Almanac is a student-run initiative at the University of Oxford. Every two weeks, a number of students sit down for an in-depth discussion about the region which has made history for thousands of years and continues to make headlines today.
Michael Willis on Recent Developments in the Maghreb
Michael Willis joins Almanac to discuss his new book, Algeria: Politics and Society from the Dark Decade to the Hirak, recent developments in Tunisia and Morocco, and why studying the area “West of Cairo” is of critical importance to Middle East Studies. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/
17 Oct 2022
Albert Hourani’s Impact
2022 is the 60th anniversary of the publication of Albert Hourani’s magnum opus Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1798-1939. Matthew Smith and Charles Ough sit down with Professor Marilyn Booth, Professor Emeritus Paul Dresch (Albert’s last two DPhil Students), and Professor Eugene Rogan to discuss Albert Hourani the man, the scholar, and the advisor, and his impact on the field of Middle East Studies. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/
20 Apr 2022
Developments in Jordan
An explanation and discussion of the modern history and recent political developments in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Piotr Schulkes, Guy Fiennes, and Matthew Smith highlight important topics such as Palestinian refugees, the royal family, and the politics of foreign intervention in the Kingdom.
17 Jan 2022
2022 New Year’s Episode
The entire Almanac team gets together to discuss what they believe was the most important event in the region over the past year, something they are watching for in the region in 2022, and their favorite book on the Middle East. People featured: Piotr Schulkes, Guy Fiennes, Isabella Cibelli Du Terroil, Oliver Franks, Kalyani Nedungadi, Matthew Smith, Adam Abdalla
17 Dec 2021
Graffiti, music, and football ultras: expressing dissent in MENA (Middle East and North Africa)
Piotr Schulkes, Adam Abdallah, and Kalyani Nedungadi discuss non-official ways in expressing dissent, comparing Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and Palestine. They highlight the role of music and graffiti, and the unique position football ultras have in MENA culture.
6 Oct 2021
Independence and Colonialism in the Western Sahara
Piotr Schulkes, Helna Murphy, Hajar Meddah, and Felix Walker discuss the recent development in the Western Sahara, caused by America’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. They give an overview over the area’s history, the foreign actors involved, and what the future might hold
22 Feb 2021
History, politics, and Anecdotes with Eugene Rogan
Piotr Schulkes and Eugene Rogan discuss the importance of history in contemporary Middle Eastern politics, how the West discusses the region, and a number of stories from Rogan’s time at Oxford.
9 Feb 2021
Lebanon’s Economic and political crisis
Piotr Schulkes, Felix Walker, and Michael Memari cover the ongoing crises in Lebanon’s political and economic systems. They discuss the importance of the confessionalist system in perpetuating the corruption and dependency structures that have hollowed out the Lebanese state, the role of foreign actors, and what the country might face in the future.
26 Jan 2021
New Year’s Episode
The whole team gets together to discuss what their moment of note of 2020 was, what they are looking out for in 2021, and what their favourite book on the Middle East is.
3 Dec 2020
Child abuse and dancing boys in Afghanistan
Piotr Schulkes, Rose Johnson, and Max Randall dive into the phenomenon of the Dancing Boys of Afghanistan. They discuss the parallels which can be found in Persian and Sufi poetry, why it has seen a resurgence the last decades, and how it cannot be separated from the socioeconomic conditions of the country today.
20 Nov 2020
Avi Shlaim on Revisionist History and Israel
Piotr Schulkes and Avi Shlaim, Fellow of the British Academy, sit down to discuss Israel’s New Historians; who they are, what they believe, and the popular reception to it. They also cover the role of history in Israeli politics, the significance of the Oslo Accords, and what Prime Minister Netanyahu has meant for historical research in Israel
2 Nov 2020
Orientalism and the Language of the Middle East
Lillie Sullivan, Piotr Schulkes, and Hajar Meddah discuss what the Middle East as a region is and how it is portrayed in academia and the media. They compare what they have been taught to what they experienced when they lived there, and how the language used to describe the Middle East can have severe consequences for policy in the region.
7 Oct 2020
Female Entrepreneurship in the Middle East
Frederike Brockhoven sits down with Rania Ayman of Entreprenelle, Yasmeen Mjalli of Babyfist, and Lina Khalifeh of Shefighter to discuss female entrepreneurship in the Middle East.
28 Sept 2020
The Kafala System
Hajar Meddah, Felix Walker and Piotr Schulkes discuss the Middle East’s controversial Kafala system, that allows employers to exploit workers and undermine their rights without breaking the law. They cover the history of the practice, the successes and failures of activism against it, and what the Kafala system’s future might look like.
8 Sept 2020
Normalization, annexation, and the Palestinians
Piotr Schulkes, Frederike Brockhoven, and Michael Memari discuss the impact of the normalization of the UAE-Israeli relationship on Netanyahu’s annexation plan, why it's yet more bad news for Palestinians, and American reticence to improve the situation.
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