Radio Inquilab

Radio Inquilab speaks with Yasmin Nair a fierce activist, media and cultural critic, and academic. We talk about the November 2024 election looking into the principal reasons why Kamala Harris lost despite raising the most amount of money ever raised for a Presidential race. Yasmin delves into how Harris was never a good candidate and had no experience to run such a competitive and important race. Her very important and prescient article, written on August 23 2024, is worth a read: https://yasminnair.com/kamala-harris-will-lose/We talk about immigration, and how neither the left nor the right are really interested in fixing a system that dehumanizes immigrants. Yasmin's writing on immigration is deeply humane and comes from a perspective that regardless the kind of work immigrants do, they need to be first and foremost looked at for being living breathing individuals. This was a wonderful conversation where we explored so many ideas that challenge traditional politics and limit our abilities to make a positive change. Yasmin can be found on X @nairyasmin and her website: https://yasminnair.com/This is part 1 of a two-part conversation.

Dr. Nora Jaber joins Radio Inquilab to talk about her research and work as it pertains to the question of international law. As a Palestinian with Saudi nationality, Dr. Jaber has focused her research on the rights of Islamic women in Saudi and the framework they have used -- barring Western ideas and concepts -- to achieve freedom. She explains how when Saudi women were fighting for the right to drive and travel without an accomplice, the concept of Western feminism was viewed by the women as anathema. Instead they used their own methods and religious framework for progress. Dr. Jaber also tackles the very difficult question of international law and how it has proved to be extremely ineffective in the face of the escalating violence by Israel against Palestinians, urging the need for an urgent alternative approach. Resources Recommended: Ratna Kapur, Gender, Alterity and Human Rights: Freedom in a FishbowlBell Hooks, Feminism Is for EverybodyNora Jaber, On International Law & Gaza: Critical Reflections, London Review Françoise Vergès, A Decolonial FeminismSarah Ahmed, Living a Feminist Life

In this episode, Tehzeeb Bano joins the podcast to explore the glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan. She sheds light on the region’s 7,000 glaciers and how climate change is rapidly accelerating their decline, threatening both the local environment and Pakistan’s fresh water supply.Tehzeeb introduces the concept of glacier grafting—a practice long known to the indigenous communities in the area. She emphasizes the importance of leaning into indigenous knowledge to bridge gaps in our understanding of nature. By revisiting and revitalizing these ancient practices, we may find new ways to rejuvenate our environment and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.Resources Recommended: Perceptions of Glacier Grafting: An Indigenous Technique of Water Conservation for Food Security in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan by Tehzeeb Bano & OthersThe Snow Leopard and the Goat: Politics of Conservation in the Western Himalayas (Culture, Place, and Nature) by Shafkat HussainDelusional States: Feeling Rule and Development in Pakistan's Northern Frontier by Nosheen Ali

In this episode, Prof Clint Carroll from UC Boulder talks about the connection Natives have to their land and how despite overwhelming change in the world, have been able to maintain it. He specifically refers to how Cherokee people have developed material, spiritual, and political ties with the lands they have inhabited since removal from their homelands in the southeastern United States despite devastating consequences and how we have so much to learn from that. He also talks about the role of Medicine Keepers and how women are central to that. Clint shows us how we can take so many lessons from the Cherokee in fighting climate change and colonization.Resources Recommended: Osiyo TV Season 8Cherokee Voices for the LandRoots of Our Renewal, Clint Carroll

Rangineh joins Radio Inquilab to talk about her childhood experiences in Tehran that inevitably shaped the rest of her life. She talks about how the Iran/Iraq war left deep impressions on her and led to the formation of Solh Resolutions International, an organization that guides and empowers us to expand our awareness and understanding of ourselves and others through human-centered facilitation, conflict transformation, and circular curations.She talks about her work with The Circle Way (TCW), a circle methodology that offers a counter-cultural, equity-centered approach to working with groups while shifting organizations from transactional places into relational spaces as well as how she works with groups to shift power and create conflict consciousness.We touched everything from COVID to indigenous teachings to how we can incorporate simple concepts in our lives everyday to enrich our living.Resources Recommended:https://www.solhresolutionsinternational.com/Rangineh Azimzadeh Tehrani's Linkedin profile

