Podcasts about Middle Eastern studies

What happens to the environment when the state enters previously self-governed villages in rural China? We explore this question in the Blang mountains in southwestern China, a region that was incorporated into the nascent people's republic of China from 1953 onwards, with immense consequences for Blang communities and ecologies. Our guest Daniel Mohseni Kabir Bäckström disentangles how the arrival of the state disrupted long-standing relations between Blang communities and the local mountain gods, making the land sick. And what Blang people can teach us about tackling the ongoing climate crisis. Daniel Mohseni Kabir Bäckström is a guest researcher at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oslo. Kenneth Bo Nielsen, your host, is a social anthropologist working at the University of Oslo where he also heads the Centre for South Asian Democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

In this episode, panelists discuss Iran's current political climate, concerns for civilians on the ground, and how the country's rapidly evolving internal dynamics are shaping U.S. objectives as well as broader regional and international considerations.   Background Reading: In this article, International Affairs Fellow Sam Vigersky discusses the global economic disruption caused by the Iran war and its effects on existing humanitarian crises.    Host: Deborah Amos, Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence, Princeton University; CFR Member   Guests: Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Mahmood Reza Amiry-Moghaddam, Professor, University of Oslo; Founder and Director, Iran Human Rights NGO   Mara Karlin, Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution; CFR Member   Ray Takeyh, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Iran's Internal Dynamics and U.S. Objectives

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the laws that Hammurabi (c1810 - c1750 BC), King of Babylon, had carved into a black basalt pillar in present day Iraq and which, since its rediscovery in 1901 in present day Iran, has affirmed Hammurabi's reputation as one of the first great lawmakers. Visitors to the Louvre in Paris can see it on display with almost 300 rules in cuneiform, covering anything from ‘an eye for an eye' to how to handle murder, divorce, witchcraft, false accusations and more. The Code of Hammurabi, as it became known, made such an impression in Mesopotamia that it was copied and shared for a millennium after his death and, since its reemergence, Hammurabi and his Code have been commemorated in the US Capitol and the International Court of Justice.WithMartin Worthington Professor in Middle Eastern Studies at Trinity College DublinFrances Reynolds Shillito Fellow and Associate Professor of Assyriology at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at The Queen's CollegeAnd Selena Wisnom Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East at the University of LeicesterProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Zainab Bahrani, Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture (Thames and Hudson, 2017)Dominique Charpin, Hammurabi of Babylon (I.B. Tauris, 2021)Prudence O. Harper, Joan Aruz and Françoise Tallon, The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures from the Louvre (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992)J. Nicholas Postgate (ed.), Languages of Iraq, Ancient and Modern (British School of Archaeology in Iraq, 2007), especially ‘Babylonian and Assyrian: A History of Akkadian' by Andrew R. George Martha T. Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor (2nd edition, Scholars Press, 1997)Marc Van De Mieroop, King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography (Wiley, 2005) Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000–323 BC (4th edition (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006)Selena Wisnom, The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History (Allen Lane, 2025)Martin Worthington, Complete Babylonian: A Comprehensive Guide to Reading and Understanding Babylonian with Original Texts (Teach Yourself Library, 2012)In Our Time is a BBC Studios ProductionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the laws that Hammurabi (c1810 - c1750 BC), King of Babylon, had carved into a black basalt pillar in present day Iraq and which, since its rediscovery in 1901 in present day Iran, has affirmed Hammurabi's reputation as one of the first great lawmakers. Visitors to the Louvre in Paris can see it on display with almost 300 rules in cuneiform, covering anything from ‘an eye for an eye' to how to handle murder, divorce, witchcraft, false accusations and more. The Code of Hammurabi, as it became known, made such an impression in Mesopotamia that it was copied and shared for a millennium after his death and, since its reemergence, Hammurabi and his Code have been commemorated in the US Capitol and the International Court of Justice.WithMartin Worthington Professor in Middle Eastern Studies at Trinity College DublinFrances Reynolds Shillito Fellow and Associate Professor of Assyriology at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at The Queen's CollegeAnd Selena Wisnom Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East at the University of LeicesterProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Zainab Bahrani, Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture (Thames and Hudson, 2017)Dominique Charpin, Hammurabi of Babylon (I.B. Tauris, 2021)Prudence O. Harper, Joan Aruz and Françoise Tallon, The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures from the Louvre (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992)J. Nicholas Postgate (ed.), Languages of Iraq, Ancient and Modern (British School of Archaeology in Iraq, 2007), especially ‘Babylonian and Assyrian: A History of Akkadian' by Andrew R. George Martha T. Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor (2nd edition, Scholars Press, 1997)Marc Van De Mieroop, King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography (Wiley, 2005) Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000–323 BC (4th edition (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006)Selena Wisnom, The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History (Allen Lane, 2025)Martin Worthington, Complete Babylonian: A Comprehensive Guide to Reading and Understanding Babylonian with Original Texts (Teach Yourself Library, 2012)In Our Time is a BBC Studios ProductionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

Aaron is Joined by Luke Peterson to discuss his new book, The US Military in the Print News Media. Peterson is a professor of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. American Exception followers on Patreon, regardless of the tier, get first access to new episodes! Paid subscribers enjoy access to the entire library of the best historical analysis of deep events on the American Exception podcast.  Subscribe to our Patreon at https://patreon.com/americanexception Special thanks to: Dana Chavarria, production Casey Moore, graphics Michelle Boley, animated intro Mock Orange, music

In an era of deepening polarization, Sari Hanafi examines how social scientists often reproduce the very injustices they seek to challenge, taking entrenched positions while dismissing alternative perspectives. He introduces the concept of symbolic liberalism - a contradiction in which individuals espouse classical liberal principles, yet act in politically illiberal ways. This, he argues, has exacerbated the pathologies of late modernity: authoritarianism, economic precarity, and environmental destruction, now all unfolding in a climate where reasonable debate seems increasingly impossible. Examining key flashpoints of contemporary polarization, Hanafi critiques how symbolic liberalism inflates the universality of rights while simultaneously narrowing the space for dialogue. Rather than this rigid ideological stance, he calls for a dialogical turn, a renewed public sphere where diverse conceptions of the ‘common good' engage in genuine conversation. Blending political and moral philosophy with sociological critique, Hanafi offers a path forward in an age when intellectual exchange is more necessary, yet also more imperilled, than ever. Against Symbolic Liberalism: A Plea for Dialogical Sociology (Liverpool UP, 2025) is not just a critique of polarization but a critical and impassioned call to reclaim meaningful intellectual discourse. Sari Hanafi is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. He served as President of the International Sociological Association (2018–23) and Vice President of the Arab Council for Social Sciences (2015–16). An International Fellow of the British Academy, he was also the Editor of Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology (2007–22). His contributions to the field have been recognized with some of the Arab world's most prestigious academic awards, including the Abdelhamid Shouman Award (2014) and the Kuwait Award for Social Science (2015). In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of San Marcos, Peru. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here 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 an era of deepening polarization, Sari Hanafi examines how social scientists often reproduce the very injustices they seek to challenge, taking entrenched positions while dismissing alternative perspectives. He introduces the concept of symbolic liberalism - a contradiction in which individuals espouse classical liberal principles, yet act in politically illiberal ways. This, he argues, has exacerbated the pathologies of late modernity: authoritarianism, economic precarity, and environmental destruction, now all unfolding in a climate where reasonable debate seems increasingly impossible. Examining key flashpoints of contemporary polarization, Hanafi critiques how symbolic liberalism inflates the universality of rights while simultaneously narrowing the space for dialogue. Rather than this rigid ideological stance, he calls for a dialogical turn, a renewed public sphere where diverse conceptions of the ‘common good' engage in genuine conversation. Blending political and moral philosophy with sociological critique, Hanafi offers a path forward in an age when intellectual exchange is more necessary, yet also more imperilled, than ever. Against Symbolic Liberalism: A Plea for Dialogical Sociology (Liverpool UP, 2025) is not just a critique of polarization but a critical and impassioned call to reclaim meaningful intellectual discourse. Sari Hanafi is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. He served as President of the International Sociological Association (2018–23) and Vice President of the Arab Council for Social Sciences (2015–16). An International Fellow of the British Academy, he was also the Editor of Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology (2007–22). His contributions to the field have been recognized with some of the Arab world's most prestigious academic awards, including the Abdelhamid Shouman Award (2014) and the Kuwait Award for Social Science (2015). In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of San Marcos, Peru. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In an era of deepening polarization, Sari Hanafi examines how social scientists often reproduce the very injustices they seek to challenge, taking entrenched positions while dismissing alternative perspectives. He introduces the concept of symbolic liberalism - a contradiction in which individuals espouse classical liberal principles, yet act in politically illiberal ways. This, he argues, has exacerbated the pathologies of late modernity: authoritarianism, economic precarity, and environmental destruction, now all unfolding in a climate where reasonable debate seems increasingly impossible. Examining key flashpoints of contemporary polarization, Hanafi critiques how symbolic liberalism inflates the universality of rights while simultaneously narrowing the space for dialogue. Rather than this rigid ideological stance, he calls for a dialogical turn, a renewed public sphere where diverse conceptions of the ‘common good' engage in genuine conversation. Blending political and moral philosophy with sociological critique, Hanafi offers a path forward in an age when intellectual exchange is more necessary, yet also more imperilled, than ever. Against Symbolic Liberalism: A Plea for Dialogical Sociology (Liverpool UP, 2025) is not just a critique of polarization but a critical and impassioned call to reclaim meaningful intellectual discourse. Sari Hanafi is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. He served as President of the International Sociological Association (2018–23) and Vice President of the Arab Council for Social Sciences (2015–16). An International Fellow of the British Academy, he was also the Editor of Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology (2007–22). His contributions to the field have been recognized with some of the Arab world's most prestigious academic awards, including the Abdelhamid Shouman Award (2014) and the Kuwait Award for Social Science (2015). In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of San Marcos, Peru. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

