 Researching South Asian Diaspora in Dubai21:47 Citizenship and Belonging: A Complex Relationship26:40 The Gulf as a Fluid Space28:57 Introducing "Teach for Arabia" and Critiques of Branch Campuses33:29 Impact on Citizenship and Society42:14 Generational Perspectives in the Gulf48:32 Retirement and Residency Changes52:06 Current Research Focus: Stray Animal Care53:30 Final Thoughts  Neha Vora is Professor of Anthropology in the Department of International Studies at the American University of Sharjah in the UAE. She received her PhD in anthropology and gender studies at University of California, Irvine. Her interdisciplinary research and teaching interests include diasporas and migration, citizenship, globalized higher education, gender, liberalism, political economy, and human-nonhuman encounters, primarily in the Arabian Peninsula region. She is the author of "Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora" (Duke University Press, 2013) and "Teach for Arabia: American Universities, Liberalism, and Transnational Qatar"Connect with Neha Vora

Prior to the dawn of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula had a great poetic tradition, with many genres, and many poets who are still celebrated and studied today. Episode 112 Quiz https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-112/ Episode 112 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-112-pre-islamic-arabic-poetry Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@literatureandhistorypodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/literatureandhistorypodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/literatureandhistory TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lahpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lahpodcast.bsky.social X https://x.com/lahpodcast

Ahead of President Trump's trip to the Arabian Peninsula, Hamas hands over its last surviving American hostage. China and the U.S. agree to a 90-day loosening of tariffs. And white South Africans arrive at Dulles Airport as refugees.  Did you hear? Brad's hosting a new show for the true crime-obsessed called "The Crime Scene Weekly." Each week, "The Crime Scene" focuses on what everybody's talking about in true crime -- from what your favorite podcasts are covering, to what's taking over our TikTok feeds. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices