Babel: Translating the Middle East
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, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program 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 generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s).
51
Viewpoint: Data Dead Zone
The Middle East is largely a water data dead zone, complicating water management strategies that could lead to development and peace.
5 min
52
Tarek Megerisi: Libya's Crises
Jon Alterman speaks with Tarek Megerisi about Libya’s crises, including its ongoing armed conflict and the recent flooding.
38 min
53
A Mezze: Tunisia's Hunger Games
Amid widespread shortages of basic products in Tunisia, grocery store owners have become like black marketeers.
3 min
54
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad: Iraq Through Iraqis' Eyes
Jon speaks with Ghaith Abdul-Ahad about his career reporting from Iraq and the fallout from the U.S. occupation.
30 min
55
A Mezze: Baaloul Verde
The Lebanese town of Baaloul is unique for two reasons: its inhabitants primarily speak Spanish, and it also has reliable electricity.
2 min
56
Haneen Sayed: Lebanon's Economic Crisis
Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Haneen Sayed about the roots of Lebanon's economic crisis and how the international donor community can play a more constructive role.
31 min
57
A Mezze: Keeping Iraq's Solar Community on Message
With no government support, Iraq's solar community is collaborating to kickstart the solar market.
2 min
58
Hana Al Omair: The Saudi Film Industry
Jon Alterman speaks with Hana Al Omair about the massive shifts underway in the Saudi film industry and emerging trends in Saudi cinema.
24 min
59
A Mezze: Bride of the Beqqa
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.
3 min
60
Jason Rezaian: The Rise of Hostage Taking
Jon Alterman speaks with Jason Rezaian about the rising phenomenon of hostage taking and what the United States can do both to respond when an American is taken hostage and to deter hostage taking and wrongful detention altogether.
26 min
61
A Mezze: Saudis Take to the Streets
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.
2 min
62
Shirin Hakim: Iran’s Environmental Challenges
This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Dr. Shirin Hakim about Iran’s growing environmental problems and how Western sanctions play into the Iranian regime’s mismanagement of its natural resources.
30 min
63
A Mezze: The Kurdistan Region of Iraq
As power outages become more frequent in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is turning to renewable energy and working to attract private investors to access the full potential of the sun.
3 min
64
Dalia Hatuqa: Palestinian Politics
This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Dalia Hatuqa about Palestinian politics and Palestinians’ rising frustration with their government, the Israeli government, and the international community.
33 min
65
Analysis: LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Middle East Ba...
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.
6 min
66
Christoph Reuter: Syria’s War Economy.
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Christoph Reuter of Der Spiegel magazine. They talk about Captagon, criminal networks, and Syria's war economy.
32 min
67
A Mezze: Iran's "Cloudy" Accusations
Iran's Cover-Up for Environmental Mismanagement
3 min
68
Nicolas Pelham: Morocco's Missing King
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicolas Pelham of The Economist about the Moroccan monarchy and King Mohammed VI’s unusual friendship with a German kickboxer.
33 min
69
A Mezze: From Stable to Table—Egypt's Donkey Me...
As Egypt's economic crisis continues, a new proposition of introducing donkey meat to Egypt's cuisine causes public uproar amidst soaring food prices.
2 min
70
Hafsa Halawa: Egypt's Economic Turmoil
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hafsa Halawa of the Middle East Institute and author of a new paper entitled Gulf Investment in Egypt, A balance of mutual need. They talk about the economic crisis that has plagued Egypt, shedding light on the factors that have contributed to its tumultuous state.
40 min
71
A Mezze: Power Plays
Suffering from a debilitating electricity and water shortage crisis, some communities in Libya resort to "power plays" and acts of intimidation to ensure their access to basic services.
2 min
72
Killian Clarke: Egypt's Counterrevolution and t...
Jon Alterman speaks with Prof. Killian Clarke about his forthcoming book tentatively entitled The Return of Tyranny: How Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed.
33 min
73
A Mezze: An Uphill Battle
GCC countries are beginning to tackle their obesity problem, but structural and cultural challenges to improving fitness abound.
3 min
74
Ayham Kamel: The Gulf's Regional Diplomacy
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Ayham Kamel of the Eurasia Group. They talk about the current diplomatic landscape in the Gulf, how leaders perceive their security interests, their views on the U.S. staying in power in the region, and how they are responding to the U.S. retrenchment from the Middle East.
36 min
75
A Mezze: Help Wanted, But Not Found
What started as a job advertisement for a sandwich maker in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) quickly landed one firm in hot water last December. As the UAE pushes for companies in the private sector to hire more Emiratis, they're finding that there are some jobs that Emiratis don't want.
3 min