Today we'll be talking to Emmi Bevensee. They're a data journalist who utilizes a data storytelling approach to make complexity understandable. Topics discussed: First section: Complex Warfare; Disinformation Warfare; Drones; 3D-printed Guns; Houthis and Saudi Arabia; Asymmetrical  Warfare; Surveillance; Anti-authoritarian communities; Open-source intelligence  (OSINT); Katehon; Russia; Complexity Dynamics; Pandemics and Viral Spreads; Ukraine/Russia/Syria. Second section: 8kun; 8chan; 4chan; Gamergate; Gab; Parler; January 6 Coup Attempt; Jim Watkins; Ron Atkins; QAnon; Child  sexual abuse (not  in detail, just in the context of the Watkins family’s role in the online hate scene); Swarm tactics; BBC Eye investigations; Shabbiha; Mexican government, paramilitary troops and the Zapatistas; role of governments in conspiracies like QAnon; Kraken; Dominion Conspiracy; Trump; ‘Stop The Steal’; Cults; Hezbollah; “Q Clearance: Unmasking QAnon” podcast with Jake Hanrahan; Third Section: Syncretism; Fascist entryism; Alt-Imperialism; Legacy of 2003 Invasion of Iraq on Campism; Boomer socialism; Answer coalition;  Stop The War in the UK; Anti-semitism; Assadists; Hong Kong; Dugin and Duginism; Ajamu Baraka and the US Green Party; Code Pink. Fourth Section: Syria; Living on the Turkey-Syria Border; No Fly Zone;  Syrian Refugee Crisis; Lessons from the Syrian  experience for  anti-authoritarians; Syrian-related disinformation and authoritarianism; Libya; London Syria scene. PATREON Help me make more podcast episodes by supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/firethesetimes   PAYPAL If you'd rather make a one-time donation you can do it via PayPal: https://paypal.me/ibnbaldwin   BLOG POST https://thefirethisti.me/2021/01/26/59-60-anti-fascism-and-the-future-of-complex-warfare/   If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by  sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your  podcasts!  Music by Tarabeat.

Today we’ll be talking to Rohini Hensman. She is an India-based Sri Lankan labor activist and feminist and an  independent scholar whose book “Indefensible: Democracy,  Counterrevolution, and the Rhetoric of Anti-Imperialism” I’ve reviewed some years ago, and which will be the topic of our conversation today. In that book, she argues that the apparent anti-imperialism of many  self-professed socialists amounts to explicit or implicit support for  totalitarianism, fascism, Islamist theocracy and, ironically enough,  imperialism. She goes through the examples of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Bosnia, Russia and Ukraine. This has been a concern of mind for a few years now and I wanted to  take this opportunity to bring it to a wider audience, so I invited  Rohini on to explore how such a supposedly noble political position –  anti-imperialism – can be so easily corrupted. You don’t have to identify with any -ism to find this topic  informative. You just need to be someone who opposes authoritarian  politics. If you like what I do, please consider supporting this project with only 1$ a month on Patreon or on BuyMeACoffee.com. You can also do so directly on PayPal if you prefer. Patreon is for monthly, PayPal is for one-offs and BuyMeACoffee has both options. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat. Photo taken from ‘The Syrian People Know Their Way’

This is the first episode of the year and I wanted us to start this year by talking about silicon valley. Now, I know that this might sound weird, maybe out of context even, but I think we've reached a point where we need to come to terms with the fact that we're all living in a world heavily influenced by what we usually call Big Tech. So Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, but we can also include other giants such as Twitter and, of course, subsidiaries of these giants, such as Instagram, YouTube, Whatsapp and so on. If you're listening from the US, you're likely very aware by now of what happens when authoritarian actors take advantage of certain designs on websites and apps like Facebook and YouTube. The fascists who stormed the Capitol on January 6th were undoubtedly radicalized on social media, with the help of Trump, himself addicted to Twitter, and the people around him. But this conversation focuses on another angle, and it goes beyond just social media. I spoke to Katy Cook about her book "the psychology of silicon valley: ethical threats and emotional unintelligence in the tech industry". This book offers a revealing look inside the mind of the world's most influential industry and how the identity, culture, myths and motivations of Big Tech are harming society. Katy walks us through the psychological landscape of Silicon Valley, including its leadership, ethical, and cultural problems - as well as what to do about them. Although US-focused at times, this is not a conversation about that country only. In fact, I bring up the UK and the Middle East as part of my own experience with the effects of social media and the tech giants.I will be having more of these conversations in the near future as I myself dig deeper into the philosophy and politics of Big Tech, and explore ways to approach the many-faceted challenges ahead. This episode was first published on Patreon.com/firethesetimes If you like what I do, please consider supporting this project with only 1$ a month on Patreon or on BuyMeACoffee.com. You can also do so directly on PayPal if you prefer. Patreon is for monthly, PayPal is for one-offs and BuyMeACoffee has both options. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat.

