
The Dig
The Dig is a podcast from Jacobin magazine that discusses politics, criminal justice, immigration and class conflict with smart people. Please support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4839800
Latest episodes

Jun 19, 2024 • 2h 50min
Thawra Ep. 13 – Revolutionary Arabia
Featuring Abdel Razzaq Takriti, this is the THIRTEENTH episode of Thawra (Revolution), our mini-series on Arab radicalism in the 20th century. Today’s installment covers the armed left-wing revolutionary movements that challenged British imperial power across Southern Arabia, with the National Liberation Front taking over South Yemen and Dhufari rebels in Oman waging a liberation war against the Sultan. Today’s alliance of reactionary Gulf monarchies was not inevitable; they were made by colonial power, and Arab revolutionaries in the 1960s and 70s mounted a major effort to overthrow them.
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unionchapel.org.uk/venue/whats-on/versothe-dig-live-podcast-with-jeremy-corbyn-laleh-khalili
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Jun 9, 2024 • 2h 35min
Thawra Ep. 12 – Origins of Saudi Reaction
Abdel Razzaq Takriti shares the turbulent history of Saudi Arabia in the 1950s and 60s, marked by labor strikes, dissident currents, and conflicts with Nasser's Egypt. The podcast delves into Saudi royal conservatism, alliances with British colonial powers, and the regional impact of internal dynamics. It also explores the role of Aramco, political mobilization in Kuwait, and the nationalist coup in North Yemen. The episode sheds light on the intricate geopolitical maneuvers and the significance of Saudi Arabia in global politics.

11 snips
May 31, 2024 • 1h 53min
Gaza and the US Conjuncture w/ Dylan Saba and Waleed Shahid
Dylan Saba talks about Israel's genocide in Gaza and the mass solidarity movement affecting US politics. Waleed Shahid is part of the anti-imperialist internationalist moment on the American left. They discuss how this moment is transforming US politics and marking a turning point for the American left.

May 23, 2024 • 2h 38min
Thawra Ep. 11 – Ba’ath Seize Power
Featuring Abdel Razzaq Takriti, this is the ELEVENTH episode of Thawra (Revolution), our rolling mini-series on Arab radicalism in the 20th century. Today’s installment tells the story of the destruction of the two giant revolutionary projects of 1958: the union of Egypt and Syria under Nasser’s United Arab Republic and Iraq’s July Revolution that brought Qasim alongside communist allies to power. The rival radical projects of pan-Arabism and communism suffered huge blows. So did Nasser and Qasim, the era’s most significant Arab anti-imperialist leaders. Meanwhile, the Ba’ath, once ideological and idealistic, became increasingly dominated by military men who made the party into an instrument for raw domination.
Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig
Check out our newsletter and vast archives at thedigradio.com
Buy tickets for live Dig with Jeremy Corbyn in London:
unionchapel.org.uk/venue/whats-on/versothe-dig-live-podcast-with-jeremy-corbyn-laleh-khalili
Buy Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom at Versobooks.com
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May 11, 2024 • 0sec
Thawra Ep. 10 – Iraqi Revolution, Communist Power
Abdel Razzaq Takriti discusses Iraq's 1958 July Revolution, class conflict, and rivalries among Qasim, Nasser, and the Communist Party. Delving into post-revolutionary power dynamics and communist influence, the podcast explores Iraq's complex political landscape and struggles for independence in the Arab world.

4 snips
May 3, 2024 • 2h 2min
Thawra Ep. 9 – Palestine on the Road to Revolution
Abdel Razzaq Takriti discusses the creation of a Palestinian national liberation movement in the 1950s, the foundation of Fatah, and the shift in Palestinian politics post-defeat. They explore the sociological impact of refugee communities, strategies for liberation inspired by the Algerian Revolution, challenges faced by Palestinian refugees seeking repatriation, and the role of faith, charity, and armed struggle in building resistance in Palestine.

Apr 26, 2024 • 0sec
Thawra Ep. 8 – Origins of the Arab New Left
Abdel Razzaq Takriti discusses the Arab Nationalist Youth's impact on revolutionary politics, origins of the Movement of Arab Nationalists from Beirut, ideological evolution influenced by European models, controversies within the left-wing movement, urgency of climate action, and rise of the Arab New Left in the 1950s.

9 snips
Apr 19, 2024 • 2h 16min
Scholars Against Genocide
Scholars discuss the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, highlighting the historical context of Zionism, struggles for liberation, and the blurred lines between armed conflict and law enforcement in Israel. They explore the Western ruling class's support for Zionism, denial of Palestinian genocide, and the resilience of Palestinian academic life despite suppression by Israeli authorities.

Apr 10, 2024 • 1h 25min
Thawra Ep. 7 – United Arab Republic Against Eisenhower
Abdel Razzaq Takriti delves into Arab radicalism in the 20th century, discussing Nasser's strategic maneuvers, the US's Eisenhower Doctrine, the formation of the United Arab Republic, and Eisenhower's deployment of US Marines in Lebanon in 1958, marking a new era of imperialism in the Middle East.

Apr 2, 2024 • 2h 8min
Thawra Ep. 6 – Cold War Heats Up
Abdel Razzaq Takriti, an expert on Arab radicalism, discusses the intensification of the Cold War in the Middle East. Nasser's opposition to Western powers, nationalization of the Suez Canal, and Arab anti-imperialism triumph. The podcast explores geopolitical maneuvering, French influence, and the impact of Nasser's defiance on revolutionary movements in the Arab world.