Babel: Translating the Middle East

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with music journalist Danny Hajjar about the changing Arab music scene. They talk about the rise of Arab hip-hop, how increasing connectivity influences the way Arab artists produce and distribute music, and what the next big thing will be. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert, discussing soft power, censorship, and music.  Transcript, "Danny Hajjar: The Evolution of Arabic Music," CSIS, December 20, 2023. The songs sampled in this episode can be found on the "Today's Arab Music Playlist" on Spotify.

This week, Zeid Qiblawi speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program at CSIS, about the reversal of human rights norms in an increasingly multipolar world. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Natasha Hall, "Breaking Point: Human Rights in a Multipolar World," CSIS, November 30, 2023.

This week on Babel, you will hear excerpts from Jon Alterman's recent discussion with Chatham House experts Renad Mansour and Farea al-Muslimi, alongside the CSIS Middle East Program's Natasha Hall. They discuss a recent Chatham House report, which argues that although political settlements have been resolving more conflicts in the region, these elite bargains are actually prioritizing stability over accountability, leaving citizens to pay the costs. Then, Jon, Natasha, Renad, and Farea discuss how this phenomenon has played out in Iraq, Lebanon, and Libya, and the potential way forward. Transcript, "Renad Mansour and Farea Al-Muslimi: The Cost of Political Settlements in the MENA Region," CSIS, November 28, 2023. Renad Mansour, Tim Eaton, and Lina Khatib, "Rethinking Political Settlements in the Middle East and North Africa," Chatham House, September 20, 2023.

The Middle East is experiencing a water crisis exacerbated by climate change, inefficient water use, and decades of resource mismanagement. Water insecurity not only aggravates pre-existing vulnerabilities; it also drives instability, conflict, and displacement. In this short episode of Babel, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall about why the region's business-as-usual approach to water is becoming more costly by the day.Natasha Hall, "The Ripple Effects of Water Insecurity," CSIS, May 4, 2023.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Palestinian-Israeli scholar and activist Rula Hardal about her life in both Israel and the West Bank, what reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians would look like, and the concessions that each side needs to make for a sustainable path forward. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert, discussing past moments of crisis in the Middle East, and why some become inflection points, while others don’t. Transcript, "Rula Hardal: Life as a Palestinian Citizen of Israel," CSIS, November 28, 2023.

In this podcast, Jon Alterman discusses the possibility of Israel losing in the war in Gaza, despite being the most formidable military in the Middle East. He explores Hamas' political goals of increasing Palestinian solidarity and isolating Israel, and highlights the necessary actions Israel needs to take in response.

Palestinian political analyst Khalil Sayegh discusses the spread of misinformation about Gaza, challenges of grassroots peace efforts, personal experiences growing up in Gaza, the impact of social media, the role of Arab countries, and the difficulty of unifying narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A recent flurry of Islamic experimentation with artificial intelligence has been met with mixed results. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Tel Aviv-based journalist and analyst, Neri Zilber, discusses the war in Gaza, Israeli perspectives on what comes next, and the impact on the region. The podcast also explores US actions in defense of Israel, the potential for a political settlement, Israeli concerns and US military comparisons, the perspectives of Arab leaders on President Biden's handling of the situation, and the involvement of regional Arab states in Gaza.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, discusses the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war. Topics include the coordinated attacks by Hamas, impact on US foreign policy, President Biden's efforts to recalibrate the US-Israel relationship, and the role of the United States in the conflict.