This is the audio version of the virtual book launch of 'A region in revolt: Mapping the recent uprisings in North Africa and West Asia'. I took part in it alongside a number of the co-authors of the book. See you all in 2021. The Fire These Times will be back in mid-January. A wave of mass protest movements has spread across North Africa and West Asia, including Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon and Iran. The mass protests have much in common, from opposing authoritarian regimes and worsening economic situations to demanding radical changes in social relations. Despite their similarities, each protest movement operates under different conditions that cannot be ignored. The specific historic, political and economic contexts of each country have determined who the key actors of the uprisings are and their location across old and new divides. This book elaborates on these similarities and differences to paint a clearer picture of these movements and draw out lessons to inform future struggles. Edited by Jade Saab, a Lebanese/Canadian Researcher at the University of Glasgow, the contributors include Azza Mustafa and Sara Abbas (on Sudan); Hamza Hamouchene and Selma Oumari (on Algeria); Zeidon Alkinani (on Iraq); Jade Saab and Joey Ayoub (on Lebanon); and Frieda Afary (on Iran). This episode was first published for monthly Patreon supporters. To become a monthly Patreon supporter, please click here. For other ways of supporting, including one-off donations, please click here. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat. Tags: African, Decolonisation, Economic Conditions, Imperialism, Leftism, Political Freedom & Security, Political Science, Protest, Racism, Revolutions, Social Science

This is a conversation with Zhongjin Li and Eli Friedman, co-editors of the book 'China on Strike: Narratives of Workers' Resistance', with the original Chinese edition edited by Hao Ren. Through the story of Labor insurgency in China we go into the world of narratives and ideas. We explore the contrast between a government's projected image, and its reality. My guests do an excellent job at exploring what is essentially impossible to do in an hour or so: modern China, or at least parts of it. This episode was first published for monthly Patreon supporters. To become a monthly Patreon supporter, please click here. For other ways of supporting, including one-off donations, please click here. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! This will be the last original episode of 2020. There will be one episode released next week which will be the edited version of the recent book I contributed to - 'A Region in Revolt: Mapping the Recent Uprisings in North Africa and West Asia' - and which examines the recent uprisings in Sudan, Algeria, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq. I have a lot of exciting things planned for 2021 folks so stay tuned. If you enjoy this podcast please do share it with your friends and family, especially that annoying uncle of yours. See you in 2021. The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat. Key words: China; Labor; Capitalism; Chinese Communist Party; International Solidarity; Socialism; Strikes; Hong Kong; Leftwing politics; Working Class 

This is a conversation with Martin Parker and Thomas Swann, co-editors of the book "Anarchism, Organization and Management: Critical Perspectives for Students". Now I know what you must be thinking: anarchism and management? Aren't they contradictory?  Often, yes, but not necessarily, and this conversation will try and argue that they can work very well together. In fact, my guests and I argued that engaging with both anarchism and management in a critical way may just be what we need today. So if you're a business or management student or know someone who is one, I'd be curious to hear from you. You don't have to be one though (I'm not one either). "This book turns ideas [about how business should be done] on their head, asking awkward questions about authority, technology and markets and demanding that its readers think hard about whether they want to reproduce those ideas too." This episode was first published for monthly Patreon supporters. To become a monthly Patreon supporter, please click here. For other ways of supporting, including one-off donations, please click here. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat. key words: entrepreneurship, business, capitalism, organization, critical management, anarchism, critical theory

This is a conversation with Jonathan McIntosh who runs the Pop Culture Detective Agency,  the video essay series focusing on the intersections of masculinity,  politics and entertainment. He was also a producer and co-writer on the Tropes vs. Women in Video Games YouTube video series created and hosted by Anita Sarkeesian. You don't have to watch his videos before listening to this  episode, but I think you'll find it more informative if you do so first. At least the ones referenced below. As the title suggests, this was largely a conversation about masculinity  in pop culture. We spoke about the Big Bang Theory, Steven Universe, the character of Newt Scamander (of the Fantastic Beasts film series, but only the 1st movie), Stranger Things and Star Wars. So, you know,  usual spoilers alert. We also spoke about one of the most dangerous fictional characters of recent years: Donald Trump. Although Jonathan's work focuses on Western and especially American  movies and TV series, the episode is structured to highlight common  tropes that are present throughout the world. After all, it is quite  difficult to ignore the influence of Hollywood on movies throughout the  world, not that other film industries are necessarily better or worse when it comes to unhealthy masculinity tropes. This episode was first published for monthly Patreon supporters. To become a monthly Patreon supporter, please click here. For other ways of supporting, including one-off donations, please click here. If you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat.

