Tahrir Podcast - بودكاست التحرير
Tahrir Podcast is the first political podcast to broadcast from Cairo, offering conversations on Middle Eastern and North African politics and history, along with independent analysis, reporting, and commentary on Egyptian politics. Top 5% podcasts globally. Best 60 Middle East podcasts. أول بودكاست سياسي يُبث من القاهرة. لقائات مع أكاديميين وصحفيين ونشطاء وسياسيين وأفراد بارزين حول سياسات وتاريخ الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيامن أكثر البودكاست إستماعًا في الشرق الأوسط ومن ضمن أعلي ٥٪ عالميًا.
حلقات
EP 57 - The Blood Between Us: Syria After the Fall of Assad w/Robin Yassin-Kassab
In episode 57 of Tahrir Podcast, Robin Yassin-Kassab joined to discuss his new book, "The Blood Between Us: Syria After the Fall of Assad" (Saqi Books, 2026). This book offers a first-hand account of Syria's abrupt transformation after the collapse of the brutal Assad regime, tracing how decades of protest, repression and resistance culminated in the swift fall of a sixty-year dicta
EP 56 - Former Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Governance, the Arab Spring, and Lessons Learned
In episode 56 of Tahrir Podcast, Abdalla Nasef sits down in-person at Harvard University with former Tunisian Prime Minister Dr. Youssef Chahed for a conversation about Dr. Chahed's rise within Tunisian politics as the youngest head of government in Tunisia's history, and the longest serving since 2011. The conversation touched on day-to-day governance, counter-terrorism, Tunisian democrac
EP 55 - Iran War, Future Scenarios, and OSINT w/Barbara Slavin & Nilo Tabrizy
In episode 55, Barbara Slavin and Nilo Tabrizy tuned in to discuss the war in Iran, how it came to be, how likely it is to end, as well as OSINT. Now streaming on all platforms.Episode on YouTube: youtu.be/wOBl0aB4ddMBarbara Slavin is a Distinguished Fellow at The Stimson Center and former founding director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center & Middle Eas
EP 54 - Killian Clarke: Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed
In episode 54 of Tahrir Podcast, Killian Clarke joined to discuss his new book, "Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed" (Cambridge University Press, 2025).The book offers one of the first systematic studies of counterrevolution. Drawing on global data since 1900 and new evidence from Egypt’s 2011 revolution, the book explains why counterrevolutions emerge and what
UNRELEASED EP - Danny Makki: The Night the Butcher of Damascus Fled
This episode was recorded on 08 December 2024, the day Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country, ending over 50 years of brutal Assad family rule, and concluding a brutal 14-year civil war. In this episode that I now release a full year later, Danni Makki joined me from Damascus as opposition forces took over the capital, liberating it.
EP 53 - Egypt's Upcoming Parliamentary Elections, the Release of Alaa Abdel Fattah and the Illusion of a Political Opening
Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FV2a5IGZYsYStreaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcastReach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comSupport us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)!https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast
EP 52 - Aaron Magid: The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan
In episode 52 of Tahrir Podcast, Aaron Magid tuned in to discuss his book, The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan (Universal Publishers, 2025), as well as commentate on Jordanian politics. Drawing on interviews with over 100 people—including King Abdullah’s classmates, former Jordanian ministers, and even CIA directors—Aaron offers a deeply reported portrait of one of the Middle East’s most e
EP 51 - Vali Nasr: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History
In episode 51 of Tahrir Podcast, Professor Vali Nasr joined to discuss his new book, Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton University Press, 2025).Drawing on decades of internal debates, foreign policy shifts, and national security doctrine, the book unpacks how the Islamic Republic has navigated threats and opportunities since 1979 — from the trauma of the Iran-Iraq War to proxy n
EP 50 - Laurent Richard & Sandrine Rigaud: Pegasus: How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy
In episode 50 of Tahrir Podcast, Emmy-winning journalists Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud join us to talk about their book, Pegasus: How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy (Henry Holt & Co. 2023) — a gripping account of the global investigation that exposed how governments have turned smartphones into tools of surveillance and control.Based on their
EP 49 - Egypt's New Criminal Procedures Law, the Rise of a Militiaman, and more
EP 48 - Erik Skare: Road to October 7: A Brief History of Palestinian Islamism