In an era of deepening polarization, Sari Hanafi examines how social scientists often reproduce the very injustices they seek to challenge, taking entrenched positions while dismissing alternative perspectives. He introduces the concept of symbolic liberalism - a contradiction in which individuals espouse classical liberal principles, yet act in politically illiberal ways. This, he argues, has exacerbated the pathologies of late modernity: authoritarianism, economic precarity, and environmental destruction, now all unfolding in a climate where reasonable debate seems increasingly impossible. Examining key flashpoints of contemporary polarization, Hanafi critiques how symbolic liberalism inflates the universality of rights while simultaneously narrowing the space for dialogue. Rather than this rigid ideological stance, he calls for a dialogical turn, a renewed public sphere where diverse conceptions of the ‘common good' engage in genuine conversation. Blending political and moral philosophy with sociological critique, Hanafi offers a path forward in an age when intellectual exchange is more necessary, yet also more imperilled, than ever. Against Symbolic Liberalism: A Plea for Dialogical Sociology (Liverpool UP, 2025) is not just a critique of polarization but a critical and impassioned call to reclaim meaningful intellectual discourse. Sari Hanafi is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. He served as President of the International Sociological Association (2018–23) and Vice President of the Arab Council for Social Sciences (2015–16). An International Fellow of the British Academy, he was also the Editor of Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology (2007–22). His contributions to the field have been recognized with some of the Arab world's most prestigious academic awards, including the Abdelhamid Shouman Award (2014) and the Kuwait Award for Social Science (2015). In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of San Marcos, Peru. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Academic and writer Timothy Mitchell joins This Is Hell! to talk about his new book his new book "The Alibi of Capital: How We Broke the Earth to Steal the Future on the Promise of a Better Tomorrow”, published by Verso Books (https://www.versobooks.com/products/3452-the-alibi-of-capital). Mitchell is the William B. Ransford Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia University. His is based in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. We will have new installments of Rotten History and Hangover Cure. We will also be sharing your answers to this week's Question from Hell! from Patreon. Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

By bringing together academics and journalists that utilise gender and media studies, as well as history and international relations, this interdisciplinary panel will speak to the relationship between the family and nation-building, the role of media and advertising in representing the mother figure, and through real life stories explore how people in the Middle East and the diaspora have redefined what family looks like. Meet our speakers Dr Polly Withers is a feminist cultural studies researcher, currently leading the Leverhulme Early Career Project ‘Neoliberal Visions: Gendering Consumer Advertising and its Resistances in the Levant', which considers how commercial advertising mediates shifts in gender and sexuality in post-Oslo Palestine and current-day Jordan. Prior to this, Polly's work focused on the gender and sexuality politics of 'alternative' music and subcultural participation in contemporary Palestine and its diaspora. Her work has appeared in Feminist Media Studies, the British Journal of Middle East Studies, and related gender and cultural studies outlets. She is currently working on a single-author monograph based on her Leverhulme research. Dr Andrew Delatolla is Associate Professor in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Leeds. His research interests centre on the intersections of race and sexuality in relation to statehood and state formation. He has recently concluded a funded project examining the politics of LGBTIQ+ rights in the Spanish overseas territories of Ceuta and Melilla and is currently part of an AHRC-DFG funded project examining transformations in gender and sexual governance in post-Soviet Muslim majority republics. His recent publications include a co-authored chapter, with Karim Chedid, in the anthology This Queer Arab Family edited by Elias Jahshan and a co-authored article with Hossein Cheaito in the European Journal of Politics and Gender on LGBTIQ+ activism in Lebanon. Elias Jahshan (he/him) is a Lebanese-Palestinian journalist and writer, and the editor of groundbreaking anthologies THIS ARAB IS QUEER (2022) and THIS QUEER ARAB FAMILY (2025), both published by Saqi Books. This Arab Is Queer was a 2023 Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the USA and shortlisted for the 2023 Bread & Roses Award in the UK, and has been translated into Italian and soon in French. His short memoirs have been published in several anthologies, and he has written for The Guardian, The New Arab, Raseef22, My Kali, and more. Meet our chair Hakan Sandal-Wilson is Assistant Professor of Gender, Peace and Security at the Department of Gender Studies. He is a political sociologist whose teaching and research explore how gender and sexuality intersect with democracy, conflict, and ethnic and religious difference.

Federico Borsari is a Non-Resident Fellow with the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis, or CEPA for short.  The Center for European Policy Analysis is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institution headquartered in Washington, DC, with hubs in London and Brussels. The organization focuses on strengthening the transatlantic alliance through research, analysis, and programs. CEPA provides insight on trends affecting democracy, security, and defense to government officials and agencies, helps transatlantic businesses navigate changing strategic landscapes, and builds networks of future leaders committed to transatlantic cooperation. At CEPA, Federico focuses on issues at the intersection of technology and international security, with particular emphasis on unmanned systems and autonomy. His work also covers NATO and transatlantic defense and security. He has authored several analyses and publications on the use and security implications of unmanned aerial systems by both state and non-state actors, and recently co-authored the first-ever report on drone warfare and its implications for NATO. Federico previously served as a Pan-European Fellow and later a Visiting Fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, and until October 2021 he worked as an analyst and project officer at the International Institute for International Political Studies in Milan, where he also helped organize the last three editions of the Mediterranean Dialogues Conference. He holds a BA in History from the University of Modena and an MA in International Relations and Strategic Studies from the University of Bologna. He also earned a second MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the Catholic University in Milan, and conducted fieldwork in Iraqi Kurdistan for a research project on the institutionalization and depoliticization of the Peshmarga. Federico is a frequent commentator on defense and drone technology in national and international media, and he regularly participates in conferences on defense technology and the use of drones. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Federico talks about how uncrewed systems are being used in the Arctic, and the challenges and opportunities they present for security, monitoring, and protecting critical infrastructure in this increasingly strategic region.

