The afikra Podcast

Shaping space goes far beyond physical structures, it deeply impacts people's lives and connects to the human spirit. Renowned, award-winning Saudi architect Sumaya Dabbagh shares her journey navigating the evolving architectural landscape of the Gulf, shifting away from commercial real estate focus to cultivate authentic, contextual architecture. She delves into her unique design philosophy of creating continuity by blending modern elements with historical fabric, as seen in landmark projects like the Mleiha Archaeological Centre and the Al Ain Museum. The conversation also highlights the intangible elements of design, exploring how thoughtful materials and sensory details bring a sacred sense of space to life.

00:00 Introduction
01:38 Returning to the Gulf in the Early '90s
06:22 Real Estate vs. Architecture
11:34 Turning Points in Gulf Building Standards
14:52 Establishing a Practice & Contextual Architecture
19:11 Understanding the Architectural Fabric of Cities
25:15 Looking Beyond Soulless Towers to the Human Spirit
29:53 Redefining Al Ain Museum
36:03 Showcasing History at Mleiha Archaeological Centre
40:51 Materiality & Setting
42:26 Designing Places of Worship & Sacred Spaces
44:56 A Broader Movement Towards Cultural Identity
46:31 Recommended Reading for Aspiring Architects

Sumaya Dabbagh is the founder and principal architect of Dabbagh Architects in Dubai. Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, she studied architecture at the University of Bath under the guidance of the late Peter Smithson and Sir Ted Happold. She began her career in London and Paris before returning to the Gulf region in 1993. In 2008, she founded Dabbagh Architects, one of the first women-led architectural practices in the UAE and one of the first in the Gulf region to be registered as a RIBA Chartered Practice (2015). Her multi-award-winning projects include the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah (2016), nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and the Gargash Mosque in Dubai (2021), making her one of the first women architects to design a mosque in the UAE. The Al Ain Museum in Abu Dhabi is currently under construction. She was a founding member of the RIBA Gulf Chapter (2009) and served as its Chair from 2015 to 2019. Her work is driven by the notions of memory, identity, and belonging, and she has been shortlisted for the Tamayouz Excellence Award for Woman of Outstanding Achievement (2019 and 2024) and named Principal of the Year at the Middle East Architects Awards (2019).
Connect with Sumaya Dabbagh 👉 https://instagram.com/dabbagharchitects_


Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A collection of black-and-white photographs from 1920s mandate Lebanon completely flips traditional regional history on its head. Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan takes us on a fascinating journey behind her PhD research into the life and legacy of Marie al-Khazen, a pioneer Lebanese photographer. Dr. Taan, a professor and director at LAU, utilizes a gender-focused lens to decode al-Khazen's meticulously staged compositions of active, unconventional women driving cars, smoking cigarettes, and going on armed hunting trips. This engaging discussion explores agency, cultural cross-dressing, and the striking parallels with other early female Arab photographers like Karimeh Abbud, demonstrating how these archival treasures continue to challenge established regional histories.

00:00 Introduction
02:03 The Discovery in Canada and an Unconventional Re-entry
09:11 Aristocracy, Feudal Backdrops, and Staged Patriarchs
17:39 Anecdotes of a Village Outcast
21:22 Viewfinders from Above and Interrupted Legacies
31:12 The Stone Under the Steering Wheel
34:15 Trends of Fluidity and Cultural Cross-Dressing
37:33 The Working Woman vs. The Documentarian
41:58 The True Landscape of Palestine
43:01 Self-Orientalizing and the Trend of the Bowl
48:43 Scratched Faces and Pre-Photoshop Erasure
53:06 White Eggs and the Mysterious Wife of Bonfils

Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan is Associate professor of Design and Design History at the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut.
She holds a PhD in Art History and Communications Studies from McGill University. Her research focus is on design writing and research, visual culture and gender representation, design, media, photography and visual culture in the Middle East and North Africa. She publishes articles on visual culture in a number of international journals. She has illustrated more than twenty children’s books and has participated in a number of residencies in Berlin, Cairo, Beirut and Bratislava. Her artwork has been exhibited in New York, Berlin and Beirut.
Connect with Yasmine Nachabe Taan 👉 https://instagram.com/yastaan

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reimagining the future of policy and human rights across the Middle East and North Africa requires moving past broken international systems and broadening our collective imagination. Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), Mai El-Sadany, explores how centering those most impacted can drive meaningful legal advocacy, creative accountability, and systemic change. Grounded in the enduring legacy of the 2011 Arab uprisings, the discussion addresses the evolution of civil society organizations, navigating global funding crises, and overcoming systemic inertia.