Erik Skare is a historian at the University of Oslo and the author of the award-winning "A History of Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Faith, Awareness, and Revolution in the Middle East" (Cambridge University Press, 2021). He specializes in Palestinian history with a particular focus on religion and secular politics. In episode 48 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “Road
EP 47 - Omer Taspinar: What the West is Getting Wrong about the Middle East: Why Islam is Not the Problem
Ömer Taşpınar is a Professor at the National Defense University and Johns Hopkins SAIS in Washington, D.C. He is a scholar, author, and policy expert specializing in Middle East politics, U.S. foreign policy, and Turkish affairs. His research focuses on the intersection of political economy, nationalism, and security in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Turkey.In episode 47 of Tahrir
EP 46 - John Lechner: Russian Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare
John Lechner is a writer and researcher specializing in security issues in Central Africa, the Sahel, Turkey, Russia, and the former Soviet Union. Fluent in Russian and several other languages, he has spent years analyzing Russia’s growing influence in Africa and its global military networks.In episode 46 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "Death Is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries and the
EP 45 - Four Years of Tahrir Podcast
Tahrir Podcast turns 4!In episode 45, we celebrate this milestone by flipping the script—our host, Abdalla Nasef takes the guest seat as Gabriel Gluskin-Braun interviews him about the journey of the podcast.Since its first episode in 2021, Tahrir Podcast - بودكاست التحرير has featured 44 conversations with academics, activists, journalists, and political analysts, covering Egypt, Palestine, Syria,
EP 44 - Rusha Latif: Tahrir's Youth: Leaders of a Leaderless Revolution
Rusha Latif is an Egyptian-American researcher and author based in the San Fransisco Bay Area. In episode 44 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed her book, “Tahrir's Youth: Leaders of a Leaderless Revolution,” (American University in Cairo Press, 2022) which explores the role of the Revolutionary Youth Coalition (RYC) in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Rusha challenges the prevailing narrative that the r
الحلقة 43 - جابر بكر: الجولاج السوري: سجون الأسد 1970 - 2020
جابر بكر كاتب وروائي وصانع أفلام وسجين سياسي سوري سابق.في الحلقة ال٤٣ من بودكاست التحرير و الثالثة باللغة العربية، انضم جابر بكر لمناقشة كتابه، "الجولاج السوري: سجون الأسد 1970 - 2020" متناولًا منظومة سجون الأسد والقمع في سوريا عبر الوقت وأفكار أخري في حلقة شديدة التعمق. YouTube - يوتيوب: http://youtu.be/9AxHoCstWRgرابط الكتاب: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/syrian-gulag-9780755650224/Special thank
EP 42 - Anita R. Gohdes: Repression in the Digital Age: Surveillance, Censorship, and the Dynamics of State Violence
Anita R. Gohdes is a Professor of International and Cyber Security at the Hertie School in Berlin.
In episode 42 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed her most recent book, “Repression in the Digital Age: Surveillance, Censorship, and the Dynamics of State Violence,” (Oxford University Press 2023) which theoretically and empirically investigates how governments use cyber controls to support their stra
EP 41 - Jerome Drevon: From Jihad to Politics: How Syrian Jihadis Embraced Politics
Jerome Drevon is a Senior Analyst in Jihad and Modern Conflict at the International Crisis Group, where he undertakes research and analysis on Islamist militancy across regions.
In episode 41 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “From Jihad to Politics: How Syrian Jihadis Embraced Politics,” (Oxford University Press 2024) which looks at why and how jihadis were able to take over
EP 40 - Alex Rowell: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World
Alex Rowell is a journalist, writer, and online editor at New Lines Magazine.
In episode 40 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his most recent book, “We Are Your Soldiers: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World,” which offers an eccentric but provocative retelling of modern Arab history, providing an engaging account of Nasser's influence on the Middle East. The book delves into Nasser’s role
EP 38 - Mairav Zonszein: Navigating Israeli Politics and Society Amid the Gaza War
Mairav Zonszein is an Israel-Palestine senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. She has been covering Israeli politics and U.S foreign policy for over a decade.
In episode 38 of the Tahrir Podcast, Mairav tuned in to speak about how the current right-wing Israeli government, led by Bibi Netanyahu, came to be. She discussed the military objectives of Israel's brutal war in Gaza, the Israe
EP 37 - Khalil Sayegh: Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis, Ceasefire Prospects, and West Bank Expansion
Khalil Sayegh is a Palestinian political analyst.