Colonialism is a major driver of gender-based violence (GBV) today. Former colonies often experience higher rates of intimate partner violence. Research increasingly links political conflict and GBV, indicating that colonial and imperialist interventions contribute directly to systemic violence against marginalized communities like Palestine, Haiti, the DRC, Kashmir, West Papua, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Sudan.  In this episode, moderated by Global Dev 4 Palestine, several experts get together to discuss how colonization and GBV are intricately linked. Experts, in order of appearance:Dr Michelle Lokot is a practitioner, Assistant Professor, and Co-Director of the Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, specialising in feminist research, gender-based violence (GBV) and qualitative research methods.Xian Warner is the Research and Partnerships Manager at The Equality Institute with 17 years of experience conducting research on prevalence, perpetration, and prevention of violence against women across the Asia-Pacific region.Safia Elhillo is a Sudanese-American author and poet and winner of the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets, California Book Award, Arab American Book Award, and the Brunel International African Poetry Prize.Hala Hanina is a Gazan social and political activist and PhD researcher in politics and sociology, with experience leading campaigns against domestic violence with community and government participation in Gaza.Dr Elizabeth Louis is a Black Haitian-American Licensed Clinical Psychologist dedicated to global mental health, supporting ethnic/racial minority well-being, and addressing stigma, health disparities through culturally tailored training.Esther Haluk is a West Papuan poet and feminist human rights defender focused on Indigenous women's rights, environmental protection, and socio-political and economic issues, and strong engagement with faith-based organizations.This episode was developed with funding from the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) and Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM).

Abubaker Abed, a 22-year old war correspondent from Palestine, currently living in Gaza joins Radio Inquilab to talk about the ceasefire deal. Due to a lack of stable internet connection, Abubaker called me from the Al-Aqsa hospital and despite audio challenges, background noises we were able to talk. Abubaker describes the situation on the ground as total annihilation of Gaza, Rafah and the surrounding areas. People making their way back to their homes are finding nothing except rubble and amidst all this there is growing fear that Israel might violate the ceasefire. It is a heart breaking situation that the Palestinians are currently experiencing thanks to the utter silence and total complicity of the West.

In this episode, Soraya Beheshti talks to Radio Inquilab about the massive student protest movement taking place throughout the country. She talks about her experience as student and subsequently as Vice Chair of the Columbia Alumni Association of the UAE, a post she stepped down from after Columbia's President had the student protestors arrested and the military and police marched against them. Soraya talks about what an education at Columbia meant for her and how the school prepared her to stand up against atrocities and be her true honest self. The current stance of the university and the violence they have displayed against students is not just surprising but also shocking. Soraya further talks about her experience working in refugee communities and how she learned the true meaning of hope, resilience and love from some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. Her book, Karavan Kitchen, demonstrates how food is often the central connection many refugees have to their native countries and a means of creating community even when forced to live in difficult conditions many miles from home. Resources Recommended:Karavan Kitchen, Soraya Beheshti: https://www.amazon.com/Karvan-Kitchen-Soraya-Beheshti/dp/1590566009The UN Refugee Agency: https://www.unhcr.org/International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Ilan Pappe The Swimmers, Netflix

Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado, Ather Zia talks about Kashmir and the fraught nature of life there.Ather explains the deep, long, fraught history of Kashmir - how the many rulers exploited Kashmir through the ages with little to no regard for the people, how indigenous knowledge and people were harmed to make Kashmir a part of India and how the government of India harasses, kidnaps, rapes, pillages and kills with total impunity.Ather was born in Kashmir and lived there for several years so she has a unique lens to give voice to the people of Kashmir, speak on their behalf about the gross injustices happening and how the answer for freedom of Kashmir is a clarion call against colonialism and occupation everywhere in the world.Its a fascinating conversation about neoliberalism, neocolonialism and the supposed post colonial world order.Resources Recommended:A Desolation Called Peace: Voices from Kashmir, Ather Zia, Javed Iqbal BhatStand With Kashmir: https://standwithkashmir.org/Kashmiri Scholars Advocacy and Consultative Network: kashmiri-scholars.orgKashmiri Futures: A Beginning: https://read.dukeupress.edu/english-language-notes/article/61/2/1/382831/Kashmiri-FuturesA-Beginning

This episode features Corrina Gould, the Co-Director for The Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, a women-led organization within the urban setting of her ancestral territory of the Bay Area that works to return Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Corrina talks about rematriation, why it is important and how someone can be a good guest on land that does not belong to them/they are not native to. She discusses how our present lifestyles are harming our Mother Earth and what we need to do to reconnect and reclaim our relationship with the land. Corrina explains the concept of shuumi and why it is important in the context of rematriation. She talks about the brutal history of colonization of California and how the effects are being felt even today. She talks about how one can practice good land practices and aspects of the lives of our ancestors that cancan be borrowed today to live a more fulfilling life. Corrina can be found on Instagram @corrina_gould. Resources Recommended: 1.     https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/2.     www.Shellmound.org 3.     Instagram: @Sogoreatelandtrust, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SOGOREATELANDTRUST/