Director of Sac State's Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies weighs in on escalating conflict. Also, one couple's struggle to afford raising healthcare premiums. Finally, raising awareness of human trafficking through art and movement.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack on Iran and the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the United States and Israel, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, while experts warned that the joint military strikes will have far-reaching repercussions in the region and the world.外交部发言人3月1日表示，中方坚决反对并强烈谴责美国和以色列对伊朗发动的袭击以及刺杀伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊的行为。专家警告称，此次联合军事行动将对该地区乃至全世界产生深远影响。Calling the attack a grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and security, the spokesperson said it also tramples on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and basic norms governing international relations. "We urge an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation, and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large," the spokesperson added.发言人在回答记者提问时表示，袭击并杀害伊朗最高领导人，严重侵犯伊朗主权安全，践踏《联合国宪章》宗旨原则和国际关系基本准则，中方对此予以坚决反对和强烈谴责。"我们敦促立即停止军事行动，避免紧张事态进一步升级，共同维护中东和世界和平稳定。"发言人强调。The US-Israeli airstrikes, which entered a second day on Sunday, have killed more than 200 people in Iran, including Khamenei, 86, and dozens of students at a girls' primary school in the southern part of the country, according to Iranian authorities.据伊朗官方证实，美以空袭进入第二天，已造成伊朗境内200余人死亡，包括86岁的最高领袖哈梅内伊，以及该国南部一所女子小学的数十名学生。The joint strikes have drawn the Middle East into unknown territory, as Iran has retaliated by firing missiles targeting Israel and 27 US military bases in the region.此次联合打击使中东地区局势进入未知境地，伊朗已向以色列及该地区27处美军基地发射导弹作为报复。The attack has opened a dangerous new chapter in terms of US intervention in Iran, marking the second time in over eight months that the US and Israel have attacked Iran amid negotiations over its nuclear program.此次袭击开启了美国干预伊朗事务的危险新篇章，这是八个多月以来，美以在其核计划谈判期间第二次对伊朗发动袭击。On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sharply criticized the strikes in a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, calling for an immediate cessation of US-Israel military operations in Iran, a prompt return to dialogue and negotiations, and joint opposition to such unilateral actions. Wang said that China has consistently advocated adherence to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and is opposed to the use of force in international relations.3月1日，外交部长王毅同俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫通电话时严厉批评了此次袭击行动。王毅呼吁立即停止军事行动，尽快重回对话谈判，共同反对单边行径。王毅表示，中方一贯主张遵守联合国宪章宗旨原则，反对在国际关系中使用武力。The blatant killing of a leader of a sovereign state and the incitement of regime change are "unacceptable", he said, adding that these actions "violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations".在国际关系中动辄使用武力，公然击杀一个主权国家领导人、鼓动政权更迭，这种行为"不可接受"，他补充说，这些行为"违反了国际法和国际关系基本准则"。Noting that the conflict has spread throughout the Persian Gulf, Wang said the situation may be pushed into a dangerous abyss, and China is highly concerned about this. He emphasized that launching military strikes against a sovereign state without the authorization of the UN Security Council undermines the foundation for peace established after World War II.王毅指出，目前战事已延烧至整个波斯湾，中东局势有可能被推向危险的深渊，中方对此高度关切。他强调，未经联合国安理会授权对主权国家大打出手，破坏二战之后建立的和平根基。Wang called on the international community to clearly and unequivocally voice opposition to the world regressing to the law of the jungle.王毅呼吁国际社会应当发出明确、清晰声音，反对世界倒退回丛林法则。Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the killing of Khamenei was a "declaration of war against Muslims". Iran issued a statement vowing that this "great crime will never go unanswered", its official news agency IRNA reported.伊朗总统佩泽希齐扬表示，刺杀哈梅内伊是对"穆斯林的宣战"。伊朗官方通讯社援引伊方声明称，这一"重大罪行绝不会得不到回应"。Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera network on Sunday that a new supreme leader will be chosen in "one or two days". Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that leadership duties would temporarily be assumed by the Iranian president, the judiciary chief and a jurist from the nation's Constitutional Council.伊朗外长阿拉格齐3月1日告诉半岛电视台，将在"一两天内"选出新的最高领袖。伊朗塔斯尼姆通讯社报道，领导职责将暂时由伊朗总统、司法部长和宪法监护委员会的一名法学家共同承担。Local media reports quoted Iran's Revolutionary Guard as saying that the Strait of Hormuz — a vital waterway for oil and gas shipments — was restricted to vessels on Saturday.当地媒体报道援引伊朗革命卫队称，霍尔木兹海峡——这一至关重要的油气运输水道——已于2月28日对船只实施限制。Jasim Al-Azzawi, an analyst in Iraq, said the conflict already looked broader and deeper than the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June last year.伊拉克分析人士阿扎维表示，此次冲突的广度和深度已经超过去年6月以色列与伊朗为期12天的战争。The recent strikes "followed mediators' announcement of a significant 'breakthrough' in negotiations", with talks set to resume last week, Al-Azzawi told Al Jazeera, adding that "clearly, diplomacy was never meant to succeed and was merely used to mask war plans".他指出，最近的袭击发生在调解人宣布谈判取得重大"突破"之后，原定上周恢复谈判，"显然，外交从未真正打算成功，只是用来掩盖战争计划的幌子"。"From the timing of the attack, it is apparent that Washington and Tel Aviv had already made up their minds weeks ago. Iran's readiness to retaliate across the region suggests it is willing to wage a long war rather than compromise," he added."从袭击时机来看，华盛顿和特拉维夫显然数周前就已下定决心。伊朗准备在整个地区进行报复，这表明它愿意打一场持久战，而不是妥协。"他补充道。Sun Degang, director of Fudan University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Shanghai, said the previous rounds of talks between the US and Iran appear to have been a mere delaying tactic, giving time for US-Israeli military deployments.复旦大学中东研究中心主任孙德刚分析认为，前几轮美伊谈判似乎只是拖延战术，为美以军事部署争取时间。"The US and Israel, seeking a pretext for military action against Iran, used the talks to enable the deployment of two US aircraft carriers to the Middle East," he said."美国和以色列在寻求对伊朗采取军事行动的借口时，利用谈判促成了两艘美国航母向中东的部署。"Sun added that the recent strikes in Iran may be the beginning of a full-scale conflict, as this time, Iran's determination to retaliate is significantly greater, potentially leading to the mobilization of its full capabilities to counter US-Israeli actions".他表示，此次对伊朗的打击可能是全面冲突的开端，因为这一次伊朗报复的决心明显更大，可能会调动全部能力来反击美以行动。Yan Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at China's Northwest University, pointed out that Iran's retaliatory actions may lead to the US and Israel taking further escalatory measures.西北大学中东研究所副所长闫伟指出，伊朗的报复行动可能导致美以采取进一步升级措施。"In addition to intensifying military strikes and potentially expanding the range of targets, the US and Israel may further tighten economic sanctions on Iran, and step up information campaigns aimed at weakening the Iranian government's domestic and international standing," he said."除了加强军事打击和可能扩大目标范围外，美以可能进一步收紧对伊朗的经济制裁，并加大信息宣传力度，以削弱伊朗政府在国内外地位。"Emphasizing that the US-Israeli strikes in Iran constitute violations of the UN principles and international law, Yan urged nations in the Global South, as well as the UN, to unite to promote peace, end the conflict and resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through political means.他强调美以在伊朗的打击行为违反联合国原则和国际法，敦促全球南方国家以及联合国团结起来，促进和平，结束冲突，通过政治手段解决伊朗核问题。far-reaching repercussion /ˈfɑːˈriːtʃɪŋ ˌriːpəˈkʌʃən/深远影响grave violation /ɡreɪv ˌvaɪəˈleɪʃən/严重侵犯retaliate /rɪˈtælieɪt/报复blatant /ˈbleɪtənt/公然的incitement of regime change /ɪnˈsaɪtmənt ɒv reɪˈʒiːm tʃeɪndʒ/煽动政权更迭abyss /əˈbɪs/深渊unequivocally /ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkəli/明确地

Join our hosts for Monday's show where we will be discussing: 'Iran - Israel : war in the middle east' Iran - Israel : war in the middle east Israel's “preemptive” attack on Iran has sent shockwaves across the globe, igniting a major military confrontation and sparking fierce debate about its legality and consequences. What happens in Iran will not stay in Iran. The reverberations are already being felt across the Middle East, disrupting diplomatic relations, unsettling global energy markets, and reshaping the balance of world power. Join us as we unpack the fallout, explore the potential future scenarios for the region, and discuss what this means for global geopolitics. Guests include: Hooman Zalpour - Iranian political analyst and commentator, specialising in Iranian domestic and regional affairs. Jasmine El-Gamal - Founder and CEO of Averos Strategies and former Middle East advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense. Professor Paul Rogers - Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford and a leading expert on international security and conflict analysis. Dr Shubhra Chaturvedi - Visiting Lecturer at City, University of London, and Associate Editor at The Stimson Centre. She specialises in global politics, conflict analysis, and diplomacy. Professor Stephen Zunes - Professor of Politics and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco Producers: Bareera Iftikhar, Faiza Mirza, Bushra Tun Nisa Amir, Nudrat Qasim

Israel launched a "preemptive" strike against Iran on Saturday, igniting renewed military tensions in the Middle East. Experts said the attack further diminishes prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the long-standing nuclear dispute between Tehran and the West.The attack, coming after Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day conflict last June, follows repeated US-Israeli threats that they would strike again under the pretext of Iran's nuclear enrichment and its ballistic missile program.Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, while Iran's state media said the country is preparing for a "a crushing response" to the attacks, according to a CNN report.Witnesses in Iran reported a large explosion, though there was no immediate comment from the government about the blast."The State of Israel launched a preemptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel," said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, declaring an "immediate state of emergency throughout the entire country".Sirens sound across Israel, while the Israeli military warned civilians to stay close to bomb shelters.An Israeli defense official said the operation had been planned for months in coordination with Washington, and that the launch date was decided weeks ago.United States President Donald Trump described the attack as "massive and ongoing", advocating for regime change and calling on Iranians to "take over your government", the report said.Sun Degang, director of Fudan University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Shanghai, said the Israel-US attack on Iran may signify the beginning of a full-scale conflict."Mirroring last year's events, Israel launched strikes during ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran," Sun said."This time, Iran's determination to retaliate is expected to be significantly greater, potentially leading to the mobilization of its full capabilities to counter both US and Israeli actions. Consequently, a forceful response from Iran is likely, possibly escalating into wider conflict as a means of deterrence."Sun said that the initial three rounds of negotiations between Iran and the US appear to have been a delaying tactic, providing cover for US and Israeli military deployments."The US and Israel, seeking a pretext for military action against Iran, used the talks to enable the deployment of two US aircraft carriers to the Middle East," he added."With the carriers now in position, a coordinated offensive against Iran has purportedly begun, with Israel emphasizing the unified US-Israel front to deter Iran from limiting its retaliation. The strategy aims to fully involve the US in the conflict, forcing Iran into a strategically unfavorable confrontation against two adversaries."Given the present context, a key objective for Iran likely involves retaliatory action against Israel. This could extend beyond military targets to encompass specific civilian facilities, such as power plants and refineries, potentially aimed at deterring follow-on strikes from Israel and the US."Sun went on to say that, facing the perceived threat of regime change, Iran has proactively developed contingency plans, which include arrangements sanctioned by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for collective leadership and designated successors in the event of an emergency."Iran's preparations are more comprehensive than last year, suggesting that, in the short term, its command, control, intelligence and defense systems are unlikely to be significantly disrupted," he added."The ongoing tensions between the US, Israel and Iran pose a significant risk of regional escalation. While most Middle Eastern nations, particularly those bordering Iran, prioritize their own stability and are hesitant to be drawn into the conflict, but the region's overall peace and stability remain profoundly precarious."

