Geographic labels are sometimes misnomers. The Dead Sea’s name is not, for the most part. Its high salinity levels kill most forms of life, barring a couple hardy microbes and algae—and even these are threatened by environmental change.
Except the Dead Sea has been part of human history for millennia. Jericho, the world’s oldest city, sits nearby. It feature ... Show More
Jun 11
Robert Templer, "The Shah's Party: And the Iranian Revolution That Followed (Hurst, 2026)
In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi threw a party to celebrate the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was planned to be a massive party, with tents set up in the desert, and invitations sent to just about every world leader across both the Western and Soviet blocs. ... Show More
44m 13s
Jun 4
Homa Katouzian, "Iran and the Revolution: A History" (Yale UP, 2026)
Iran is, once again, in global headlines, following U.S. strikes on the country earlier this year. Operation Epic Fury, as the Department of Defense called it, is the latest twist in Iran’s modern history, starting from the coup that brought the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to powe ... Show More
1 h
Jun 4
Anand Gopal, "Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Ordinary People Forging a Revolution" (Viking, 2026)
From Pulitzer and National Book Award finalist Anand Gopal, an epic and enthralling account of six Syrians fighting for a better world, in the tradition of classic works by Philip Gourevitch and Katherine Boo.In 2011, in a northern Syrian city, a small group of men and women bega ... Show More
43m 6s
Jun 2025
The New Arab Events: Palestine in a World on Fire
What does it mean to stand with Palestine in a world on fire?In this special live episode, recorded at Reference Point in London, Benjamin Ashraf of The New Arab chairs a powerful conversation with historian Ilan Pappé, scholar Katherine Natanel, and legal academic Nadine El-Enan ... Show More
1h 26m
Oct 2024
Mahmoud Muna and Matthew Teller, "Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Culture" (Saqi Books, 2024)
This is Gaza – a place of humanity and creativity, rich in culture and industry. A place now utterly devastated, its entire population displaced by a seemingly endless onslaught, its heritage destroyed.
Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Culture (Saqi Books, 2024) ... Show More
1h 19m
Aug 2025
It's One of the Most Ancient Cities on the Planet, Gaza (Conversation Re-Air, w/ Dr Chance Bonar)
The Western World is ready to sit back and watch as one of the oldest cities, in one of the most historical rich countries on the planet, is wiped off the face of the earth. The people of Gaza, and Palestine, are stewards of their land and have been since long, long before the 'W ... Show More
1h 46m
Sep 2024
Ghada Karmi | I Returned to My Stolen Home in Palestine
Palestinian doctor, scholar and research fellow Ghada Karmi offers powerful, truthful and hard-hitting words on Palestine's past, present and future. She sheds light on a common experience amongst Palestinian diaspora: that of blocked memories, suppressed as a result of trauma. S ... Show More
52m 7s
Feb 2025
Season 4, Episode 5: Eugene Rogan, The Arabs: A History
Send us Fan MailJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Oxford, as they delve into the complex history of the Arab world, from the Ottoman conquest in 1516 to today’s geopolitical crises of the modern Middle East. Thr ... Show More
52m 39s