LSE Middle East Centre Podcasts

Why is the Middle East a crisis factory, and how can it be fixed? What does the future look like for its 500 million people? And what role should the West play? Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash tell the story of the modern Middle East as a series of broken promises. They chart the entrenchment of tyranny, terrorism and foreign intervention, showing how these systems of oppression simultaneously feed off and battle each other. Exploring demographic, economic and social trends, the authors paint a picture of the region’s prospects that is alarming yet hopeful. Finally, they present ambitious and thoughtful ideas that reject both aggressive military intervention and cynical deals with dictators. This book, written by two children of the region, is about the failures of history, and the reasons for hope. The Middle East Crisis Factory offers a bold vision for those seeking peace and democracy in the Middle East. Iyad El-Baghdadi is a Palestinian writer, activist and entrepreneur, and co-founder/president of the Kawaakibi Foundation. He was jailed and expelled from his lifelong home in the UAE for human rights activism, and today lives in Oslo, where he was granted asylum. He is a fellow at Norwegian liberal think tank Civita and board member at Munathara, the Arab debate NGO. He tweets @iyad_elbaghdadi. Ahmed Gatnash is a British-Libyan activist and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and director of operations of the Kawaakibi Foundation, and hosts its Arab Tyrant Manual podcast. He tweets @gatnash. Rim Turkmani is a Research Fellow at the Conflict and Civil Society Research Unit in the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She directs the Syria conflict research programme at the Unit. Her policy-oriented research work focuses on identity politics, legitimate governance, transforming war economy it into peace economy and the relationship between local and external drivers of the conflict.

No new episode this week, but we're working on something that requires your help. Do you know any interesting facts, stories or folk tales about the names of dishes from the region? If so we want to hear from you! Drop us an email or contact us on Instagram to get involved. Instagram: @instantcoffee.pod Email: n.almanasfi@lse.ac.uk; r.sleiman-haidar@lse.ac.uk

Over a year ago, on 4 August 2020, one of the world’s most powerful non-nuclear explosions devastated Beirut, killing 218 people. While Lebanon dominated global news headlines then, attention has since fizzled. Amidst political stagnation, disastrous inflation and shortages in basic commodities from fuel to medicine, Lebanon seems in free fall. In this webinar, nearly two years on from the 17 October Revolution, we hear from speakers active in the fields of politics, labour union organising, urban space and law, who will address the aftermath of the Beirut explosion, the future of political activism, the upcoming elections and what may be emerging in Lebanon. Ghida Frangieh is a lawyer and researcher based in Beirut. She has been a member of the Legal Agenda since 2011 and is currently the head of its Strategic Litigation Unit. The Legal Agenda is a law and society research and advocacy organization with offices in Beirut and Tunis. Ghida recently worked on producing a legal guide for the victims of the Beirut blast of 4 August 2020 to support their path to justice. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Human Rights from France and has produced various publications related to social justice and human rights issues. She is also a founding member of Ruwad Al-Houkouk Association and the Lawyers Committee for the Defense of Protesters. Ibrahim Halawi is a Teaching Fellow in International Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London. His research interests focus on theories and histories of counterrevolution and revolution, with an emphasis on counterrevolution and revolution in the Middle East. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and established outlets on Lebanon, as well as revolution and sectarianism more broadly. Ibrahim is also the Secretary of Foreign Relations for Citizens in a State party, a progressive secular Lebanese party. Abir Saksouk graduated as an architect in 2005, and later did her masters in Urban Development Planning. She is co-founder and co-director of Public Works Studio, a research-based organization that addresses spatial inequality in Lebanon. Her primary focus includes urbanism and law, property and shared space, and right to the city of marginalized communities. Abir is also a member of the Legal Agenda and co-founder of Dictaphone Group. Omar Al-Ghazzi is Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE. His work focuses on questions around the global power asymmetries in the reporting and representation of conflict. He researches digital journalism, the politics of time and memory, and the geopolitics of popular culture, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

يمكنكم الاستماع الى التسجيل الصوتي باللغة العربية للجلسة الثانية في يوم 29 سبتمبر/أيلول من مؤتمر مركز الشرق الأوسط العراق عشية الإنتحابات: بداية عهد جديد أم استمرار للوضع الراهن؟ إخلاء مسؤولية: هذه التسجيلات للترجمة العربية الفورية المباشرة لذلك من الممكن أن تحتوي على بعض الأخطاء أو على فجوات في الترجمة يدير الجلسة: مايكل ماسون – مركز الشرق األوسط • مها ياسين – معهد كلينجنديل • KESK - باسمة عبدالرحمن • عزام علوش – طبيعة العراق •

This is the English recording of Panel 2 from the 29th September Conflict Research Programme-Iraq Conference 'Iraq on the Eve of Elections: A new era or return to the status quo?'. Iraq is considered to be one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the Middle East. By 2059, temperatures in the country are set to rise by 2.53 degrees, while rainfall will decline by around nine percent. Already, water in Iraq’s rivers and lakes are at critical levels and mismanagement of water resources coupled with outdated farming methods have resulted in increasing rates of desertification. Among the biggest challenges that Iraq will face in the coming decades is how to adapt to its drastically altered climate and mitigate the effects of climate change. Failure to effectively deal with the impacts of the climate crisis will only exacerbate existing socio-economic instability, with high temperatures and the government’s inability to provide services such as electricity and water being historical triggers for civil upheavals in Iraq’s recent past. In this session panellists will discuss the environmental challenges facing Iraq and examine ways to tackle them going forward. Chair: •Michael Mason – LSE Middle East Centre Speakers: • Maha Yassin – Clingendael Institute • Basima Abdulrahman – KESK • Azzam Alwash –Nature Iraq

