Middle East Monitor Conversations

MEMO speaks to Mariam Barghouti, a Palestinian writer and researcher based in Ramallah, discussing the relevance of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the global order. Barghouti worked as a journalist and reporter with a focus on the Levant, and published various sociopolitical commentaries from Palestine.She has undertaken monitoring and evaluation missions of humanitarian and development aid in Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon for various governmental and non-governmental organisations. Her reporting and analysis have been featured in Al Jazeera English, the New York Times, the Guardian, BBC and Middle East Eye, amongst others.

MEMO speaks to Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University Saul Takahashi, when we will discuss the rise of nationalism and its threat to human rights. A former UN civil servant, Takahashi lived in Palestine for five years as deputy head of the Office of the UN Human Rights Agency. He has authored several books, including 'I found myself in Palestine'.

MEMO speaks to Iraqi-American comedian and award-winning writer Reem Edan, discussing her career of doing comedy in America and the Arab world and how her background influenced the topics of her performances.Reem is known for her unique brand of 'Muslim-ennial' humour. She has performed at venues and colleges worldwide and opened for comics including Arsenio Hall and Jay Leno. She was previously invited to attend a programme at MIT for influencers using their platforms for social change, named one of Bustle's '5 Muslim Women Comedians to Get You Through Social Distancing' she can be seen performing in Arabic on the 'Stand Up Sketch Show'. Recently, Reem has worked as a synopsis writer/editor for Netflix and is the comedic voice of Tom & Jerry's Twitter page.

MEMO speaks with Professor and Director of foreign policy research Murat Yesiltas where we  discuss Turkiye's manoeuvres in the region and further afield and how this will improve its global standing.Author of 'Non-State Military Actors in the Middle East: Geopolitics, Strategy and Ideology', Yesiltas completed his BA and MA at the Department of International Relations of Sakarya University, while his PhD thesis was titled 'Locating Turkey: Geopolitical Mentality and the Army in Turkey'.Yesiltas is current carrying out research on international security, terrorism, military studies ethnic and religious radicalisation, non-state conflicts, and Kurdish affairs.

MEMO speaks with Austrian political scientist Dr Farid Hafez to discuss the latest European Islamophobia Report, of which he is a co-editor.Dr Hafez is a visiting professor of International Studies at Williams College and a non-resident senior researcher at Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative at the School of Foreign Service. Hafez published widely on Islamophobia. In 2010, he founded the Islamophobia Studies Yearbook before he created the European Islamophobia Report in 2015.