In episode 37 of Tahrir Podcast, Khalil joined me to speak on Gaza's humanitarian crisis as Israel continues to block aid from going in while continuing to indiscriminately bomb the strip, Hamas, ceasefire prospects, what the future might hold for Gaza, and the Israel's ex
EP 36 - Nadwa Al-Dawsari: Yemen's Houthi Rebels, Iran, and the Red Sea Crisis
Nadwa Al-Dawsari is a researcher and conflict practitioner with over twenty years of field experience in Yemen where she worked with tribes, civil society, local authorities, security actors, and non-state armed groups. Nadwa is currently a nonresident Scholar with the Middle East Institute and a fellow at the Center on Armed Groups.
In episode 36 of Tahrir Podcast, Al-Dawsari joined me from Was
EP 35 - Egypt's 2024 Presidential Election Wrap Up
EP 34 - SOS from Sudan: Wad Madani's Harrowing Reality
Omenya is a Khartoum resident who joined me from Wad Madani, Sudan as it fell to the RSF to talk about the harrowing situation unfolding there.
A safe haven for those who fled from Khartoum as the war broke out in April 2023, Wad Madani fell to the RSF just four days ago. A safe haven no longer, hundreds of civilians are now trapped in the city. Hospitals are no longer functional. Tune in to hear
EP 33 - Egypt's 2024 Presidential Election: All You Need to Know
In this episode, I carry on from where I left off in EP 30, further analyzing Egypt's 2024 Presidential Election, touching on nearly everything related to it now that we're only nearly two weeks away.
Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r45NY89FUk4
Streaming everywhere! https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast
Support us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! https://
EP 32 - Gaza Under Siege: A Palestinian Journalist’s Message to the World Through the Blackout
Hind Khoudary is a Palestinian journalist based in Gaza.
One of the only people in Gaza with a connection to the outside world, Khoudary joins me in this episode to talk about how things are looking on the ground as the Israeli ground invasion commences, the communication blackout, Israel's carpet-bombing of Gaza, and her message to the people of the world.
Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/
EP 31
In this episode, I share some thoughts on the Egyptian state's war on reality. I go into depth about how the state tricked, bribed, and blackmailed thousands of Egyptians into 'endorsing' the president (which I witnessed in real time by going to one of these rallies in Cairo), how media is manipulated, and ultimately the Orwellian nature of the Egyptian regime. Tune in for a light and unedited epi
EP 30 - Egypt's Microwave Election: Potential Presidential Candidates, Censorship, and Reality
On the 25th of September 2023, Egypt's National Election Authority announced the dates for the presidential election. Set to take place in December and with a tight schedule, the self-explanatory title "Egypt's Microwave Election" perfectly captures that image.
In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, joined by Mahmoud Salem, an award-winning writer and commentator on Egyptian politics, we analyze the
EP 29 - Jean-Loup Samaan: Gulf Military Education, Autonomy, Arms, Yemen War and Western Dependence
Dr. Jean-Loup Samaan is a senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, as well as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He is also an associate research fellow with the French Institute of International Relations.
In episode 29 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "New Military Strategi
EP 28 - Sharan Grewal: Soldiers of Democracy? Military Legacies and the Arab Spring
Dr. Sharan Grewal is an Assistant Professor of Government at the College of William & Mary, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Project on Middle East Democracy.
In episode 28 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book, "Soldiers of Democracy? Military Legacies and the Arab Spring."
Analyzing the conduct of the Egyptian and Tunisia
EP 27 - Arash Azizi: The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions
Dr. Arash Azizi is an Iranian journalist, author, and adjunct instructor at NYU.
In episode 27 of Tahrir Podcast, we discussed his book "The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the U.S, and Iran's Global Ambitions." The book looks at the life and influence of General Qassem Soleimani. Assassinated by a U.S drone strike in 2020, Soleimani was almost the second most powerful person in Iran and lead militi
EP 26 - Cameron Hudson: Sudan's Warring Generals and How They Could Be Stopped
Cameron Hudson is a senior associate at the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). An analyst and consultant on African peace, security, and governance issues, Hudson has held various positions such as Intelligence analyst in the Africa Directorate at the Central Intelligence Agency, Chief of Staff to successive presidential special envoys for Sudan and Direct
الحلقة 25 - خالد فهمي: عن حجب التاريخ، الديمقراطية، و رفض الهزيمة
المؤرخ الدكتور خالد فهمي أستاذ التاريخ ينضم إلي التحرير بودكاست من بوسطن لتناول العديد من الموضوعات ومنها أهمية كتابة ودراسة الماضي، الديمقراطية، المعوقات التي تواجه الباحثين المصريين وال٢٠١١
This episode is in Arabic. English subtitles are available on YouTube.