Samurajerna - en japansk ikon som vi aldrig tycks kunna få nog av. Inte bara vi, utan även japanska filmproducenter och emellanåt även Hollywood. Det är något som aldrig upphör att fascinera med dessa japanska krigare.Men vilka var dom egentligen, och var dom så krigiska som dom framställs på vita duken. Hade de ens svärd?Japanpodden gästas av Mikael Adolphson, professor i japansk historia vid Cambridge, som håller på med en bok som, om man ska tro honom själv, en gång för alla kommer att ta kål på myten om den krigiske, hjältemodiske samurajen. NYHETERPOLITIK – Ny myndighet för ekonomisk säkerhetJapans premiärminister Sanae Takaichi vill inrätta en ny central myndighet för ekonomisk säkerhet. Den ska granska utländska investeringar i Japan, inom strategiska sektorer som halvledare, artificiell intelligens och kritisk infrastruktur. I dag delas den uppgiften mellan flera olika ministerier, vilket regeringen menar fördröjer viktiga beslut och ökar risken för säkerhetsluckor. Liknande myndighet finns exempelvis i USA och det övergripande syftet är att minska sårbarheten i ett läge med ökade geopolitiska spänningar, inte minst i relationen till Kina. Kritiker varnar samtidigt för att mer makt koncentreras till premiärministerns kansli. Lagförslag väntas presenteras senare under året.EKONOMI – Debatt om räntor, inflation och momsEfter Takaichis förkrossande seger i parlamentsvalet för två veckor sedan ligger nu mycket av fokuset på vilken ekonomisk politik hon väntas vilja föra. Takaichi har uttryckt oro över ytterligare räntehöjningar från centralbanken Bank of Japan, som i december höjde styrräntan till 0,75 procent – den högsta nivån på tre decennier. Yenen har försvagats och inflationen ligger fortsatt över målet, vilket ökar trycket på hushållen. Takaichi vill nu att penningpolitiken samordnas tydligare med finanspolitiska åtgärder. Hon har upprepat sitt vallöfte om att tillfälligt slopa den 8-procentiga momsen på livsmedel i två år för att stärka köpkraften. Förslaget har mött stöd bland väljare men väckt oro på finansmarknaden, eftersom det riskerar att öka budgetunderskottet i ett land som redan har den högsta statsskulden bland samtliga industriländer.UTRIKES – Beslag av kinesisk fiskebåtJapanska kustbevakningen har beslagtagit en kinesisk fiskebåt som befann sig i Japans ekonomiska zon. Händelsen sker i ett redan spänt läge mellan Tokyo och Peking, där territoriella tvister och säkerhetsfrågor dominerar relationen. Kina har protesterat mot ingripandet, medan Japan hävdar att man agerat i enlighet med internationell rätt. Det är den senaste i raden av flera liknande incidenter som rapporterats sedan i höstas. Analytiker menar att konfrontationerna speglar en bredare maktkamp i regionen. Från japansk sida säger man att man kommer fortsätta upprätthålla kontrollen över sina vatten.UTRIKES – Kanadensiskt besök i TokyoKanadas premiärminister Mark Carney kommer att besöka Japan i början på nästa vecka inom ramen för en rundresa i Indo-Stillahavsregionen som även omfattar Indien och Australien. På dagordningen står samarbete kring energi, kritiska mineraler och avancerad teknik, inklusive artificiell intelligens. Besöket ses som en del av en bredare strategi att stärka banden mellan likasinnade demokratier i regionen. Även säkerhetspolitiska frågor och handel väntas diskuteras. Japan har de senaste åren fördjupat samarbetet med G7-länder i frågor som rör leveranskedjor och ekonomisk säkerhet. Mötet understryker Japans centrala roll i regionens geopolitiska omvandling. Mark Carney har innan resan sagt att hans mål är att minska beroendet av USA och istället fördubbla exporten till andra länder.EKONOMI – Exporten fortsätter ökaJapans export steg med närmare 17 procent i januari jämfört med samma månad i fjol, enligt officiell statistik. Uppgången drivs främst av stark efterfrågan i Kina och övriga Asien. Exporten av tekniska komponenter ökade kraftigt, medan fordonssektorn utvecklades svagare. Det är femte månaden i rad med exporttillväxt. Handelsunderskottet minskar därmed, men osäkerheten i världsekonomin består. Regeringen beskriver siffrorna som ett tecken på motståndskraft, men varnar för att globala konjunktursvängningar snabbt kan påverka utvecklingen.KULTUR – Japansk anime i internationellt fokusDen japanske regissören Yoshitoshi Shinomiya har haft internationell premiär för sin nya animefilm ”A New Dawn”. Filmen skildrar konflikten mellan traditionellt hantverk och modern stadsutveckling och har väckt uppmärksamhet på europeiska filmfestivaler. Kritiker lyfter fram hur filmen kombinerar handritad animation med digital teknik och knyter an till japanskt kulturarv. Produktionen ses som ytterligare ett exempel på hur japansk animation fortsätter att spela en central roll i Japans ambition att vara en stormakt inom det som brukar beskrivas som mjuk makt, och föruytom film även innefattar sånt som musik och mat.SPORT – Japanska framgångar i vinter-OSI likhet med Sverige hade Japan ett synnerligen framgångrikt Vinter-OS 2026 i Milano-Cortina. Särskilt uppmärksammat blev guldet i paråkning i konståkning genom Riku Miura och Ryuichi Kihara, som satte personligt rekord i den fria åkningen. Japan placerade sig på tionde plats i medaljligan och gjorde ett av sina starkaste vinter-OS hittills, med 5 guld, 7 silver och 12 brons.Personer, böcker och filmer som nämns i podden: Musui´s story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsu_Kokichi Harakiri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakiri_(1962_film)Hagakure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HagakureBushido - the Soul of Japan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido:_The_Soul_of_JapanFaculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge: https://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit japanpodden.substack.com

How has Israel’s war on Gaza shaped the Middle East? This year, the Al Jazeera Forum discusses the regional implications of the war. With new realities on the ground, how has the conflict changed the geopolitics in this volatile region? This show was produced on the sidelines of the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha. In this episode: Mustafa Barghouti, General Secretary, Palestinian National Initiative. Abdullah Al Shayji, Professor, International Relations and Political Science, Kuwait University. Ziad Majed, Professor, Middle Eastern Studies, The American University of Paris. Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, 2025 FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with filmmaker and activist Jen Marlowe about the film Severed, which Jen directed. The film, released in late 2025, tells the story of Mohamad Saleh, a teenager from Gaza who has endured five major Israeli assaults, lost his home, close family members, his best friends, and—at the age of 12—his leg. Hilary and Jen discuss disablement, disability justice, and Gaza, which now has the largest cohort of child amputees in the world.  Jen Marlowe is the founder of Donkeysaddle Projects and a Consulting Producer for Just Vision. She is an independent filmmaker, journalist, author, playwright and human rights activist. Her books include I Am Troy Davis (Haymarket Books, 2013), The Hour of Sunlight (2011, Bold Type Books) and Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival (2006, Bold Type Books). Her films include Severed, There Is A Field, and Remembering the Gaza War. Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She was a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master's degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Deborah Hart and David Cunliffe. First up, it's about to get faster and cheaper to get your driver licence - but is that coming at the cost of road safety? Then, tensions between Iran and the US are coming to a head, with a potential meeting to come. Australian National University Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Amin Saikal shares his read on the situation.

Episode 223: Ottoman Continuities and the Development of Modern Education in Tunisia This project traces the changing role of Ottomanism in relation to the emergence of modern educational institutions in Tunis. The development of the Tunisian education system demonstrated continuous Ottoman links, despite colonial co-optation over time. The social milieus formed in modern educational spaces facilitated ties to the Ottoman Empire. In short, this is a regional history rooted in a single city, which challenges colonial and nationalist historiographies. Over time, modern education led to a democratization in forms of belonging to the Ottoman Empire. It was no longer only court elites who had access to other statesmen, but rather those educated in the new schools who negotiated changing notions of being Ottoman in Tunis.  The first school aimed at modernizing education was founded in 1840: the Bardo Military Academy. This school created a modernized army, including a modernized Mamluk class, whose members would shape education reform later as well. Those educated there formed an inner circle of reformists around Khayreddine Pasha (though he himself was not a Bardo graduate). Here, Mamluks, as well as local Arabs, were educated in a way that emphasized bodily discipline, modern sciences, and European languages. This school was modeled on European military schools, but retained a distinctively Ottoman shape, just like its parallel institution in Istanbul. It was a product of the reforms of Ahmed Bey and, further, was clearly influenced by ideas from modernizing reforms like the Nizam-i Cedid and the Tanzimat. By 1875, the new Mamluk class played a key role in founding the Sadiki School. This institution, though later co-opted by French colonial interests, represented a distinctly Tunisian-Ottoman mode of modern education from the outset. The short-lived Ottoman language program at Sadiki represented an early democratization of the language outside of the Beylical Palace. More importantly, as a result of Sadikian education, French became a language of cross border communication between Arabs and Turks as well. When the first generation of Sadikians grew up, they became the nucleus of the Young Tunisian Party, modelled on the Young Turk Party. Beyond the walls of official schools, Sadikians generated a great deal of educational opportunities through two main institutions: first, the Khaldounia, an institution that aimed to teach modern subjects to Zaytounians.; and second, the Sadiki Alumni Association, which hosted many lectures and extracurricular activities outside of the tight control of the French colonial cultural project. In these spaces, Pan-Islamist ideas flourished. Even as ethnic difference between Turks and Arabs became a cornerstone of colonial propaganda in the 1910s, many of those educated in these spaces maintained the notion that Turks and Arabs were brothers sharing a common cause. Education was further a gendered issue, and one that became tied to moral questions articulated in an Ottoman-Islamic idiom. The first Franco-Arabic school for girls, located on Rue du Pacha, was founded in 1900. It featured a curriculum modelled largely on the Sadiki School, though moderated to produce mothers rather than civil servants. Though run by the wife of a French colonial official, this school and schools like it which followed were far from purely colonial institutions. In conferences and in the press, Tunisians emphasized the importance of educating girls, arguing that it was a religious matter. The education of girls became a matter of preserving an Umma that was rapidly changing shape as the Ottoman Empire came to an end over the early decades of the twentieth century.  Between 1840 and 1923, various educational institutions played key roles in renegotiating what Ottoman belonging meant in Tunis. Despite French colonial rule extending through most of this timeline, many Tunisians maintained a sense of being part of the Ottoman Empire. Initially the domain of statesmen, being Ottoman gradually became a more accessible identity to broader swaths of Tunisians because of changes to the education system.  Erin Kelleher is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies. Focusing on social and cultural history, her work looks at on the relationship between Ottomanism and education reform in Tunisia from the mid-nineteenth century into the early twentieth century. She spent the 2024-2025 academic year as an AIMS fellow based in Tunis, Tunisia. Previously, she spent a year in Meknes, Morocco as a CASA fellow and spent several summers studying Modern and Ottoman Turkish in Istanbul. She holds an MA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization from the University of Washington. This podcast was recorded on the 7th of May 2025 at the Centre d'Études Maghrébines à Tunis (CEMAT) with the historian Luke Scalone. We thank Bacem Affès, composer and oud soloist, for his interpretation of « Isteftah » in the introduction and conclusion of this podcast. Production and editing: Lena Krause, AIMS Development and Digital Resources Liaison.

