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PODCAST

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the

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All Episodes

33:02

Dalal Mawad: The Port of Beirut Explosion Through...

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/10/17

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Lebanese journalist Dalal Mawad about her new book, All She Lost. The book weaves together women’s stories as they grapple with the 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut, its aftermath, and the underlying pathologies that have contributed to Lebanon’s troubles. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert, discussing the role of women and collective memory in political and social developments throughout the region. Transcript,

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2:27

A Mezze: Fishing for Food Security

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/10/10

In the desert region of Tindouf in southern Algeria, the sun beats down on sandy expanses that are home to little more than a network of refugee camps. But in August 2021, a group of Sahrawi refugees were bustling inside a building studded with rectangular pools and filled with tons of tilapia—literally. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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39:52

Khalid Ikram: Egypt's Economic Crisis

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/10/03

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman breaks down Egypt's economic crisis with Khalid Ikram, a veteran economist and consultant for over a dozen major international development organizations. They talk about the Egyptian military’s role in the economy and how Egyptian policymakers can alleviate the current crisis. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert, discussing how other governments in the region handle their economies in comparison to Egypt. Transcript, “Khalid Ikram:

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6:25

Viewpoint: Data Dead Zone

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/09/26

Conflict and instability hinder water data collection in the Middle East, thereby complicating water management strategies that could contribute to more equitable development and sustainable peace. A new Viewpoint from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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39:11

Tarek Megerisi: Libya's Crises

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/09/20

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Tarek Megerisi, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. They talk about the ongoing conflict in Libya and the interests of international actors in the country. Tarek also discusses the recent flooding that devastated the city of Darna, and how the last decade of conflict contributed to the degradation of key infrastructure in Libya. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert, discussing the ways

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3:41

A Mezze: Tunisia's Hunger Games

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/09/12

Amid widespread shortages of basic products in Tunisia, grocery store owners have become like black marketeers in one manifestation of Tunisia’s growing food crisis. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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30:29

Ghaith Abdul-Ahad: Iraq Through Iraqis' Eyes

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/09/05

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with award-winning Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad. During the conversation, Abdul-Ahad discusses the fallout from the war and U.S. occupation, his career reporting from Iraq, and the ways that working alongside leading journalists influenced his work. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert, discussing the legacies of sectarianism in Iraq and Lebanon. Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, A Stranger in Your Own City: Travels in the Middle

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2:44

A Mezze: Baaloul Verde

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/08/29

Baaloul is not like most towns in Lebanon for two reasons. First, its inhabitants do not use any of Lebanon’s most common languages; instead, the lingua franca is Spanish. Second, it has reliable electricity. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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32:04

Haneen Sayed: Lebanon's Economic Crisis

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/08/22

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Haneen Sayed, an international development expert and former lead specialist at the World Bank. During the conversation, Dr. Sayed discusses the roots of the economic crisis in Lebanon and how the international donor community can play a more constructive role. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Marty Pimentel, discussing the effect of sectarianism on Lebanon's political economy and the legacy of protest and civil war. Haneen

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2:49

A Mezze: Keeping Iraq's Solar Community on Message

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/08/15

Amer al-Azaawy founded a small solar company in Baghdad. With little public awareness about the benefits of solar energy and no government support, he decided to take matters into his own hands. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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24:30

Hana Al Omair: The Saudi Film Industry

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/08/08

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hana Al Omair, an award-winning Saudi writer and director, and chairwoman of the new Saudi Cinema Association. During the conversation, Al Omair analyzes massive shifts underway in the Saudi film industry and emerging trends in Saudi cinema. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Danny Sharp, discussing where the Saudi film industry might go and why Hollywood blockbusters remain so popular in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the region.

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3:21

A Mezze: Bride of the Beqqa

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/08/01

"The Bride of the Beqaa" captures the imagination of many Lebanese. The mountain city of Zahle overlooking the Beqaa plateau is famed for its beauty, pleasant climate, and quality arak. But for many years, Zahle was also famous for having 24/7 electricity without relying on neighborhood generators. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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26:52

Jason Rezaian: The Rise of Hostage Taking

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/07/25

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman welcomes Jason Rezaian back to the podcast. Jason is a former hostage and alongside Jon, he is the co-executive director of the CSIS Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention. They speak about the growing phenomenon of hostile governments and groups imprisoning Americans to gain leverage against the United States, why it’s becoming more common, and what the United States can do both to respond when an American is detained and to deter wrongful detention and

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2:46

A Mezze: Saudis Take to the Streets

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/07/18

Through new urban planning projects, Saudi Arabia is encouraging its citizens to join a quiet revolution of walking. While many Saudi cities have improved their mobility index, the government still faces many challenges. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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30:59

Shirin Hakim: Iran’s Environmental Challenges

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/07/11

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Dr. Shirin Hakim, head of the Environment, Climate Security, and Public Health unit at the Center for Middle East and Global Order. They talk about Iran’s worsening environmental issues, the Iranian government’s decades-long mismanagement and overexploitation of its natural resources, and how Western sanctions play into the Iranian regime’s environmental strategy. Dr. Hakim closes the interview with thoughts on how U.S. policymakers should weigh environmental

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3:15

A Mezze: The Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/07/04

As power outages become more frequent in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is working to attract private investors in its renewable energy sector to access the full potential of the sun. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program. Will Todman, "Powering Recovery: Reform, Reconstruction, and Renewables in Conflict-Affected States in the Arab World," CSIS, March 3, 2023.

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33:18

Dalia Hatuqa: Palestinian Politics

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/06/27

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Dalia Hatuqa, a Ramallah-based journalist who has published widely in leading outlets around the world. They talk about the state of politics in the West Bank and Gaza; how the West and Arab states are engaging with the issue of Palestinian self-determination; and Palestinians’ rising frustration with their government, the Israeli government, and the international community. Later in the episode, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Danny Sharp,

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6:05

Analysis: LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Middle East Backfires

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/06/20

In a new episode of Babel, we talk to Will Todman about how even well-intentioned Western LGBTQ+ advocacy in the Middle East can have negative consequences for local LGBTQ+ communities. Will Todman, "LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Middle East Backfires," CSIS, December 16, 2022.

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32:29

Christoph Reuter: Syria’s War Economy.

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/06/13

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Christoph Reuter of Der Spiegel magazine, an award winning journalist and conflict reporter. They talk about Captagon, criminal networks, and Syria's war economy. Later, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Lubna Yousef, and they explore the intersection between criminal networks and war zones. Transcript, "Christoph Reuter: Syria's War Economy," CSIS, June 13, 2023. Jon Alterman and Natasha Hall, "Accountability in Syria," CSIS, August

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3:21

A Mezze: Iran's "Cloudy" Accusations

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2023/06/06

In mid-2022, Iranian authorities accused Israel and the United Arab Emirates of stealing their rain. But Iran’s increasingly dire water shortages make it harder to blame others for the Iranian government’s poor water management. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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284 results

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