In episode 25 of Tahrir Podcast, I flew out to Boston to record in-person with renowned Egyptian historian Dr. Khaled Fahmy about the
EP 24 - Aaron Salzberg: Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Fight for Nile Water
Dr. Aaron Salzberg is a distinguished Holzworth professor in the department of environmental sciences and engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), and is the director of the Water Institute. He was previously the U.S State Department's First Special Coordinator for Water where he led the development and implementation of U.S foreign policy on water and sanitation, w
EP 23 - Elizabeth R. Nugent: After Repression: How Polarization Derails Democratic Transition
Dr. Elizabeth R. Nugent is an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University. Her research focuses on the politics of authoritarianism and religion in the Middle East.
Dr. Nugent's first and award-winning book, After Repression: How Polarization Derails Democratic Transition, documents repression and polarization among the opposition in Egypt and Tunisia. She presents a t
EP 22 - Kyle J. Anderson: The Egyptian Labor Corps and Reinterpreting the Egyptian Revolution of 1919
Dr. Kyle J. Anderson is an assistant professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury.
Anderson's most recent book, "The Egyptian Labor Corps: Race, Space, and Place in the First World War," (University of Texas Press 2021) tells the history of Egypt's involvement in World War I (WWI) by telling the story of the Egyptian Labor Corps (ELC) and how the treatment of these prima
EP 21 - Egypt's 2022 National Dialogue: Political Shitshow or Beginning of a New Era?
On the 27th of April 2022, Egypt's incumbent president reactivated the presidential pardon committee and called for a national dialogue. At least one person has been documented to have been arrested as a result of criticizing the president's call for dialogue.
As of the 30th of June 2022, only 236 political prisoners have been released, most of whom are already widely known within the Egyptian pol
EP 20 - Zaynab El Bernoussi: Dignity in the Egyptian Revolution
Dr. Zaynab El Bernoussi is an assistant professor of International Politics at Sciences Po Rabat, International University of Rabat.
El Bernoussi’s most recent publication and first book, “Dignity in the Egyptian Revolution: Protest and Demand During the Arab Uprisings,” (Cambridge University Press 2021) explores the concept of Dignity (or Karama in Arabic) in the context of the Egyptian Rev
EP 19 - Andrew Simon: On Music Censorship, Vulgarity, and Historical Counter-narratives in Egypt
Dr. Andrew Simon is a lecturer and research associate in Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College.
Simon's most recent publication and first book, "Media of the Masses: Cassette Culture in Modern Egypt," (Stanford University Press 2022) draws on a wide array of audio, visual, and textual sources that exist outside the Egyptian National Archives, and in so doing, provides a new entry
EP 18 - Mahmoud Salem: Egyptian Award-Winning Blogger and Former Politician Shares Insights
Mahmoud Salem is an award-winning blogger, government toppler, former politician, political campaignist, and death list survivor.
Salem, under his online nom de guerre 'Sandmonkey' rose to fame amid his blog, 'Rantings of a Sandmonkey' claiming him various awards including best Middle East and Africa blog in 2006 and 2007, best English blog in the Deutsche Welle Best of Blogs award in 2011. S
EP 17 - Dana M. Moss: The Arab Spring Abroad: Diaspora Activism Against Authoritarian Regimes
Dr. Dana Moss is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research investigates how authoritarian forces repress their critics and how collective actors resist this repression in a globalized world. She is also the founding director of the Yemen Peace Project.
Her most recent publication and first book, “The Arab Spring Abroad: Diaspora Activism Against Authoritari
EP 16 - Erin Snider: Marketing Democracy: The Political Economy of Democracy Aid in the Middle East
Dr. Erin A. Snider is an assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Snider’s most recent book, “Marketing Democracy: The Political Economy of Democracy Aid in the Middle East,” (Cambridge University Press, 2022) examines the construction and practice of democracy aid in Washington DC and
EP 14 - Farah Darwish: Student Activist Leader Speaks On Lebanon’s October 2019 Uprising and Lebanese Student Activism
Farah Darwish is a Syrian student activist, founder, and president of the Lebanese International University (LIU)'s Secular club. Darwish took part in Lebanon's 2019 uprising that lead to --then Prime Minister-- Saad Hariri's resignation. In this episode, Darwish gets into what it felt like protesting the government in Beirut, being Syrian in Lebanon (even though her mother is Lebanese), and what
EP 12
Charlotte Streinger is a French blogger and tutor. Joining us from Damascus, Syria, in this episode, Streinger, among many things, talks about how she ended up in Damascus, how sanctions are affecting Syrians as of 2021, and the catastrophe that looms. Streinger's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlota_green_/ Streinger's Blog: http://carlotagreen.com/Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comStream
EP 10 - Ghaya Ben Mbarek: On Tunisian Democracy, Student Activism, and Kais Saed's 25 July 2021 Coup
Ghaya Ben Mbarek is a Tunisian journalist and former student activist.