I spoke with Francesco Saverio Leopardi of Ca'Foscari University of Venice about his recently released book 'The Palestinian Left and Its Decline: Loyal Opposition'. We go through the recent history of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or PFLP, from 1982 to 2007. We go through its complicated role(s) in various Arab countries and even more complicated relationship with other Palestinian groups, especially the PLO, as well as some lessons to draw from this group's experience. As with all conversations I have, this one was intended to be broader than its specific topic. Hopefully by the end of this episode you will have a basic understanding of: the PFLP's history, tensions within the Arab left, the role of Israel and the Assad regime in destroying parts of the Arab left, and even a brief comparative analysis of the Egyptian communist movement and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). I even made a loose comparison between the experience of the PFLP and that of the Free Syrian Army just to challenge my guest, include a more comparative analysis in our conversation, and to let him expand on what he called 'the opposition-integration dilemma'. If you like what I do, please consider supporting this project with only 1$ a month on Patreon or on BuyMeACoffee.com. You can also do so directly on PayPal if you prefer. Patreon is for monthly, PayPal is for one-offs and BuyMeACoffee has both options. f you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat.

This is a conversation with Dr Mona Harb,  Professor of Urban Studies and Politics at the Department of  Architecture and Design at the American University of Beirut. She also  works at Beirut Urban Lab which is: "a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space. The Lab produces  scholarship on urbanization by documenting and analyzing ongoing  transformation processes in Lebanon and its region's natural and built  environments. It intervenes as an interlocutor and contributor to  academic debates about historical and contemporary urbanization from its  position in the Global South." Mona recently wrote reflections on the blast on Jadaliyya - Quick Thoughts: Mona Harb on the Aftermath of the Beirut Explosion - which led to this invitation on The Fire These Times.  We use the blast as the anchor for our conversation. We spoke about the  roles of dominant political figures/parties - especially Hariri Sr+Jr  and Hezbollah in this case - in privatisation processes which have led  to a highly disfigured city even before the August explosion. We spoke  about the difficulties of trying to love Beirut and how it can often  feel like it is too much to handle. In short, we spoke about our very modern experience affecting not just our country but places around the world. Indeed, although Beirut and Lebanon-focused, this is a conversation that  applies to multiple cities around the world that are facing the  challenges of human-caused destruction (the blast, climate change, urban  inequalities, and so on) while also navigating the limitations imposed  by nation states under the still-dominant (despite everything)  neoliberal framework. More on the blog post at thefirethisti.me  If you like what I do, please consider supporting this project with only 1$ a month on Patreon or on BuyMeACoffee.com. You can also do so directly on PayPal if you prefer. Patreon is for monthly, PayPal is for one-offs and BuyMeACoffee has both options. f you can’t donate anything, you can still support this project by sharing with your friends and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts! The Fire These Times is available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Castro and RSS. Music by Tarabeat. Photo taken from Beirut Urban Lab.

This is an unusual episode in that it's just me reflecting on the first 50 episodes that were released on The Fire These Times since March 14th 2020. I also speak about the projects I'm working on and which are made possible by your support. The projects: The Fire These Times: the podcast named after the James  Baldwin book ‘The Fire Next Time’. Its overarching philosophy is exploring ways to tackle the 21st century. Episodes so far have includes conversations on the 2019 Uprising in Lebanon, fascism in Greece,  Europe's 'refugee crisis', Brexit, Hong Kong, the Syrian revolution, China's concentration camps in Xinjiang, disinformation campaigns in the West, patriarchy, Ethiopia, the Jewish Bund, Venezuela and LGBTQ rights in the Arab world. Hummus For Thought: the Lebanon-oriented blog launched during the Arab Spring in 2011 and which is now two things: a monthly newsletter featuring reflections and recommendations (subscribe here) and an upcoming series of monthly and bilingual (English/Arabic) conversations on Lebanon with people who live in Lebanon or who have left Lebanon. You can read the announcement here. LebaneseCinema.com: upcoming website dedicated to resources on Lebanese Cinema as well as regional cinema (Palestinian, Israeli, Syrian, Turkish, Iraqi and Iranian). Ecolere (no website yet): upcoming bilingual (English/Arabic) website dedicated to discussing the climate emergency, our digital lives, and everything in between. Co-created with my friend Christophe Maroun.