In this episode, Ayed Eqtaish joins the podcast to talk about the state of children in Palestine. While it is impossible to get any kind of estimates in Gaza, Ayed talks about how the situation in the West Bank is also precarious with many children being imprisoned by Israel. Ayed talks about the harm the occupation has been doing to children's mental, physical and psychological state including holding children indefinitely under administrative detention. Children eventually released experience deep harm and lasting effects as a result of the imprisonment where they are held in solitary confinement, not given enough food, have no access to the outside world (no TV, no newspapers), no family visits, limited attorney visits and no in person court visits. Children have to face a judge in the juvenile military court which for all intents and purposes is the same as the adult military court. DCIP has been threatened, their offices ransacked with the staff constantly working under the threat of arrest and imprisonment. Despite this, they continue to be a voice for the children of Palestine, who sometimes have very little to no support. It is a heart breaking conversation that sheds light on the incredible injustice, harm and atrocities committed by the occupation. Resources Recommended: DCIP website: dci-palestine.orgFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/DCIPSX: https://x.com/DCIPalestineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcipalestine/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DCIPS

In this episode, Rupande discusses the upcoming Presidential election with former Green Party candidate, Madelyn Hoffman. They talk about the genocide taking place in Gaza, as well as the Democratic party's changing policies and platforms. Madelyn talks about how "voting for lesser evil is still evil" and how if we want systemic change - free healthcare, cut in defense spending, end to genocides and funding wars abroad, a stronger middle class, subsidized education, etc. our priorities need to fundamentally change and we need a different crop of leaders in charge. The 2024 Presidential election is upon us and each one of us have to make a personal choice in the ballot box but it might be worth keeping in mind that there is a candidate who vows to end genocide, pay reparations to Black people, protect our climate from further harm and improve our overall well being.

In this episode, Rupande speaks with members of Global Development for Palestine about their tireless work to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict. Bringing in their extensive experience, the group talks about Palestine in context with decolonization, how global assistance organizations need to show up vs. their total lack of concern, the double standard & sense of white saviorism in the US - aid world and how aid washing is happening in Palestine. The group talks about how the general public can help and how those who work in this sector can collectively organize through their professional hats. Note: at minute 46, the speaker was referring to the Helms amendment, not the Hyde amendment. Recommended Resources: Global Development for Palestine website: https://sites.google.com/view/globaldev4palestine/homeOther humans (for collective action)/Movement eldersAll About Love, Bell HooksSister Outsider, Audre LordePedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo FreireGhassan Kanafani's work The Parisian, Isabella Hammad White Saviorism in International Development: Theories, Practices and Lived Experiences, Themrise Khan, Kanakulya Dickson and Maïka SondarjeeThe Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fannon

TW: violence, rapeKifaya Khraim, the International Advocacy Coordinator at Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling talks to Rupande about the unrealistic situation in Palestine for women and girls. She shares the unbelievably harrowing stories of women documented first hand by WCLAC, as well as the unprecedented level of trauma experienced by women living under occupation. She explains how violence against women and girls has been ongoing long before October 7, 2023. Kifaya shares grim details about crimes committed against women - harassment, violence, abductions, theft, assault, administrative detention - by Israeli forces and how the women never have any recourse for justice. Kifaya talks about the problem of domestic violence in Palestinian society and how the occupation takes advantage of the situation and makes it worse many times over. Finally, she shares ways in which each of us can help the cause of women and girls and continue fighting for their cause so Palestine can be free. Resources Recommended: WCLAC: www.wclac.orgAl-Haq Organization: www.alhaq.orgWar data and stats: www.slingshot.psInstagram account and Facebook page for Palestinian feminists: https://www.instagram.com/palestinian_feminists/

Farah Mahesri sits down with Rupande to talk about the very important nuance of decolonizing communication - what does it mean, why is it so important and what place it holds in our world as we move to a more awakened society that seeks to place diversity, equality and decolonization. Farah explains how aid organizations can decolonize communication and shift the balance of power, furthering development and internationalization. She talks about what decolonization means in the context of the current conflict in Palestine as well as the universal importance of stories and narratives. Contact Farah: Instagram: @fmahesriLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farahmahesri/Resources Recommended: White Saviorism in International Development: Theories, Practices and Lived Experiences, Themrise Khan, Kanakulya Dickson, Maika SonderjeeFarah's workshop on Decolonization: https://fnmadvising.com/Quantum Impact Report: State of Diversity in Global Social Impact

