In this episode, Dr. Nikolas Kosmatopoulos is joined by historian Dr. Isa Blumi and student Dina Al Amood for a powerful conversation on the Yemeni embargo in the Red Sea as an act of maritime solidarity in support of Gaza and Palestine.
Dr. Blumi explores the dynamics of the Yemeni embargo on the Red Sea, positioning it within a longer history of indigenous resistance and maritime autonomy. The conversation unpacks how the current blockade reflects the tactical response to the ongoing Gaza war, Blumi also discusses how Yemenis have long resisted external interventions through their continued relation to the sea.
Drawing on his extensive research, Blumi connects the embargo to broader transformations in the global political economy, while also emphasizing the significance of reading Yemen from the coast, rather than the capital. The episode invites listeners to consider how indigenous relationships to the sea open new ways of understanding sovereignty, survival, and solidarity in the age of maritime warfare.