In one of the first books to ask head-on what it means for Israel to be a Jewish state, Yaacov Yadgar delves into what the designation "Jewish" amounts to in the context of the sovereign nation-state, and what it means for the politics of the state to be identified as Jewish. The volume interrogates the tension between the notion of Israel as a Jewish state- ... Show More
Nov 1
Mediating God: Muhammad Al-Ghazali and the Politics of Divine Presence in Twentieth-Century Egypt with Arthur Shiwa Zárate (Oxford UP, 2025)
Mediating God: Muhammad Ghazali and the Politics of Divine Presence in 20th century Egypt (Oxford UP, 2025) is a fascinating and compelling intellectual biography of the Egyptian Muslim theologian, scholar, and activist, Muhammad al-Ghazali (1917–1996). Al-Ghazali shaped the view ... Show More
58m 24s
Oct 30
Radio ReOrient 15:3: The Othered Woman, with Shahed Ezaydi, hosted by Amina Easat-Daas and Chella Ward
In this episode, Amina and Chella had a wide ranging conversation with Shahed Ezaydi about her recent book, which explores the interconnectedness between white feminism and Islamophobia, and how Muslim women are frequently harmed by both. This episode took us into discussions aro ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 28
The New Byzantines: The Rise of Greece and Return of the Near East with Sean Mathews (Hurst, 2025)
Caught between wars raging in both Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Greece is an island of relative stability. Popularly considered the cradle of Western civilisation, this is a Christian Orthodox state on the edge of the Islamic world. And, after a half-century of integration ... Show More
1h 38m
May 2024
Zionism: Kalam Shorts (Teaser)
Zionism, the political movement to create a Jewish state in Palestine, has had an immense impact on the modern history of the Middle East. But what were its theoretical foundations, and in what political context did it take shape?In this new episode of Kalam Shorts, Sam and Edgar ... Show More
1m 17s
Oct 2023
"Ask a Zionist" with Rabbi Jonathan Greenberg
After last weeks “Ask an Anti-Zionist,” the Dorx return to Ask a Zionist, Rabbi Jonathan Greenberg. What is a Zionist? Answer: “A person who believes that the Jews have a right to self-determination and self-protection in the ancient land of Israel,” which he says is the historic ... Show More
1h 18m
Jul 2024
Downstream: Arab Jews, The Hidden History w/ Avi Shlaim
A foundational principle of the state of Israel is that it keeps Jews safe. This principle has been profoundly challenged in the last nine or so months. But what if Israel never really had the will or capacity to keep all Jews safe and, in fact, has made them less safe? Avi Shlai ... Show More
1h 5m
Jul 2023
Lea Taragin-Zeller, "The State of Desire: Religion and Reproductive Politics in the Promised Land" (NYU Press, 2023)
In recent years, Israeli state policies have attempted to dissuade Orthodox Jews from creating large families, an objective that flies in the face of traditional practices in their community. As state desires to cultivate a high-income, tech-centered nation come into greater conf ... Show More
1h 1m