Dr. Tomer Persico is a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Rubinstein Fellow at Reichman University, and a Senior Research Scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His fields of expertise include contemporary spirituality, Jewish modern identity, Jewish renewal, and forms of secularization and religiosity in Israel. In God's Image, Persico examines the central role that the idea that all people were created in the image of God played in the development of Western civilization. Focusing on five themes―selfhood, freedom, conscience, equality, and meaning―the book guides the reader through a cultural history of the West, from ancient times through modernity. It explains how each of these ideals was profoundly influenced by the central biblical conception of humanity's creation in God's image, embracing an essential equality among all people, while also emphasizing each human life's singularity and significance. The book argues that the West, and particularly Protestant Christianity, grew out of ideas rooted deeply in this notion, and that it played a core role in the development of individualism, liberalism, human rights discourse, and indeed the secularization process. Making the case for a cultural understanding of history, the volume focuses on ideas as agents of change and challenges the common scholarly emphasis on material conditions. Offering an innovative perspective on the shaping of global modernity, In God's Image examines the relationship between faith and society and posits the fundamental role of the idea of the image of God in the making of the moral ideals and social institutions we hold dear today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Dr. Elisheva Machlis, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Bar-Ilan University and a member of Forum Dvorah, spoke to KAN reporter Naomi Segal about the recent unrest in Iran and what may lie ahead. (Photo: Reuters)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are happy to welcome back to the podcast Moshe Ma'oz, Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. In this episode, Alon and Moshe discuss Israeli perspectives of the last two years of conflict with the Palestinians, global perspectives towards a Palestinian state and a two-state solution, and the still-indispensable role of the United States in finding a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bio Moshe Ma'oz is Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. Professor Ma'oz is renowned for his expertise in Arab and Middle East affairs, and has published extensively on Islam and on the history and politics of the Middle East. He is a leading expert on Syria. Professor Ma'oz has been a visiting professor, scholar, and fellow at many leading universities and institutions around the world. He has served as an advisor on Arab Affairs for Israel's Knesset, and was a member of official advisory committees that counseled the late Prime Ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

J.J. and Dr. Hindy Najman on authorship, authority, and the creation of the Jewish canon. If you or your business are interested in sponsoring an episode or mini-series, please reach out at  podcasts@torahinmotion.org Follow us on Bluesky @jewishideaspod.bsky.social for updates and insights!Please rate and review the the show in the podcast app of your choice.We welcome all complaints and compliments at podcasts@torahinmotion.org  For more information visit torahinmotion.org/podcastsHindy Najman (MA and PhD Harvard, NELC) is the Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture and a fellow at Oriel College.  She is the director and founder of the Centre for the Study of the Bible in Oriel College.  In the University of Oxford, she is a member of the faculty of Theology and Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, and member of the Sub-faculty Classics, and a member of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies.  Prior to her joining the faculty in Oxford, she has held posts at the University of Notre Dame, University of Toronto, and Yale University.  Her areas of research are entanglement of Ancient Culture; Reading Practices in Jewish Antiquity; Comparative Philology; Performance; Formation of the Self and the Subject; Collection and Canon; Authority and Author Function; Biblical Figures and Exemplarity; Practices of Pseudepigraphy and Pseudonymous Attribution; Revelation; Diaspora and Exile; Trauma Studies; and Nature and Law.  Her major publications include Losing the Temple and Recovering the Future: An Analysis of 4 Ezra. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014; Past Renewals: Interpretive Authority, Renewed Revelation, and the Quest for Perfection. Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism 53. Leiden: Brill, 2010.; Seconding Sinai: The Development of Mosaic Discourse in Second Temple Judaism. Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism 77. Leiden: Brill, 2003. Reissued in paperback by the Society of Biblical Literature in April 2009.  She has published over 50 articles and has edited 20 volumes. She has contributed as editor and associate editor to a variety of journals and book series, among them are Journal of Biblical Literature from; Dead Sea Discoveries and the Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplement Series. Her most recent monograph has appeared in December 2024 with Oxford University Press, Scriptural Vitality: Rethinking Hermeneutics and Philology.  In current projects are on Pluriformity and hermeneutics, Metathinking in Ancient Judaism, and Aesthetics and Poetics in ancient Jewish Song.

Dr. Tomer Persico is a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Rubinstein Fellow at Reichman University, and a Senior Research Scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His fields of expertise include contemporary spirituality, Jewish modern identity, Jewish renewal, and forms of secularization and religiosity in Israel. In God's Image, Persico examines the central role that the idea that all people were created in the image of God played in the development of Western civilization. Focusing on five themes―selfhood, freedom, conscience, equality, and meaning―the book guides the reader through a cultural history of the West, from ancient times through modernity. It explains how each of these ideals was profoundly influenced by the central biblical conception of humanity's creation in God's image, embracing an essential equality among all people, while also emphasizing each human life's singularity and significance. The book argues that the West, and particularly Protestant Christianity, grew out of ideas rooted deeply in this notion, and that it played a core role in the development of individualism, liberalism, human rights discourse, and indeed the secularization process. Making the case for a cultural understanding of history, the volume focuses on ideas as agents of change and challenges the common scholarly emphasis on material conditions. Offering an innovative perspective on the shaping of global modernity, In God's Image examines the relationship between faith and society and posits the fundamental role of the idea of the image of God in the making of the moral ideals and social institutions we hold dear today. 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

On today's show, host Allen Ruff is joined by Stephen Zunes to talk about his recent article in The Progressive, “The Real Reason Trump Invaded Venezuela: It's not drugs, democracy, or even oil. It's power.”  Following the US's abduction of Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, Zunes breaks down the Trump administration's motivations for seizing the state leader and Trump's vision for the US in the Western Hemisphere. He says the Trump administration is telling a number of lies to justify their actions: calling Maduro a narco-terrorist despite that no fentanyl comes from Venezuela, that Maduro stole “our oil” despite Venezuela nationalizing its oil in the 1970s, and more.  Zunes puts these lies in the context of international law, the Monroe Doctrine, Venezuelan opposition to Maduro, and the US military's recent boat-bombing campaign. He says that the US will control all of the oil from Venezuela for the foreseeable future, but “Trump plans to take control of the oil personally and stash the cash in offshore accounts.” Dr. Stephen Zunes is a Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he served as founding director of the program in Middle Eastern Studies. Featured image of Nicolás Maduro at a meeting in Geneva in 2015 via Flickr.  Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post The Monroe Doctrine Rises Again in Venezuela appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Dr. Tomer Persico is a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Rubinstein Fellow at Reichman University, and a Senior Research Scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His fields of expertise include contemporary spirituality, Jewish modern identity, Jewish renewal, and forms of secularization and religiosity in Israel. In God's Image, Persico examines the central role that the idea that all people were created in the image of God played in the development of Western civilization. Focusing on five themes―selfhood, freedom, conscience, equality, and meaning―the book guides the reader through a cultural history of the West, from ancient times through modernity. It explains how each of these ideals was profoundly influenced by the central biblical conception of humanity's creation in God's image, embracing an essential equality among all people, while also emphasizing each human life's singularity and significance. The book argues that the West, and particularly Protestant Christianity, grew out of ideas rooted deeply in this notion, and that it played a core role in the development of individualism, liberalism, human rights discourse, and indeed the secularization process. Making the case for a cultural understanding of history, the volume focuses on ideas as agents of change and challenges the common scholarly emphasis on material conditions. Offering an innovative perspective on the shaping of global modernity, In God's Image examines the relationship between faith and society and posits the fundamental role of the idea of the image of God in the making of the moral ideals and social institutions we hold dear today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Angry protests across Iran as the country faces economic turmoil. The president is calling on the government to hear the protesters' demands. But who's to blame for Iran's deep economic crisis? And how far will the demonstrations go? In this episode: Ali Akbar Dareini - Researcher at Center for Strategic Studies. Marzie Khalilian - Political Analyst and Academic Researcher. Stephen Zunes - Professor of Politics and Founding Chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The discussion covers the evolving role of debt as an instrument of empire, the emergence of sovereign wealth funds, and the ways financial instruments and flows of money subtly shape political realities and people's lives in the region. Professor Elyachar discusses her latest book "On the Semicivilized: Coloniality, Finance, and Embodied Sovereignty in Cairo" and how she challenges the notion that global finance originated solely in the West. The conversation delves into the history of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and their role in economic development, particularly in "pushing debt as a form of development". A Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University whose work examines the intersection of finance, political economy, and the Arab world, Elyachar also shares her family's history as sarrafs (bankers/brokers) in Ottoman Palestine, and how this tradition sparked her interest in finance and economics. She also explains the historical legal category of the "semicivilized," a term used in international law to describe the Ottoman Empire and other non-European powers who were recognized as legitimate sovereigns. 01:13 Introduction 03:31 A Family History of Finance in Ottoman Palestine06:52 Fieldwork in Cairo: Informal Economy and Debt10:15 The Problem of NGOs and "NGOification"15:53 Debt As an Instrument of Empire23:28 Defining "Semicivilized"37:57 The Central Question: Finance and Violence50:12 The Rise of Sovereign Wealth Funds56:11 Turning Debt Into Assets Julia Elyachar is an anthropologist, political economist, and award winning author. She was trained in anthropology, economics, history of political and economic thought, political economy, social theory, Middle Eastern Studies, and Arabic language. She is an associate professor of anthropology at Princeton University, and associate professor at the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies. She is a Faculty Researcher with the Dignity and Debt network and serves on the Executive Boards of the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, and the Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies. She has published the books "Markets of Dispossession: NGOs, Economic Development, and the State in Cairo" and "On the Semicivilized: Coloniality, Finance, and Embodied Sovereignty in Cairo" (2025).Connect with Julia Elyachar

