Oct 26
Ottoman Environmental History, Sultan Selim's Ambition, & NYC's First "Muslim" | Prof. Alan Mikhail
We know about Islam in America, but what about America in Islam? Yale historian Alan Mikhail unpacks Sultan Selim I, the thuggish sultan who wrote bad poetry yet conquered the Arab world in 1516–17 and, Mikhail argues, changed the course of world history. From the water buffalo t ... Show More
52m 35s
Oct 19
Architecture & Identity in the Gulf | Sumaya Dabbagh, Award Winning Architect
Shaping space goes far beyond physical structures, it deeply impacts people's lives and connects to the human spirit. Renowned, award-winning Saudi architect Sumaya Dabbagh shares her journey navigating the evolving architectural landscape of the Gulf, shifting away from commerci ... Show More
48m 31s
Oct 12
Marie al-Khazen: Pioneer Lebanese Photographer, 1899 to 1983 | Art Historian, Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan
A collection of black-and-white photographs from 1920s mandate Lebanon completely flips traditional regional history on its head. Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan takes us on a fascinating journey behind her PhD research into the life and legacy of Marie al-Khazen, a pioneer Lebanese pho ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2024
Eric Calderwood, "On Earth Or in Poems: The Many Lives of Al-Andalus" (Harvard UP, 2023)
During the Middle Ages, the Iberian Peninsula was home not to Spain and Portugal but rather to al-Andalus. Ruled by a succession of Islamic dynasties, al-Andalus came to be a shorthand for a legendary place where people from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe; Jews, Christ ... Show More
36m 35s
Nov 2021
FWD: "Koolaids: The Art of War" by Rabih Alameddine
In this afikra FWD, Ahmed Ashour talks about "Koolaids: The Art of War" by Rabih Alameddine. Ahmed talks about the characters, plot, and post-modern literature.
Note: Ahmed is not an expert on this subject but is sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in the subjec ... Show More
17m 16s
Nov 2021
FWD: "Emotion, Performance, and Temporality in Arab Music: Reflections on Tarab"
In this afikra FWD, Dema Mourad talks about "Emotion, Performance, and Temporality in Arab Music: Reflections on Tarab." Dema discusses repetition, protension, and retention in Muwashahat and Tarab.
Note: Dema is not an expert on this subject but is sharing information in the hop ... Show More
15m 52s
Nov 2021
FWD: “Gazbia Sirry- When Modern Arab Form Meets Politics” [Community Presentation]
In this afikra FWD, Laila Karaman talked about "Gazbia Sirry- When Modern Arab Form Meets Politics" by Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani. Laila discusses the themes in Sirry's artwork which are polygamy, gender preference/roles, gender equality, occupation/civil rights, and new political e ... Show More
11m 25s
Al-Andalus exists in history, geography and the Western cultural imaginary. Professor Eric Calderwood talks to us about Al-Andalus, examining it as both a place and an idea which is productive in memory, culture and politics. He explains how this cultural imaginary has transcended its geographic bounds and has created fruitful debates around the identity not ... Show More