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Decentering the Old Guard in Policy Advocacy
08:44 Finding Your Strategic Space
13:30 15 Years of Tectonic Shifts
17:46 Operationalizing Ethical Policy and Community Building
21:40 Navigating Systemic Inertia and Regional Realignment
28:44 Bending the Arc: Mobilization Beyond Complacency
33:37 Pluralistic Justice and Strategic Legal Alliances
38:14 Strategic Resilience Amid Non-Profit Funding Shifts
44:13 Differentiating Core Values from Institutional Decay
50:10 Constructing Alternate Frameworks
54:58 Investing in Grassroots Alliances and Independent Media

Mai El-Sadany is the Executive Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). She is a human rights lawyer with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Throughout her career, she has worked to expand creative pathways to accountability, to leverage international and regional mechanisms to advance human rights, and to publish accessible analysis and scholarship on legal, judicial, and constitutional issues. She was previously TIMEP's Managing Director and Legal and Judicial Director. Prior to that, she worked at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, among other organizations. She is a Steering Committee member of the World Movement for Democracy, a member of the Working Group on Egypt, and a Board Member of HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement. Mai holds a J.D. and certificate in refugees and humanitarian emergencies from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.A. in political science from Stanford University.
Connect with Mai El-Sadany 👉 https://x.com/maitelsadany?lang=en


Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The history of electricity in Lebanon serves as a vibrant arena for struggles over political economy, foreign corporate ownership, and the very definition of national sovereignty. Associate Professor Ziad Abu-Rish unpacks this evolution, tracking public utilities from early regional monopolies to the eventual creation of Électricité du Liban (EDL). Rather than viewing popular protests and boycotted utility bills as signs of state disintegration, this conversation explores how these collective actions actively built and legitimized Lebanese state institutions. This deep dive ultimately reframes daily encounters with state infrastructure as fundamental practices of modern politics and national identity.

00:00 Introduction
04:00 Monopolies and Regional Boundaries
12:07 The Myth of Free Market Competition
17:30 Decolonizing Public Infrastructure
23:26 The Spark of the Boycott Movement
27:31 Redefining State Legitimacy through Protests
32:34 Concrete Boundaries and Popular Sovereignty
38:01 Tracing State Growth and Formations
46:44 The Persistence of Institutions
51:57 Invisible Walls and Controlled Movement
54:49 History on Stage

Ziad Abu-Rish is Associate Professor of Human Rights and Middle East Studies at Bard College, where he also directs the MA Program in Human Rights and the Arts. A scholar of the modern Middle East and North Africa, his research centers around state formation, economic development, and popular mobilizations, particularly in Lebanon and Jordan. He earned his PhD in History from UCLA and his MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University. Abu-Rish is the author of The State of Lebanon: Popular Politics and Institution Building in the Wake of Independence (Stanford University Press, forthcoming), and co-editor of The Dawn of the Arab Uprisings: End of an Old Order? (2012). He is the co-creator (with Tania El Khoury) of The Search for Power, an interactive installation and lecture performance on the history of electricity in Lebanon. He serves as Co-Editor of Arab Studies Journal and Jadaliyya, as well as Co-Director of the Lebanon Dissertation Summer Institute.
Connect with Ziad Abu-Rish 👉 https://instagram.com/ziadaburish


Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Algeria's complex colonial landscape serves as the backdrop for a deep dive into the intersection of race, Islam, and capitalism. Dr. Muriam Haleh Davis unravels how the French colonial state weaponized Islam as a racial category to structure economic inequalities. The conversation expands into the enduring legacy of Frantz Fanon, exploring the complex dynamics of national liberation and third-world revolutionary aspirations. Uncovering a rich, often-overlooked intellectual history, the discussion highlights the Algerian scholars and philosophers who actively fought to define their own nationhood.

00:00 Introduction
01:43 An Intellectual Journey to Algeria
04:40 Connecting Religion and Capitalism
06:50 Defining Racial Capitalism
10:59 Ideological Threats in the Cold War
12:50 Citizenship and the Colonial Status of Islam
17:22 Economic Policies of Settler Colonialism
23:05 Early Strains of Algerian Nationalism
28:36 Beyond the Mythology of Frantz Fanon
39:05 An Accident of History
43:31 Theory Production from the Global South
45:35 The Circuits of Intellectual Production
48:54 Highlighting Overlooked Algerian Scholars

Muriam Haleh Davis is Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she directs the Center for the Middle East and North Africa. She is the author of Markets of Civilization: Islam and Racial Capitalism in Algeria (Duke University Press, 2022) and the co-editor of North Africa and the Making of Europe: Governance, Institutions, and Culture (Bloomsbury Press, 2018). She is currently working on a second book, Decolonizing Sociology: State-Building and Knowledge Production in the Maghreb, which examines how intellectuals in North Africa appropriated and transformed the discipline of sociology after independence. She is co-chair of the editorial committee for MERIP (Middle East Research and Information Project) and co-editor of the Maghreb Page for Jadaliyya. She holds an MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown, an MA in Culture and Theory from UC Irvine, and a PhD in History from NYU (2015). She has been a Max Weber Postdoctoral Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence and a fellow at IMéRA in Marseille.
Connect with Muriam Haleh Davis 👉 https://instagram.com/muriamhaleh

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.