In September, a wave of protests emerged in Morocco led by the country's youth, known as GenZ 212. Since September, 3 people have been killed and 400 arrested according to Amnesty International. Triggered by the deaths of women in an Agadir hospital, the protest movement's demands come against the background of widespread unemployment and a lack of funding in health and education sectors. With King Mohammed VI's latest speech announcing budgetary increases and promises of reform, will this be enough to meet the movement's demands, and does the movement have enough momentum to continue? This panel of experts will take a look at the current protests, how they have been organised and their capacity to gather widespread support. Panellists will also provide broader political and historical analysis on the country, analysing how capacity for reform can be understood in light of the Kingdom's governance systems and political institutions. Meet our speakers and chair: Miriyam Aouragh is Professor of Digital Anthropology at the University of Westminster with a specific focus on West Asia and North Africa. She studies the contradictions of capitalism shape the modes and meanings of resistance in the era of revolution and digital transformations. Her analyses is grounded in the complex revolutionary dynamics in the Arab world. In what she calls "techno-social politics" she studies a political temporality marked by revolution and counter-revolution. She wrote about the paradoxical context of online-revolution and cyber-imperialism. Throughout her academic projects she conducts extended fieldwork (Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco), in order to relate participant observation and interviews to media analyses. Miriyam is author of Palestine Online (IB Tauris 2011); (with Hamza Hamouchene) The Arab Spring a decade on (TNI 2022); Mediating the Makhzan about the (r)evolutionary dynamics in Morocco (forthcoming CUP) and (with Paula Chakravartty) Infrastructures of Empire (forthcoming). Mohamed Daadaoui is professor and chair of Political Science, History, and Philosophy & Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University. He is the author of Moroccan Monarchy and the Islamist Challenge: Maintaining Makhzen Power and The Historical Dictionary of the Arab Uprisings. He is a specialist of North African Politics. Mohamed's articles have appeared in Middle East Critique, The Journal of North African Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, The British Journal of Middle East Studies, the Journal of Middle East Law and Governance, the Hudson Institute, the Washington Post's Monkey Cage, the Huffington Post, SADA of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Middle East Institute, Jadaliyya and Muftah. Mohamed has provided commentary to local and international media outlets such as: C-Span, al-Jazeera English, the BBC, El Pais, and The Irish Times. Michael J. Willis is King Mohammed VI Fellow in Moroccan and Mediterranean Studies. His research interests focus on the politics, modern history and international relations of the central Maghreb states (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco). Before joining St Antony's in 2004, he taught politics at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco for seven years. He is the author of Algeria: Politics and Society from the Dark Decade to the Hirak (Hurst, 2022); Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring (Hurst and Oxford University Press, 2012) and The Islamist Challenge in Algeria: A Political History (Ithaca and New York University Press, 1997) and co-editor of Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters (Oxford University Press, 2015). Richard Barltrop is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the LSE Middle East Centre. His research is on contemporary international approaches to peacemaking, and why peace processes fail or succeed, with a particular focus on Yemen, Sudan and South Sudan, and considering Libya, Syria and other examples.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College and a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza. They discuss the Christian community in Gaza, the importance of Gaza in Christianity and Christian history, and the destruction of Christians in Gaza, which Dr. AlKhouri has termed 'ecclesiocide.' They also discuss the new Kairos document, called Kairos II, launched in Bethlehem in November 2025. According to the Kairos Palestine Initiative, Kairos II "declares the reality in Palestine as genocide and ethnic cleansing, challenges Western silence, and introduces a theology of resistance linking faith with justice. It exposes internal crises and reshapes the role of Christians in the struggle for liberation." Read the Kairos II document here. Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri (Ph.D., Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza. He serves as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College. He is a member of the steering committee of Christ at the Checkpoint and the board of Kairos Palestine. His research and publications, in Arabic and English, center on Palestinian theology, contextual biblical interpretation, and the witness of Christianity within the Palestinian experience. Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master's degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

Amy is joined by author Naima Brown to discuss her newest novel, Mother Tongue, exploring the consequences of change, finding our authentic selves, motherhood, right-wing radicalization, and the importance of fiction in our fight against patriarchy.Donate to Breaking Down PatriarchyNaima Brown holds degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology and Religious Studies. Her essays have appeared in Vogue Australia, the Guardian Australia, and more. She wrote, along with Melissa Doyle, the non-fiction book How to Age Against the Machine. She has spent over a decade working in news, current affairs and documentary - save for her brief stint in reality TV, which inspired her first novel, The Shot. She was born and raised in Northern California before living and working in Yemen and Afghanistan, and now lives in New South Wales with her husband and her dog. Her second novel, Mother Tongue, was published in March 2025.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Jonathan Harounoff Israel's Spokesperson to the United Nations. They discuss relations with the UK and other missions, combatting anti-Israeli prejudice including the debate over recognition of Palestinian statehood, and the next steps for the international stabilisation effort in Gaza.  Jonathan was born in London, graduated with a degree in Arabic, Persian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge. He completed his graduate studies in international relations, journalism and diplomacy at Harvard and received his master's from Columbia. Prior to the UN he worked as a journalist. He is also the author of Unveiled: Inside Iran's #WomanLifeFreedom Revolt.

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about “Generational Shift: An Assessment of Evolving Student Attitudes on College Campuses Towards Israel” that was recorded October 22, 2025 as a virtual event organized by the Oberlin Club of Washington, D.C. Tune in for this conversation with Stephen Zunes (Oberlin College '79), Professor of Politics and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Zunes is in conversation with his former classmate, Clyde Owan (Oberlin College '79) from the Oberlin Club of DC who facilitates the conversation. Few issues have seen such a generational divide in terms of public opinion than Israel/Palestine. Professor Stephen Zunes '79 will assess political changes in the United States and the region, review polling data, and share anecdotes from his experiences at various campuses to explain how student attitudes appear to be evolving on this important and controversial topic, why the issue has been so polarizing, and how the impact has challenged institutions and relations between students. Join us for an informative conversation. Stephen Zunes has been at the University of San Francisco since 1995, teaching courses on the politics of the Middle East and other regions, nonviolence, conflict resolution, U.S. foreign policy, globalization, and the politics of war and peace. A prominent specialist on U.S. Middle East policy, Professor Zunes has presented hundreds of public lectures and conference papers in both the United States and over a dozen foreign countries and has traveled frequently to the Middle East and other conflict regions. He has served as a political analyst for local, national, and international radio and television and as a columnist for several print and online publications, has published hundreds of articles in academic journals, anthologies, and magazines, and has served as a writer and senior analyst for Foreign Policy in Focus, an associate editor for Peace Review, and a contributing editor of Tikkun. At Oberlin, Stephen earned a degree in Government and earned his PhD in Government from Cornell University. Watch a full recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xeaGhzwYM4 On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

Dr. Ariel Admoni is Israel's foremost expert on Qatar's foreign policy, domestic politics, and global influence. Holding a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies from Bar-Ilan University, he serves as a research fellow at the prestigious Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS).A frequent speaker at the Cambridge Gulf Research Conference (2022–2024) and the International Studies Association, Dr. Admoni has advised policymakers and briefed media worldwide on Doha's high-stakes mediation, Al Jazeera's reach, and the Turkey-Qatar axis. His commentary appears in The Times of Israel, Iran International, i24NEWS, Israel Hayom, and leading think-tank reports.Today he joins us to unpack Qatar's double game: peacemaker by day, Hamas patron by night, and why the tiny emirate keeps outsmarting superpowers.Support Us on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cryforzion⁠Follow Ariel Admoni here:https://x.com/arieladmoni?s=20https://jiss.org.il/en/author/aadmoni/#qatar #arieladmoni #GeopoliticalTrends #usa #jiss #Podcast #Israel #BreakingIsraelNews #DoronKeidar #TheDoronKeidarPodcast  