يمكنكم الاستماع الى التسجيل الصوتي باللغة العربية للجلسة الأولى في يوم 29 سبتمبر/أيلول من مؤتمر مركز الشرق الأوسط 'العراق عشية الإنتحابات: بداية عهد جديد أم استمرار للوضع الراهن؟ إخلاء مسؤولية: هذه التسجيلات للترجمة العربية الفورية المباشرة لذلك من الممكن أن تحتوي على بعض الأخطاء أو على فجوات في الترجمة تدير الجلسة: هناء إدور –جمعية األمل العراقية • إيناس جبار –شبكة النساء العراقيات • عمر الجفّال –صحافي مستقل • LSE طيف الخضيري –مركز الشرق األوسط •

This is the English and Arabic recording of Panel 1 from the 29th September Conflict Research Programme-Iraq Conference 'Iraq on the Eve of Elections: A new era or return to the status quo?'. Unfortunately due to technical issues we are unable to upload the English interpretation of Omar Al Jaffal and Inas Jabbar's presentations and answers. We are very sorry for this inconvenience. In October 2019 over a million Iraqis took to the streets of Baghdad and the Southern Provinces calling for employment and basic services, such as clean water and electricity. Their demands later evolved to include calls for the overhaul of the post-invasion political system, a caretaker government made up of independent technocrats and early elections. The protests forced key concessions from the political elite, including the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abed Al Mahdi, the introduction of a new electoral law and elections to be held in October 2021. In addition, they saw the creation of a number of independent civil organisations and political parties meant to act as an organised opposition to the political class that has dominated Iraqi politics since 2003. However, in response to the increased use of violent coercion and targeted assassinations against activists, many have since began to campaign for a widespread boycott of the upcoming elections. In light of these developments, this panel will ask what’s next for the Iraqi protest movement. Chair: • Hanaa Edwar – Iraqi Al Amal Association Speakers: • Inas Jabbar – Iraqi Women Network • Omar Al Jaffal – Journalist • Taif Alkhudary – LSE Middle East Centre

يمكنكم الاستماع الى التسجيل الصوتي باللغة العربية للجلسة الرابعة في يوم 28 سبتمبر/أيلول من مؤتمر مركز الشرق الأوسط 'العراق عشية الإنتحابات: بداية عهد جديد أم استمرار للوضع الراهن؟ إخلاء مسؤولية: هذه التسجيلات للترجمة العربية الفورية المباشرة لذلك من الممكن أن تحتوي على بعض الأخطاء أو على فجوات في الترجمة تدير الجلسة: زهراء علي –جامعة روتجرز • مروة عبد الرضا –باحثة مستقلة • زينب كايا –جامعة شفيلد • غولاي بور – باحثة مستقلة •

This is the English and Arabic recording of Panel 4 from the 28th September Conflict Research Programme-Iraq Conference 'Iraq on the Eve of Elections: A new era or return to the status quo?'. Unfortunately due to technical issues we are unable to upload the English interpretation of Marwa Abdul Ridha's presentation and answers. We are very sorry for this inconvenience. Despite the decades long struggle of Iraqi feminists, women in the country continue to face structural violence and have their rights consistently denied. In March 2021 the Iraqi government passed the Yazidi Survivors Law, putting in place a reparations framework for women and girls from minority communities who were subjected to violence at the hands of Daesh. While this has largely been heralded as a positive development, the law contains key omissions including failing to account for the rights of children born out of sexual violence and their mothers. In addition, despite a surge in cases of domestic violence in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, political parties have continued to block the passing of an Anti- Domestic Violence Law in Federal Iraq. In Kurdistan, where a similar law was passed in 2011, the government has failed to allocate the resources necessary for its proper implementation. In this panel, speakers will discuss the current state of women’s legal rights in Iraq, including key considerations for the implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law and the need to enact a domestic violence law in Federal Iraq. Chair: • Zahra Ali – Rutgers University Speakers: • Marwa Abdul Ridha – Independent Researcher • Zeynep Kaya – Sheffield University • Güley Bor – Independent Researcher

يمكنكم الاستماع الى التسجيل الصوتي باللغة العربية للجلسة الثالثة في يوم 28 سبتمبر/أيلول من مؤتمر مركز الشرق الأوسط 'العراق عشية الإنتحابات: بداية عهد جديد أم استمرار للوضع الراهن؟ إخلاء مسؤولية: هذه التسجيلات للترجمة العربية الفورية المباشرة لذلك من الممكن أن تحتوي على بعض الأخطاء أو على فجوات في الترجمة LSE تدير الجلسة: جيسيكا واتكينز – مركز الشرق األوسط • بلقيس والي – هيومن رايتس ووتش • ريناد منصور – تشاتام هاوس • إينا رودولف –المركز الدولي لدراسة التطرف •