In episode 10 of Tahrir podcast, Ben Mbarek talks about her student activism, Tunisian democracy, Nourredine Bhiri and Fathi Baldi's arrests, Ennahda, Kaes Saed's 25th of July measures, and much more.
Ben Mbarek's Twitter (@Ghaya_BM): https://twitter.com/Ghaya_BM
Ben Mbarek's bylines (@Meshkal_TN): https://meshkal.org/
R
EP 9 - Laura Kasinof: On meeting Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize Winner Tawakkol Karman and Socotra
Laura Kasinof was one of the few foreign journalists in Yemen as the Arab Spring started to unfold there. From Yemen, she reported for the New York Times. Kasinof is also the author of "Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen."
In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, she talks about how she met Nobel peace prize winner Tawakkol Karman, how Abdurrabuh Mansur Hadi--
EP 8 - Laura Kasinof: Accidental Yemen War Correspondent on Why Yemenis Aren't Afraid of Bullets
Laura Kasinof was one of the few foreign journalists in Yemen as the Arab Spring started to unfold there. From Yemen, she reported for the New York Times. Kasinof is also the author of "Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen." In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, she talks about how she ended up in Yemen, how that was motivated by a conversation she had at a DC part
EP 7 - Ronnie Close: Cairo's Ultras, Resistance, and Revolution in Egypt's Football Culture
Dr. Ronnie Close is a filmmaker, author, and assistant professor of visual media at the American University in Cairo. His most recent publication, "Cairo’s Ultras: Resistance and Revolution in Egypt’s Football Culture," looks at Cairo's football communities, their cultural practices, the role they played in Egypt’s 2011 revolution, and their fan base. Egypt's biggest Ultras groups have been outlaw
EP 6 - Hollie S. McKay: War crimes investigator, correspondent and bestselling author tunes in from Kabul
Hollie S. McKay is a foreign policy expert and war crimes investigator. McKay has worked on the frontlines of several major warzones and covered humanitarian and diplomatic crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Russia, Africa, Latin America, and other areas. Her most recent work is the Amazon best-seller "Only Cry For the Living: Memos from Inside
EP 5
A staunch Egyptian communist, Ahmed Nada speaks on the role Egyptian Anarchists and Communists played during the revolution, showcasing the similarities between what happened in 1952, 1956, 1977, 2011, 2015. Nada has been a member of the Egyptian Communist Party for nearly six consecutive years. He had also participated in the Egyptian Revolution, and for the 7 years to follow, had been getting tr
EP 4
Born and raised in LA, Michael Roque was traveling around in 2011, where he happened to find himself in Egypt as the Arab Spring unfolded. In this episode of the Tahrir Podcast, Roque talks about his experience and how it had impacted and remains to impact him. The episode is now out on all podcast streaming platforms—YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, etc.Reach out! Tahrir
ِEP 3
Ryan Klawitter had visited Egypt in 2010 for a summer program at the American University in Cairo, and two years later decided to pursue his graduate studies, also at the American University in Cairo, during the Arab Spring's unfolding. In this episode, we dive deep into some of the crazy situations he's been in. From why he decided to set foot in Cairo in 2010, to witnessing protests, and eventua
EP 2
Ameen is a Syrian artist and a student at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts. Ameen lives in Damascus, Syria. In this episode, he takes us on a journey into how life in Damascus, Syria, is like in 2021. He also goes into depth about his art, photography, and future projects he's working on. Ameen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ameenakaseem/The episode is now out on all podcast str
EP 1 - Jonathan Pye: From picking olives in Palestine to being a voluntary human shield in Tahrir Square
Jonathan Pye is a Swedish archaeologist that happened to be in Tahrir Square during the first 7 days of the Egyptian revolution. During this time, he's had multiple extraordinary approaches and experiences in the middle of where the Arab Spring was brewing. Pye also had been picking olives in Palestine in 2009. In this episode of Tahrir Podcast, we get into his time in Palestine, and most importan