This series is sponsored by American Security Foundation.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast—recorded at the 18Forty X ASFoundation AI Summit—we speak with ASF's Julia Senkfor and AI researcher Cameron Berg about the relationship between artificial intelligence and antisemitism.  In this episode we discuss: Why do large language models have an antisemitism problem? Is antisemitism inextricably embedded in Western culture? What can we do to reduce antisemitic bias in AI?Tune in for a conversation about the Jewish lives we want to create in a world that often seeks to define us negatively.Interview begins at 15:33.Julia Senkfor manages research and operations for American Security Fund. Prior to ASF, she worked as the lead researcher and subject matter expert on Iran (including Iran's nuclear program), Lebanon, Hezbollah, Yemen, and the Houthis at the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC). She earned her BA in International Affairs and minors in Middle Eastern Studies and Legal Studies from Washington University in St. Louis.Cameron Berg is an AI researcher working at the intersection of cognitive science and machine intelligence. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale and former Meta AI Resident, he builds systems that enhance—rather than replace—human capabilities. His work focuses on alignment, cognitive science, and the emerging science of AI consciousness, with tools and research used across Fortune 500s, startups, and public institutions.References:Inception (2010)The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)Anti-Judaism by David NirenbergFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Ori Goldberg, an independent analyst and specialist in Middle Eastern Studies, analyses the profound militarisation within his country, Israel, that involves the “desensitivisation as to the very existence of Palestinians as human beings” such that Israelis themselves know nothing about Palestinians, resulting in the only permissible history of Israel being that of the Jewish narrative. Covering the deeply ideological and historical “zero-sum game” whereby Israelis are uniquely allowed access to the narrative of victimisation, Goldberg explains the refusal of Israelis to see the humanity of Palestinians, remarking, “If they are acknowledged as full-fledged humans, then there is something wrong with us, there is something that undermines our right to live here.” Observing how the desensitisation of Israelis to Palestinians functions, Goldberg claims that Israelis do not possess the language to describe Palestinians “except as a threat” in the second order; however, Israeli's first order of understanding the Palestinian is that of “nothingness” where Palestinian deaths “don't even register.” Assessing the greatest weakness of Israel—that it does not register the reality of Palestinians—Goldberg describes how a member of Knesset stated that the only health risk facing Gazans is “obesity,” noting, “That is not how you want to talk about a people who actively, consciously want to vanquish—it's how you talk about a people whose existence seems like a fantasy to you to begin with.” The fact that Israel attacks at will and kills indiscriminately, Goldberg asserts, is not significant in terms of its strategic power. To the contrary, Goldberg suggests that Israel's main weakness, despite its aggression, is that it has alienated even its closest allies while also coming very close to being a failed state. Suggesting that Israel can only be saved through a “strategic implosion” that will ultimately shape its “response and its willingness to accept externally imposed positions,” Goldberg confirms that the light on the horizon is that vast majority of the world's population no longer cares about Israelis' feelings or their sense of victimhood, noting that Israel can blame itself for the position in which it has created for itself. Get full access to Savage Minds at savageminds.substack.com/subscribe

After two weeks, the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is still holding, despite numerous continued killings by the IDF and a delay by Hamas in turning over the bodies of dead hostages (that they claim are buried under the rubble from Israel's missiles). Prof. Stephen Zunes, Director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, talks with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine, about the situation and his article, "A Shaky Ceasefire is Better Than an Ongoing Genocide."

The Bible's most revolutionary concept wasn't monotheism - it was something far more profound. What if the most revolutionary idea in human history wasn't freedom, democracy, or even monotheism — but a single verse from Genesis? This week on Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Dr. Tomer Persico, author of In God's Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea. Together, they explore how the Torah's concept of tzelem Elohim — the image of God — was originally understood not as a metaphor, but as something startlingly literal: humanity as the actual analog of the divine. The conversation also traces how Christianity, more than Judaism, adopted and amplified this idea — translating it into the language of conscience, equality, and individual dignity. Does that history diminish the Jewish claim to tzelem Elohim or, paradoxically, confirm its enduring power? Finally, the discussion turns inward: once God's mind becomes internalized within the human mind, religion itself becomes a human sense — like music or beauty — embedded in the architecture of our consciousness. Studying religion, then, is not just the study of the divine, but the study of what makes us most profoundly human. Dr Tomers Biography Dr. Tomer Persico is a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, Chief Editor of the 'Challenges of Democracy' book series for the Rubinstein Center at Reichman University, and a Senior Research Scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Persico was the Koret Visiting Assistant Professor at the UC Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies for three years and has taught for eight years in Tel Aviv University. His fields of expertise include cultural history, the liberal order, Jewish modern identity, Contemporary Spirituality and Jewish fundamentalism. His books include The Jewish Meditative Tradition (Hebrew, Tel Aviv University Press, 2016), Liberalism: its Roots, Values and Crises (Hebrew, Dvir, 2024 and German, NZZ Libro, 2025) and In God's Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea (Hebrew, Yedioth,2021, English, NYU Press,2025). Persico is an activist for freedom of religion in Israel, is frequently interviewed by local and international media and has written hundreds of articles for the legacy media, including Haaretz and the Washington Post. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Yael and two sons, Ivri and Shilo. Key Takeaways The concept of humans being created in God's image was revolutionary because it applied to everyone, not just rulers or heroes. Taking the idea of God's image literally led to profound implications for human rights and dignity. The "image of God" concept evolved through Christianity and ultimately influenced secularization and the emancipation of the Jews Timestamps [00:00:27] — Opening narration begins: “What if one of the most radical ideas in human intellectual history…” [00:01:42] — Host commentary: Jeffrey connects the “image of God” to the modern idea of dignity and introduces the hope for the hostages. [00:02:34] — Guest introduction: Dr. Tomer Persico is welcomed; he explains his research journey and the origins of his book. [00:05:19] — Defining the radical idea: Persico explains how “in God's image” reframed power, privilege, and ethics in Western culture. [00:07:45] — Literal God debate: Discussion turns to the ancient Israelite belief that God had a visible, bodily form. [00:10:12] — Reframing idolatry: Persico redefines idolatry as failing to see the divine in people, not in statues. [00:14:18] — Birth of human rights: Conversation about Genesis 9:6 and how individuality replaced collective punishment. [00:18:47] — The Christian turn: How Christianity internalized the “image of God” into conscience and reason—laying foundations for science. [00:25:26] — Secular autonomy and modernity: How reverence for human autonomy led to the rise of secularism and liberal rights. [00:31:38] — Closing reflection: The innate “hunch” or instinct toward the sacred—“we do God” naturally—and the episode's farewell prayer for hostages. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/681682 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ Dr Tomer's book - https://a.co/d/biMkA6b

Suggested additional channels: Political Science, National Security, American Politics, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European Studies, New Books with Miranda Melcher NB: I don't think this needs to go on General History The no-fly zone is a frequently used instrument in the US foreign policy arsenal, despite detrimental, or even catastrophic, results. This book examines why the instrument has such a hold on leaders' imaginations and rhetoric despite its patchy record in practice. Examining detailed historical case studies from conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Sudan/Darfur, Libya and Syria, The No-Fly Zone in US Foreign Policy: The Curious Persistence of a Flawed Instrument (Bristol University Press, 2025) by Dr. Gustav Meibauer shows how debates about, and actual use of, no-fly zones in US foreign policy have not been primarily about managing conflict or protecting civilians. Instead, the focus is often on navigating contradictory international and domestic political incentives and constraints, leading to US intervention in an ill-considered and incremental manner. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Suggested additional channels: Political Science, National Security, American Politics, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European Studies, New Books with Miranda Melcher NB: I don't think this needs to go on General History The no-fly zone is a frequently used instrument in the US foreign policy arsenal, despite detrimental, or even catastrophic, results. This book examines why the instrument has such a hold on leaders' imaginations and rhetoric despite its patchy record in practice. Examining detailed historical case studies from conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Sudan/Darfur, Libya and Syria, The No-Fly Zone in US Foreign Policy: The Curious Persistence of a Flawed Instrument (Bristol University Press, 2025) by Dr. Gustav Meibauer shows how debates about, and actual use of, no-fly zones in US foreign policy have not been primarily about managing conflict or protecting civilians. Instead, the focus is often on navigating contradictory international and domestic political incentives and constraints, leading to US intervention in an ill-considered and incremental manner. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. 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

Suggested additional channels: Political Science, National Security, American Politics, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European Studies, New Books with Miranda Melcher NB: I don't think this needs to go on General History The no-fly zone is a frequently used instrument in the US foreign policy arsenal, despite detrimental, or even catastrophic, results. This book examines why the instrument has such a hold on leaders' imaginations and rhetoric despite its patchy record in practice. Examining detailed historical case studies from conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Sudan/Darfur, Libya and Syria, The No-Fly Zone in US Foreign Policy: The Curious Persistence of a Flawed Instrument (Bristol University Press, 2025) by Dr. Gustav Meibauer shows how debates about, and actual use of, no-fly zones in US foreign policy have not been primarily about managing conflict or protecting civilians. Instead, the focus is often on navigating contradictory international and domestic political incentives and constraints, leading to US intervention in an ill-considered and incremental manner. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

Professor Liat Kozma explains that Israel has been systematically working to delegitimize and restrict international NGOs and human rights organizations operating with Palestinians in the occupied territories. One of the largest of these organizations, UNRWA, which has provided services in Gaza for many years, has been banned from operating in areas under Israeli control — including East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza. Professor Kozma teaches in the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and holds the Harry Friedenwald Chair in the History of Medicine at the Hebrew University.

