Makdisi Street

The brothers welcome Palestinian anthropologist (and former chemical engineer) Hadeel Assali. They discuss the kidnapping of Mahmoud Khalil, the history of tunnels and the ecology of Gaza, the ontological relationship of the Palestinians to their indigenous environment that the US-backed Zionist colonizers seek to destroy, the different forms of resistance to incessant colonial surveillance, the story of a secret Israeli population transfer scheme to move Palestinians from Gaza to Paraguay, and the possibilities of life and mutual aid amidst the ongoing genocide. "Opacity in Gaza" http://www.arabstudiesjournal.org/ "Maintaining the Social Fabric: Mutual Aid in Gaza" https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1656919 Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: March 10, 2025. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including the latest one*  

The brothers welcome psychoanalytic scholar, professor and licensed clinical psychologist Lara Sheehi to discuss the historic role of psychoanalysis in national liberation struggles, the connection between the revolutionary work of Franz Fanon and the Palestinian resistance, and how liberal educational institutions are facilitating fascist attacks on oppositional voices. Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: March 3, 2025. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including the latest one*      

The brothers welcome Ramallah-based journalist Mariam Barghouti (@MariamBarghouti) to discuss the ongoing de facto annexation of the West Bank, the unchecked growth of colonial outposts, the role of the mainstream Western media in whitewashing and censoring this violence, and the position of the Palestinian Authority as a subcontractor to the Israeli occupation. Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: Feb 11, 2025. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including a live conversation with Samir Makdisi*      

The brothers welcome journalist and writer Mohammed el-Kurd to the show to discuss his new book, Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal (2025), his family's surreal experiences with Jewish Israeli settlers in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, the role of resistance in the broader meaning of the term, and why Palestinians can never surrender to the "politics of appeal." Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: Feb 3, 2025. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including a live conversation with Samir Makdisi*    

Aslı Bâli, a Professor of Law at Yale and President of the Middle East Studies Association, dives into the pressing issues of academic freedom and geopolitical conflicts impacting scholars advocating for Palestinian rights. She discusses the rise of anti-Palestinian sentiment in the U.S., the repression faced by educators, and the ethical obligation of academics to support human rights. Bâli also explores the implications of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, the challenges of upholding international law, and the alarming suppression of free expression on campuses.

Wadie Said, a Professor of Law at the University of Colorado and an expert in terrorism law, joins the discussion. He critiques the evolving definitions of 'terrorism' since 9/11, highlighting how these labels affect political narratives and legal implications. They delve into the impact of Trump’s political agenda on immigration and foreign policy, alongside the resilience of Gaza's people amid turmoil. The conversation also addresses the chilling effects of terrorism designations on activism and the unsettling shift towards competing versions of truth in public discourse.

Sherene Seikaly, an associate professor of history at UC Santa Barbara and editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies, joins Anthony Alessandrini, Professor of English and Middle Eastern Studies. They discuss the AHA's controversial stance on Israeli actions, particularly the term 'scholasticide.' Fear and manipulation in political discourse are examined, revealing deep divides in academic responses. The necessity of bold activism against repression and the generational dynamics of pro-Palestine advocacy highlight a critical moment for scholarly integrity and ethical engagement.

The brothers welcome the world-renowned economics professor and bestselling author, and Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs of Columbia University. They discuss the nature of U.S. global hegemony, idealism vs. realism, the possibility of de-dollarization, BRICS, the delusional notions of perpetual US and Israel hegemony, and why their killing lots of civilians does not translate into political victory, the influence of the Israel lobby in pushing for wars in the Middle East that goes against US interests, money in American politics, Arab state inaction given their leverage, what a “two state” solution actually means in the context of the genocide in Gaza and the end of the Biden administration.  Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: January 7, 2025. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including a live conversation with Samir Makdisi*  

The brothers welcome University of Chicago Professor John Mearsheimer to the show to discuss the power of the Israel lobby in the US, the relationship between the US and the Israeli state (and whether the dog wags the tail or the other way around), the possibility of change in US policy on Palestine and the Arab world, recent developments in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, and, finally, how transformations taking place in the United States may eventually overwhelm the lobby and its ability to manipulate decision-making from US college campuses to the White House. Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: December 17, 2024. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including a live conversation with Samir Makdisi*  

The brothers welcome Syrian political economist and Hampshire College professor Omar S. Dahi (@omardahi) to offer personal reflections on the early days of the post-Assad era in Syria, who exactly Ahmad Shara/ Al Jolani is, Syrian policy choices and national interests in the context of external interventions and Turkish influence, and the implications of Israeli expansionism and destruction of Syria’s military infrastructure. Watch the episode on our YouTube channel Date of recording: December 16, 2024. Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii *Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including a live conversation with Samir Makdisi*