On April 5, 2024 to commemorate Palestine Children's Day, Kalpvraksh teamed up with Global Development For Palestine to host Defense for Children International Palestine, along with some of the youth they support. This episode is a recording of the live conversation that took place that day. Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCIP) is an independent, local Palestinian child rights organization dedicated to defending and promoting the rights of children living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Since 1991, they have investigated, documented, and exposed grave human rights violations against children; provided legal services to children in urgent need; held Israeli and Palestinian authorities accountable to universal human rights principles; and advocated at the international and national levels to advance access to justice and protection for children. For more information on Defense for Children International Palestine, please visit: https://www.dci-palestine.org/ Global Development for Palestine is a group of individuals who work in global development / humanitarian assistance. They are not part of any group, organization, or company and have no funding for this work. They are done being silent or waiting for our leaders to act. They are working collectively to demand a Ceasefire NOW. For more information, please visit: https://sites.google.com/view/globaldev4palestine/home

In this episode, Rupande speaks with Zee Lilani, the founder of Kula Nursery. Zee talks about her career trajectory - starting as a food researcher and how COVID changed her life plans to turn her into a full-time farmer growing ancestral and heritage foods that her mother and grandmother ate in Pakistan. Zee talks about her hopes and dreams with Kula and the importance of food sovereignty for communities of color.Resources Recommended:Kula Nursery care guides: https://www.kulanursery.com/Mother/Grandmother/Extended families to learn what foods they grewLocal gardening centers/community colleges for courses on gardening

Rupande speaks with the labor & immigrant leader, Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina about her immigrant story and her lifelong fight for workers rights. They talk about the affirmative action decision by SCOTUS in the United States, and what the harmful effects of that can be for immigrants and children of color. Dr. Campos-Medina sheds light on the real "immigrant" problem and how decades of interference and harmful policies by the US has led to a crisis at our border. She talks about the importance of bringing more voices - primarily that of WoC - into our electoral politics and how the dreaded line in New Jersey politics needs to be abolished. Resources Recommended: The Worker Institute @ Cornell UniversityThe Migration Policy Institute, follow Muzaffar Chisti: ⁠https://www.migrationpolicy.org/about/staff/muzaffar-chishti⁠National Employment Law Project National Domestic Workers Alliance/NJ Workers Bill of RightsAny immigrants rights groups Other resources discussed during the interview: Julian Castro's Marshall Plan for Central America:⁠https://borgenproject.org/julian-castros-marshall-plan-for-central-america/⁠Centering Race in Studies of Low-Wage Immigrant Labor: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-111622-062400?fbclid=IwAR3ZFpjhjMUK4ODfF8gKlXrOdYulZ_ukV0oYAsR9jMUSKzmoPT9QmuzK2Ho    

Rupande speaks with Eimear Burke, the the Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids about the meaning of druidry and what it means to be a druid. They talk about how druidry can help in this time of conflict and despair and how nature can help lessen the burden that our everyday life places on us. Eimear explains her work - her day time job as a psychologist - and how it closely aligns with her work as the Chosen Chief and Priestess of Isis. She also talks about the importance of story telling, what they teach us and why it is crucial that the tradition be carried on. Resources Recommended: What Do Druids Believe?, Philip Carr-GommDruidCast Podcast: https://druidcast.libsyn.com/Fireside Chat with Eimear: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvnpiHri8wNUhP2PTvBEbekofZ0dn1RNHDruidry.orgThe Path of Druidry: Walking the Ancient Green Way, Penny BillingtonThe Essential Book of Druidry: Connect with the Spirit of Nature (Elements), Maria Ede-Weaving

Rupande speaks with Kirthi Jayakumar, founder of Gender Security Project, about her reasons for getting involved in this work, how her past has shaped her outlook towards healing justice and the forms of work GSP undertakes. They discuss how the justice system needs to evolve from incarceration and retributive justice to healing justice for all.Kirthi discusses her paper: Redrawing the Galtung Triangle - Finding Place for Healing Trauma in Peace Work, and specifically talks about the idea of how trauma is not only limited to people but also extends to countries, citing the example of the Holocaust and by extension, unhealed trauma, leading to the conflict and land grab in Palestine by Israel.Resources Recommended:Gender Security Project: https://www.gendersecurityproject.com/Instagram posts, blogs, any book on decolonizationKalpvraksh Podcast