Suggested additional channels: Political Science, National Security, American Politics, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European Studies, New Books with Miranda Melcher NB: I don't think this needs to go on General History The no-fly zone is a frequently used instrument in the US foreign policy arsenal, despite detrimental, or even catastrophic, results. This book examines why the instrument has such a hold on leaders' imaginations and rhetoric despite its patchy record in practice. Examining detailed historical case studies from conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Sudan/Darfur, Libya and Syria, The No-Fly Zone in US Foreign Policy: The Curious Persistence of a Flawed Instrument (Bristol University Press, 2025) by Dr. Gustav Meibauer shows how debates about, and actual use of, no-fly zones in US foreign policy have not been primarily about managing conflict or protecting civilians. Instead, the focus is often on navigating contradictory international and domestic political incentives and constraints, leading to US intervention in an ill-considered and incremental manner. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

In this episode, host Andy Storch sits down with Jamie Albers, co-founder of Mento—a company at the forefront of transforming professional development with performance-based coaching solutions. Jamie shares her journey from Middle Eastern Studies to leading innovative teams at Google and eventually launching Mento, which is redefining coaching by skillfully blending mentorship from real-world operators with data-driven methodologies.Jaime's journey may look intentional in hindsight, but it unfolded through a series of unexpected choices. Originally pursuing Middle Eastern studies in college, Jaime set out in a different direction than most would expect. After graduation, they took a role as an advertising associate at Google during the 2010s—a time when such jobs were often a mix of customer service and ad review, but proved to be a valuable training ground. Grateful for the opportunities at Google, Jaime also seized the chance to participate in a classic “20% project,” further shaping their path. Looking back, every step seems to have fit together as if by destiny, even if it wasn't the plan from the start.Order Own Your Brand, Own Your Career on AmazonApply to Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!This episode is sponsored by Mento which offers a unique 80/20 mix of coaching and mentorship so that your people can increase performance and success. This episode is also sponsored by LearnIt, which is offering a FREE trial of their TeamPass membership for you and up to 20 team members of your team. Check it out here.Connect with Andy here: Website | LinkedInConnect with Jamie: LinkedIn: LinkedInKey Topics:1. The Importance of Intentional Career Development2. Transition into Talent Development3. Current and Emerging Trends in Talent Development4. Bridging the Skills Gap and Skills-Based Hiring5. Fostering Collaboration, Knowledge Sharing, and Internal Upskilling6. The Role of Mindset in Adopting New Skills and Technologies7. Coaching and Mentoring: The Mento Model8. Measuring Impact and Return on Investment (ROI) in Coaching & L&D9. The Rise of AI Coaching and Where It's Headed10. Evaluating and Selecting Coaching and L&D SolutionsMentioned in this episode:Check out Learnit! For fantastic on-demand learning, check out learnit.com/hotseatTry Mento for coachingFor coaching with real-world experience, check out Mento.co

Today marks two years since Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups carried out multiple coordinated attacks in Israel - killing over a thousand people. Around 250 Israelis were taken hostage. It was a day of unconscionable atrocities and hatred. And war has only made the horrors grow. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Last month the United Nations Human Rights Commission declared that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Locally we see a lot of activism around America’s support for Israel and American business’ involvement in Israel and Gaza. But, what do things look like inside Israel right now? And will a ceasefire, if it happens, or the return of hostages, change the picture in Israel? Guest: Liora Halperin is a Professor of International Studies and History, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington, and she’s the Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies. Related stories: Israel at War With Itself - NYT Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with analyst Mouin Rabbani about political and diplomatic developments relating to the Israeli genocide in Gaza. They discuss the "20 Point Plan" that President Donald Trump released today, as well as his joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking about actual provisions to limit Israel's genocidal behavior and noting the colonial structure of the internationally-headed "Board of Peace" that will rule Gaza, according to the proposal. They discuss the symbolic measure of many countries recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UN last week; Mouin notes that this recognition is the first time that Western governments have taken steps for Palestinians in response to pressure from their own constituencies, and suggests that this action demonstrates that popular pressure can affect policy. Finally, Hilary and Mouin look at current initiatives, including the "United for Peace" proposal and the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, that aim to intervene directly in the genocide.  Mouin Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a researcher, analyst, and commentator specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and contemporary Middle East issues. Among other previous positions, Rabbani served as principal political affairs officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, head of the Middle East unit with the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and senior Middle East analyst and special advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group. He was also a researcher with Al-Haq, the West Bank affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists.  Rabbani is a co-editor of Jadaliyya, where he also hosts the Connections podcast and edits its Quick Thoughts feature. He is also the managing editor and associate editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development and a contributing editor of Middle East Report. In addition, Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) and at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN).  Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master's degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with UC Berkeley Professor Ussama Makdisi, who was recently informed that UC Berkeley shared his name, along with those of 159 other Berkeley faculty & students, with the federal government for "alleged incidents of antisemitism." Peter & Ussama discuss the absurdity of experience -- the accused have not been informed of any details of the allegations against them -- while looking at why UC Berkeley is not defending its faculty and students, how the Berkeley experience compares with how other universities have capitulated to the Trump administration, and whether academic freedom on campus will survive. Most urgently, they discuss how the attacks on universities are meant to distract from the genocide Israel is carrying out right now against Palestinians.  Resources on this topic include "UC Berkeley shares 160 names with Trump administration in ‘McCarthy era' move," The Guardian 9/12/25; "UC Berkeley professor warns of 'unprecedented crackdown' on academic freedom." NPR interview with Ussama Makdisi on 9/18/25 "When Universities Become Informants," by Judith Butler, 9/13/25 "Kafka-land at UC Berkeley," by Judith Butler, The Nation, 9/16/25 Dr. Ussama Makdisi is Professor of History and Chancellor's Chair at the University of California Berkeley. He was previously Professor of History and the first holder of the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University in Houston.  During AY 2019-2020, Professor Makdisi was a Visiting Professor at the University of California at Berkeley in the Department of History. Makdisi was awarded the Berlin Prize and spent the Spring 2018 semester as a Fellow at the American Academy of Berlin. Professor Makdisi's most recent book Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World was published in 2019 by the University of California Press. He is also the author of Faith Misplaced: the Broken Promise of U.S.-Arab Relations, 1820-2001 (Public Affairs, 2010).  His previous books include Artillery of Heaven: American Missionaries and the Failed Conversion of the Middle East (Cornell University Press, 2008), which was the winner of the 2008 Albert Hourani Book Award from the Middle East Studies Association, the 2009 John Hope Franklin Prize of the American Studies Association, and a co-winner of the 2009 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Book Prize given by the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies. Makdisi is also the author of The Culture of Sectarianism: Community, History, and Violence in Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Lebanon (University of California Press, 2000) and co-editor of Memory and Violence in the Middle East and North Africa (Indiana University Press, 2006). He has published widely on Ottoman and Arab history as well as on U.S.-Arab relations and U.S. missionary work in the Middle East. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

This week, we bring you an episode from our sister program The Adnan Husain Show.  Enjoy! In this first part of a two part series, Adnan has an epic conversation with Dr. Isa Blumi, historian and Professor of Turkish and Middle Eastern Studies at Stockholm University, about Yemen's modern history of resisting colonialism geopolitically and global capitalism. Author of Destroying Yemen: What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us about the World, Dr. Blumi masterfully analyzes and integrates the geographic, social, economic, cultural, political and religious dimensions of Yemen's distinctive historical experience. If you want to understand why Ansarullah as a popular movement has taken leadership of active solidarity with the people of Gaza in confronting ZioAmerican empire, this episode will be indispensable. To consult more of Dr. Isa Blumi's recent work on Yemen and the Gulf region: Blumi, Isa. Destroying Yemen: What chaos in Arabia tells us about the world. Univ of California Press, 2018. Blumi, Isa. Chaos in Yemen: Societal collapse and the new authoritarianism. Routledge, 2010. Blumi, Isa. "The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)." In Government and Politics of the Contemporary Middle East, pp. 545-652. Routledge, 2023.   Blumi, Isa, and Jaafar Alloul. "Guest-Editors' Introduction: Re-Worlding the Gulf: Anomaly as Geopolitical Function." Middle East Critique 34, no. 2 (2025): 181-202. Blumi, Isa. "Imperial Equivocations Britain's Temperamental Mobilization of the Caliphate, 1912-1924." Rivista italiana di storia internazionale 4, no. 1 (2021): 149-173. Blumi, Isa. "Iraqi ties to Yemen's demise: Complicating the ‘Arab Cold War'in South Arabia." Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World 16, no. 3 (2022): 235-254. Support the show on Patreon if you can (and get early access to episodes)!  www.patreon.com/adnanhusain  Or make a one-time donation to the show and Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/adnanhusain Like, subscribe, share!  Also available in video on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@adnanhusainshow X: @adnanahusain Substack: adnanahusain.substack.com www.adnanhusain.org